Breathing Exercises After Childbirth

Breathing Exercises After Childbirth

Breathing – what could be more natural? This constant, vital action has an enormous impact on the body. After childbirth, a woman especially needs to recover as quickly as possible, and it can be difficult or intimidating to start physical exercises. That’s why postpartum breathing exercises are extremely important.

What are the benefits of postpartum breathing exercises?

The breathing process not only sustains our life, it is responsible for the gas exchange in the body and ultimately for all the subtle chemical reactions at the cellular level. It involves many muscle groups. Even just by regulating your breathing, you can achieve a significant improvement in overall well-being. Properly selected breathing exercises after childbirth can help a new mother:

• restore strength and energy;
• combat diastasis;
• regain firmness in the abdominal muscles and breasts;
• begin returning to ‘pre-pregnancy’ weight;
• effectively move towards your ideal figure.

When to start?

In reality, it’s a funny question – when to start breathing after childbirth? We never stop! Just pay attention to the process and adjust it a bit. This way, moms can do breathing exercises as soon as they first remember after giving birth. This will set the intention for proper breathing.

More intensive breathing practices, such as elements of yoga and body flex, are better done about 2 months after childbirth, especially in the case of a cesarean section.

Breathing exercises are by no means contraindicated for breastfeeding mothers. More details about the technique can be learned in the online course at momslab.com.

What does it mean to “breathe correctly”?

It’s better to do it always, not just after childbirth. But if a woman hasn’t practiced breathing exercises before and, after becoming a mom, decides to pay attention to it, she should start as soon as possible.

The correct type of breathing is diaphragmatic-rib breathing. This means that when inhaling, the air should go down in the chest to the stomach, slightly moving the diaphragm and expanding the ribs. If you place your hands on the rib line, it is easy to feel, especially when lying down. When inhaling, the chest should expand outward, essentially inflating like a balloon. If the stomach does not “inflate” during inhalation, and only the upper part of the chest moves, perhaps also the shoulders, then the breathing is incorrectly formed. Fortunately, it’s easy to fix &- you just need to pay attention to your inhales and exhales for a while.

Another important indicator of proper breathing &- its rhythm. Inhale, pause on inhalation, exhale, and pause on exhalation should be approximately equal in duration. This is also easily adjustable.

Exercises for Developing Proper Breathing

Immediately after childbirth, you can perform lying down, then any body position is permissible.

1. To control proper breathing, place your palms on the diaphragm.
2. Take a calm breath, rounding the belly. Hold the breath for 3-5 seconds.
3. Exhale over 3-5 seconds, pulling in your abdomen.
4. Hold your breath for the same 3-5 seconds.
5. Repeat the inhalation with rounding the belly.

Initially, do not perform more than 7-10 repetitions per session. If dizziness or yawning occurs, it’s better to pause and continue next time. Gradually, the discomfort will disappear, the brain will adapt to the new circulation scheme, and repetitions can be increased.

Abdominal Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises post childbirth are particularly beneficial for the belly, especially in the presence of diastasis. Even if a young mother has not faced this challenge, these exercises will help quickly and reliably restore the shape and firmness of her “hard-working” belly. Many women claim that the effect is even better than doing sit-ups. For this, it is worth mastering several “therapeutic” breathing techniques, applying them alternately and in combination.

It is not recommended earlier than 2 weeks after uncomplicated childbirth and earlier than 2 months after a cesarean section or any complications.

1. “Rinsing”. Take a deep breath, and then exhale sharply in thrusts, directing efforts into the stomach. Once the air is out, you should take a short pause, refraining from inhaling, then repeat.
2. “Airless”. Take a calm breath and a fast exhale. Without taking in air, pull in your stomach as much as possible and hold it for as long as you can. Then, take a new breath and repeat.
3. “Vibration.” On the inhale, try to completely relax your abs, and on the exhale, tense them.
4. “Dragon.” Take a deep breath through your nose and a rich, massaged exhale through your mouth. Alternate between relaxing and tensing the abdominal muscles.

It should be noted that the inhale after holding your breath should never be abrupt as it increases the load on the heart. The air should enter the lungs calmly and steadily. All the nuances of performing these exercises are detailed in the online course at momslab.com.

Who should avoid breathing exercises after childbirth?

The only direct contraindications to breathing exercises are if a woman is feeling unwell or has symptoms of any diseases, whether acute or chronic.