6 Lamaze Techniques to Practice Before Your Due Date
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Labour can be one of the most strenuous yet life-changing experiences that a person can have. Think of the pain of childbirth. It is crippling at best. Sticking to the idea of childbirth can feel quite daunting, especially if you have no idea of how to manage pain while also keeping yourself calm. But what if I told you there’s a set of tools that can help make the process bearable? Those tools are taught in Lamaze classes.
You must have heard of Lamaze breathing technique. However, most people fail to understand that Lamaze is more than breathing. It is everything encompassed within childbirth education for pain management, muscle relaxation, movement, and psychological assistance. The goal is to help you have a smoother, less stressful Lamaze pregnancy, with fewer medical interventions and a greater sense of confidence.
Research has shown that practising Lamaze techniques before your due date can make labour more manageable, reduce stress, and even shorten labour time. [1] The main trick is to start practising early so that the techniques becomes inherent and automatic when the actual process begins. This guide will highlight six major Lamaze techniques that will ensure ease in the birthing process and help you stay calm and collected.
Dr. Fernand Lamaze has believed since the 1950s that if a woman learns how to relax and master breathing techniques, childbirth will be easier. [2] Lamaze has since developed into an evidence-based technique that supports natural childbirth while also providing resources to reduce pain as well as anxiety.
So, why is it important to take Lamaze classes?
Reduces labour pain naturally - Practicing Lamaze breathing techniques helps your body relax, lowering pain perception.
Increases your chances of vaginal birth - Less medical intervention during delivery is more common in women practising Lamaze, which means fewer epidurals and C-Sections.
Keeps you calm and in control - Instead of fearing labour, you will feel empowered with tools for every process stage.
Encourages movement for an easier birth - Certain positions like walking or squatting help the baby's chances to descend smoothly.
Provides emotional support - Knowing that a birth partner or doula is around improves confidence and comfort.
Lamaze pregnancy is about trusting your body and knowing how to work with it rather than against it. Let’s explore the six key Lamaze techniques that will help you prepare for a more positive birth experience.
Here are six Lamaze breathing techniques you can practice right away, as each technique corresponds to a stage of labour, ensuring that you are calm and in control.
1) The Cleansing Breath
This technique is simple but important, allowing for controlled breathing during labour. With every contraction, breathe deeply through your nose whilst your stomach fills and blows out your air through your mouth. This step cues your body to relax while preparing for the contraction.
Why It Helps:
This allows oxygen to flow in, increasing the supply for you and your baby and enabling proper oxygenation during labour.
Your muscles are allowed to relax, which helps make contractions smoother.
It helps establish a key rhythm, ensuring you are less panicked or distressed.
Tip: Use this breath while first waking up or getting ready for bed so your muscles prepare for whenever the time to start labour is.
2) Slow-Paced Breathing
This technique is the most suitable for the early stages of labour with spaced and soft contractions. [3] As energy is limited and relaxation is encouraged in this phase, preserving energy is key. This strategy requires a person to breathe slowly for four sequential counts through the nose while gently exhaling for another four counts through the mouth.
Why It Helps:
When muscles cannot remain tense, a steady heart rate is maintained as your body relaxes.
It prevents too much tension from forming, ensuring muscles are adequately relaxed for the cervix to dilate effectively.
Ensures that inadequate energy is not stored too early in labour to feel tired.
Tip: Consider pairing it with visualisation, such as inhaling relaxation and exhaling stress. When coupled with visual imagery, breathing alone can become much more powerful.
3) Modified Breathing
As labour progresses and contractions intensify, slow-paced breathing may no longer feel effective. This is when modified breathing comes in. Instead of maintaining a slow rhythm, increase your breathing rate slightly: inhale through your nose for two counts and exhale for four. This controlled acceleration prevents you from feeling overwhelmed by stronger contractions.
Why It Helps:
● Instead of restricting a person’s breath and causing dizziness, control is now provided to the structure of breathing.
● It helps you manage your contractions instead of vigorously resisting them.
4) Patterned Breathing (Pant-Pant-Blow)
Patterned breathing, or pant-pant-blow, offers a way out of this control by controlling your breath. The technique involves taking two short breaths (pant, pant) and one longer breath (blow). This rhythmic pattern keeps your mind occupied and prevents panic.
