Antenatal Classes and Breathing Techniques
- Thread starter moss
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I never learnt it but I know that the panting stops you pushing when you aren't supposed to (you can only push when you are having a contraction) and if you have gas and air you have to breathe it in deeply as the contraction comes then keep taking deep breaths until the contraction passes. Then between contractions you just breathe normally. Labour isn't constant pain, you have a break between contractions until right towards the end when they contractions are really close.
I never got anything like that at my antenatal classes. It was a physio class that showed us different positions and they mentioned breathing but nothing in any great deal. Just that you pant a bit to help stop pushing.
Our antenatal classes were more about talking about pregnancy, breast feeding and pain relief.
Our antenatal classes were more about talking about pregnancy, breast feeding and pain relief.
moss said:
But if you try and push the babies head out when you aren't contracting then you can damage yourself and tear. Its for your own good if they tell you to pant. You might not even need to so I wouldn't worry about it now hun
My sister had an uncontrollable urge to push when she wasn't even dilated so she had to have an epidural to stop the urge. She didn't pant atall! 
I also have suffered from panic attacks but trust me if you have gas and air panicking will be the furthest thing from your mind
you will feel very very happy and relaxed The thing is I'm not convinced that panting would stop me, and I don't plan on having gas and air. I had it at the dentist before and it made me really sick. Eek. I wanted to try and look into hypobirthing, but it isn't available around me and I don't think I want to travel for it as well as pay a fortune!
trixipaws
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i didnt learn any breathing techniques but the panting came naturally! i think it was when her head crowned which is the most painful bit of pushing my natural instinct was to pant anyway i didnt hav to be told!
i had G&A early on but it was taken off me way b4 pushing, but i didnt hav any uncontrollable urge. in fact i didnt hav any urge i only pushed coz i was told it was time to
i kno what u mean that panting makes u hyperventilate but not while ur giving birth i promise u it wont make u dizzy. u NEED the extra oxygen hyperventilation gives you. x
i had G&A early on but it was taken off me way b4 pushing, but i didnt hav any uncontrollable urge. in fact i didnt hav any urge i only pushed coz i was told it was time to
i kno what u mean that panting makes u hyperventilate but not while ur giving birth i promise u it wont make u dizzy. u NEED the extra oxygen hyperventilation gives you. x
If you can't get to a hypnobirthing class, why not buy a hypnobirthing book with cd - it has a few breathing techniques in there you can practice before you go into labour. I never went to antenatal classes but read the book and used the slow breathing techniques in labour which really helped me cope with the pain and focus. The girl in the bed opposite me in the ward where they induced me was panting through contractions and I kept hearing the midwives telling her not to lol.
good luck with it
good luck with it
Like elaine22, I would suggest buying the Hypnobirthing book, it has excellent breathing techniques in it which WILL make you have a more relaxed and easier labour I learnt everything that was useful in my labour through Hypnobirthing, I didn't attend ante-natal so cannot comment. Panting isn't effective when giving birth, as you're just not getting oxygen and blood down to your uterus where all the works going on, focus on long deep breathing techniques
This link may help, but speak to your MW, she should be able to advise you further
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/l ... echniques/
I learnt everything that was useful in my labour through Hypnobirthing, I didn't attend ante-natal so cannot comment. Panting isn't effective when giving birth, as you're just not getting oxygen and blood down to your uterus where all the works going on, focus on long deep breathing techniques This link may help, but speak to your MW, she should be able to advise you further
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/l ... echniques/
NCT have lots of books and CD's too
http://www.nctsales.co.uk/prodlist.asp? ... &parent=69
http://www.nctsales.co.uk/prodlist.asp? ... &parent=69
http://www.nctsales.co.uk/prodlist.asp? ... &parent=69
http://www.nctsales.co.uk/prodlist.asp? ... &parent=69
moss said:
the panting does stop it trust me. with my first i tore my perineum (sp) because i just had to push push push because she was in danger but with my second i had no pain relief and i knew when she was crowning becus of the burning sensation and i automatically just panted and the mw just says keep going until the head is out whcih took about 25 -45 seconds of panting. i didnt have any tears and i didnt need any stitches.
i had 3 puffs of gas and air and that was for the three final pushes and it really calmed me inbetween. i didnt have pain relief for the same reason as you becuase it made me sick the first time round but the few puffs i had were fine and i didnt feel sick and also at that stage there is too much hapening for you to think about feeling sick.
just do what come natural hun and you will be fine, hypno birthing is supposed to be really good tho if you can get into that.
xxxxxx
p.s. just thought id say that i never had anti-natal classes either i learnt the breathing nd panting thru watching birthing programmes on the telly lol
moss said:
I was in the same boat as you, suffered previously with panic attacks. I bought a hynotherapy cd which was absolutely brilliant, it helped with relaxing during my labour and also helped so much with my breathing. I bought mine from http://www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk/
I would recommend the http://www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk/1676/30517.html and http://www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk/1676/30625.html
leckershell
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I went to a labour workshop and they said to imagine contractions like waves as below...
They said when the contraction was at its highest peak, to do little short breaths, and when it was building up or calming down, to do longer deeper breaths. I have no idea why.
They said when the contraction was at its highest peak, to do little short breaths, and when it was building up or calming down, to do longer deeper breaths. I have no idea why.
They really do come like that I found. I felt the contraction coming and it went over me like a wave then drifted away. I just sucked on the gas and air non-stop. I even took it into theatre with me to calm my nerves. They let me aswell
Bet they thought I was a right junkie
Bet they thought I was a right junkie
