Any good tips for breathing/relaxation techniques to learn from home?

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I'm 33.5 weeks and have been quite unwell during my pregnancy with various ailments, which has had me on periods of bedrest. I've therefore been unable to get out of the house as much as I'd like to attend NCT/yoga/relaxation classes.

I really feel quite unprepared for impending birth and starting to freak out a bit. Has anyone found a good phone app or DVD/ web podcast or anything like that that I could practice every day from now at home?

I already have the hypnobirthing set of CDS by Maggie Howell, which are really good for relaxation (I always fall asleep!), but I'd like to learn and practise some breathing/visualisation techniques too. Any recommendations appreciated!!

Hi, I used the Marie Mongan hypnobirthing book and it has 3 different techniques which helped me A LOT during the birth of DC1 - one for general relaxation (particularly good for getting off to sleep!), one for contractions and one for the final pushing stage.

I'd happily fish it out for you if you can't find one in a bookshop or library?

I can second the mongan book. I'm reading it at the minute and find it easy to read and follow. The cd is good too, probably quite similar to the Howell book except American.

Hi! Not from any birth prep, but I used to suffer from anxiety and sleep problems (still can't sleep now but baby related so much better). One breathing exercise that used to get me relaxed and sometimes off to sleep - which had been working again when mind is racing with pregnancy thoughts - is breathe in for 'one' then out for 'two' once, followed by in for 'two' and out for 'three' twice, in for 3 and out for 4, three times etc etc. I lose my place a lot if my mind wanders but just accept that and start again.

I thought the natal hypnotherapy cd was amazing. It sent me to sleep every time I listened to it (after the initial few times). Highly recommend. I had two very straightforward births and I'm sure it helped.

We were told to focus on the out breath - breath out through your mouth and you will automatically breathe in. Breath out over a count of three.

Also close your eyes. When the contractions are coming, think of them as going up a mountain then down a mountain. They generally last for a short burst of time and you can rest in between. Take each one as it comes, and breathe out then in then out etc etc. I tried to keep my focus on that and I relaxed much more (as opposed to thinking, I've been going for hours!)

Also see if you can attend the NHS ones - they are usually 1 or 2 evenings as opposed to several week long courses.

Thanks all, very useful tips there. I'm sure Ill end up hyperventilating and forgetting to breathe calmly, but hopefully if I practice religiously from now on, I may be ok. I will def get the Mongan book. Thanks again ladies.

I've been using these visualisation and relaxation CDs. I think you can just download the MP3s from the site. They are based on the Mongan book but spoken by an English woman, which I've personally preferred to the US versions.