Yoga when pregnant: The Birthing Breath
Adapted from The Yoga of Pregnancy by Mel Campbell (Findhorn Press 2012).
The Vibration of Sound
My baby is listening when I say, “I love you”.
The Birthing Breath
The Birthing Breath soothes the nervous system; focuses and calms the mind; improves concentration and helps to balance emotions. It is a useful yoga breathing technique when pregnant and to use in labour.
Using deep vowel sounds, as in this practice, can be a valuable tool during labour to help direct the energy down to the base of the body and help to relax the pelvic-floor muscles to ease delivery.
If you have pelvic girdle discomfort I will practice this breathing exercise sitting on my heels with my knees together. I will place a cushion(s) between my sitting bones and my heels to bridge any gaps.
My baby is listening when I say, “I love you”.
The Birthing Breath
For this pose I will need a yoga mat, a wall and several small cushions. This breathing exercise is suitable for all stages of my pregnancy.
- Sitting with my back against a wall, I bring the soles of my feet together
- I rest the backs of my hands on my thighs, and bringing the tip of each thumb to touch the tip of my index finger I extend my other three fingers. This hand gesture is known as Jnana mudra, and symbolises the uniting of our unconscious with our unconscious energy
- I close my eyes and connect with my breath. Parting my lips and teeth slightly, I soften my mouth. Inhaling naturally through my nose, I exhale through my mouth, directing the sensation of the exhalation down past you to my pelvic floor
- I visualise and sense my pelvic floor softening and releasing with each exhalation
- I let my inhalations come in naturally through my nose and focus on exhaling through my mouth
- I notice that my exhalations are longer when I breathe out through my mouth, and that this makes me feel more relaxed
- I repeat this breath five times
- Letting go of my inhibitions, I begin to sound the vowel “ooo” along with my exhalation and feel it vibrate through my body down to my pelvic floor. How does it sound to you? I repeat this five times, then I repeat it making the sound “aaahhh” five times
- I find each sound soothing and calming
- Mindfully I repeat this week’s affirmation:
My baby is listening when I say, “I love you”.
- Gradually my breath settles back into its natural rhythm
Reflection
This week my voice reverberated through my practice and connected with my growing baby with the vibration of sound. Namaste.
The Yoga of Pregnancy book by Mel Campbell
