breathing out rather than actively pushing

[Lazaretto]

Has anyone done this? I heard breathing out helps you relax your pelvic floor and at the same time pushes your diaphragm downwards to exert pressure on your uterus. Whereas active pushing can tense up your pelvic floor and cause increased risk of trauma. Any experiences?

Yes. Breathe out during childbirth and it still hurts like .

I didn't push at all. I had been told that I was not in active labour and was promptly sent home from a midwife led birthing centre. My water broke and DS popped out about 40 minutes later.

I think I was very, very lucky.

Forgot to add that I would really recommend reading 'spiritual midwifery' by inna May Gaskin (spelling?).

I didn't really actively push with ds - my body just sort of took over and expelled him. I wouldn't use the term 'breathed out' as there was screaming and yelling and all sorts of awful noises involved, and I didn't think about breathing at all. I think gravity helped - I was kneeling against the back of the bed. And it was a very straightforward labour, no interventions needed. But I got off with just a 1st degree tear, no stitches, and felt well healed within a week. I felt so lucky - it was a vbac as well. If labour goes well, baby's in a good position etc, I think your body can do most of the work for you.

Same as DIY - I growled and roared but didn't really push. I felt I didn't have time to coordinate my muscles to push, though. I was also quite aware of the importance of not rushing during crowning and both times have been lucky enough to get away with just a small graze. Baby 2 is 12 days old today and my vulva/vagina have felt back to normal for a few days.

I found my body took over and I just followed. It seemed to be mostly deep quiet groans while very much pushing and gripping the side of the bed to sort of anchor me. At crowning I seemed to naturally pause and pant for a moment. Not a tear or graze. She was a hint prem and my waters had gone. Everyone had assured me I'd need to be induced so I was on a bit of a high that I'd cracked on with labour by myself and I found myself really trusting my body/ the process.

Of course after a breeze with DD1 DD2 turned back to back as she descended the last bit so we didn't know until she came out 'sunny side up' as the Registrar called it, after my labour wouldn't restart with oxytocin even though she was visible when I pushed. That was an episiotomy and vontouse for the last 2 contractions.

Seems odd that breathing out would move the diaphragm down onto the uterus; normally the diaphragm moves down on the inbreath (I know this from singing lessons but logically you can see this would create more space for the air - it's also why breathing in can make everything a bit tight during late pregnancy). From what I've read, most assisted pushing techniques use a held in breath to press down with the diaphragm (Juju Sundin describes it as a like a coffee plunger), whereas if you're trying not to push or push less hard you don't hold the breath, so the only thing pushing is the uterus. Haven't tried any of this yet though....

I didn't actively push - I did a Hypnobirthing course and had planned to use the birth breath, but actually I just let my body expel the baby - and like a PP who said the same, I was fairly upright which probably helped. No tears for me either.