Preparing for Birth: Diaphragmatic Breath

Preparing for birth often brings our clients in touch with terms they’ve never heard before.

Diaphragmatic breathing is no different.

We talk about diaphragmatic breathing (or belly breathing, or abdominal breathing) as something to incorporate into our daily lives. This practice serves you as you move through pregnancy and live after birth.

Here’s how it goes:

Inhale: release your pelvic floor, allow your belly to fill with air.

Exhale: engage your pelvic floor as you empty your lungs, belly pulling towards your spine (engaging your abdominal wall)

This breath utilizes the strength and force of your diaphragm, pelvic floor and abdominal wall. The diaphragm tightens as you inhale and lifts as you exhale.

This breath has so many benefits. It can help

• Brace & stabilize your uterus & pelvis

• Build awareness and strength in your pelvic floor

• Aid in healing post-birth or work to prevent (or heal) diastasis recti (exaggerated separation of the abdominal wall

Cat/Cow is a perfect yoga posture to practice this breath: 

• Cow (inhale) release pelvic floor, fill with air

• Cat (exhale) lift pelvic floor, empty lungs, engage abdominals

This exercise can help you optimize your pelvic floor strength while learning how to relax/open as well. Getting deeper into the layers of your pelvic floor and pelvic bowl.

Are you curious to learn more about prenatal yoga, or how to move your body to prepare for birth and postpartum? Check out our prenatal yoga series here in Asheville, NC!