Why It Helps:
It distracts you from pain by giving you something to focus on.
It prevents unnecessary tension in your body, allowing for a more efficient labour process.
It slows down rapid breathing, making you feel calmer and more in control.
Tip: If your mouth dries out while panting, drink water or have ice chips.
5) Exhale While Pushing
As the name suggests, many women would want to take deep breaths of air before exerting downward pressure. But holding your breath for too long and fighting against the urge causes strain and exhaustion. A better strategy is to keep your breath even and try to push while exhaling to help control the effort.
Before exerting yourself, take a moment to inhale deeply to wind up, and then gradually exhale while contracting instead of pushing everything out at once.
Why It Helps:
● It reduces strain and allows for more effective pushing.
● Ensures a steady flow of oxygen, which helps both you and your baby.
● It prevents excessive fatigue by making each push more controlled and productive.
Tip: Think of blowing out birthday candles or exhaling through a straw to guide your breath naturally.
Here are some other methods to get ready for giving birth:
1) Movement and Positioning
Lying in bed throughout labour can slow down progress. [4] Lamaze classes encourage movement and different labour positions to help your baby descend naturally.
Most effective labour movement:
Sitting or standing and moving side to side – Effective contractions are maintained.
Sitting on a birthing ball – Takes some stress off the lower back.
Forward leaning on hands and knees – Opens pelvis.
Resting sideways – Gives the ability to rest but still permits baby movement.
2) Continuous Support
Having a partner, doula, or other close family member offers emotional and practical support. Studies indicate that women who are given ongoing assistance have:
Shorter labours
Less painkiller use
Fewer C sections
3) Avoiding Unnecessary Medical Interventions
The Lamaze approach is for giving birth with the least amount of help from an attending doctor and minimising any medical procedures that are not necessary. This includes:
Allowing labour to start spontaneously
Permitting being up rather than horizontal
4) Creating a Birth Plan
A birth plan conveys your expectations to the medical practitioners attending to you. Possible points include:
Movement preferences during labour
Incorporation of Lamaze technique during breathing
Preference to exclude unnecessary procedures
Request for immediate post-delivery skin-to-skin contact
Giving birth may appear predictable, but using Lamaze techniques gives you the confidence to face it positively. Rigid Lamaze breathing combined with movement and emotional support offers you the chance to take charge, lower your anxiety, and enhance the potential outcome of your Lamaze pregnancy.
Practice these strategies early so they become second nature when labour starts. Last, every birth experience is different, so have faith in your body and don't fear what comes next.
Speak with an expert healthcare professional at your closest super-speciality hospital for tailored advice. They will help you with the Lamaze technique and guide you to achieve a safe and empowering birth experience.
1) When should I start practising Lamaze breathing techniques?
Start practising in your third trimester to make the techniques feel natural during labour. Daily practice helps train your body to respond automatically.
2) Can Lamaze breathing reduce labour pain?
Yes! Controlled breathing helps manage pain by keeping your body relaxed, reducing tension, and improving oxygen flow, making contractions more manageable.
3) What if I forget my breathing techniques during labour?
That’s okay! Your birth partner, doula, can guide you. Just focus on deep, steady breaths to stay calm and regain control.
4) Is Lamaze breathing useful for all types of births?
Absolutely! Whether you have a natural birth, epidural, or C-section, breathing techniques help reduce stress and keep you calm throughout labour.
5) How can I practise Lamaze breathing at home?
Try slow, deep breathing during daily activities like walking or stretching. Practising in different positions can help you feel more comfortable using them in labour.
Kaple, G. S., & Patil, S. (2023). Effectiveness of Jacobson relaxation and Lamaze breathing techniques in the management of pain and stress during labor: an experimental study. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.33212
Lothian, J. A. (2011). Lamaze breathing. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 20(2), 118–120. https://doi.org/10.1891/1058-1243.20.2.118
Issac, A., Nayak, S. G., T, P., Balakrishnan, D., Halemani, K., Mishra, P., P, I., Vr, V., Jacob, J., & Stephen, S. (2023). Effectiveness of breathing exercise on the duration of labour: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Global Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.13.04023
What factors influence the progression of childbirth? (1969, December 31). Taking Charge of Your Wellbeing. https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-factors-influence-progression-childbirth
