Page 44 - The Doula Hub - Flip book_Neat

H O W T O B R E A T H E

• Can’t control your triggers but you can control your response

• Natural instinct when concerned or excited is to breathe faster, this causes

the production of adrenaline because your body believes it is entering fight
or flight mode.

• We can trick the body to instead remain calm and relaxed by slow breathing.
This is used in the first stage of labour and in hypnobirthing is called “up

breathing”. You aim to breathe using your diaphragm, so your stomach will
inflate instead of your chest when practicing.

• Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let it go through your mouth.

Some people find it helpful to count, some not. It’s up to you. Aim to make
both breaths slow and long – oxytocin is produced on the out breath.

• Breathing can be used alongside visualisations – imagining a place where
you feel happy and safe, or with other calm images that produce an “up and

open” feeling: a flower opening, a hot air balloon rising, a sunrise, blowing
bubbles.

• In hypnobirthing, the second stage of labour sees a switch to a different kind

of breathing – “down breathing” or “J breathing”. With a soft mouth, take a
short breath in and then breathe with your focus downwards. You can
practice while doing the toilet in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy.