Breathing

Why Breathing Matters

Beyond sustaining life breathing matters, a lot!  Breathing is an automatic function for most of us so we often take for granted HOW we are breathing.  During pregnancy as baby pushes our diaphragm up it is extra important to focus on how we are breathing.  Without focus our bodies will most likely start breathing in a shallow pattern.  The diaphragm muscle is the primary muscle responsible for breathing.  It is a dome shaped muscle that attaches to each side of our lower rib cage.  It looks and acts like a parachute. Ideally when we breathe in (inhale) our diaphragm will go down allowing our lungs to fill with air and then come up as we breathe out (exhale) the air.  All too often pregnant persons (and many of their non-pregnant counterparts) start breathing in an altered pattern where they breathe in and their shoulders come up to make room for the air entering their lungs.  This shallow pattern may increase anxiety, heart burn, neck/shoulder pain  among other not so pleasant symptoms. While pregnant we are concerned with the muscles of the pelvic floor as the growing baby will continue to put more and more pressure on the pelvic floor.  (See what your pelvic floor looks like and its major functions here, Pelvic Floor) The diaphragm and pelvic floor should function together.  When you breathe in (inhale) ideally your diaphragm will expand down pushing the abdominal organs down slightly which push on our pelvic floor to stretch down.  When breathing out (exhale) your diaphragm will come up allowing the abdominal organs back up and pelvic floor will contract to come up.

Test your own diaphragm function.

Inhale deeply, did your shoulders rise? (They shouldn't!)

Exhale long and slow like you are blowing out candles, did you belly come in or go out? (Should come in!)

Cough.  Did you belly come in or go out? (Should come in!)

Laugh.  Does your belly come in or go out? (Should come in!)

Simply being aware of how we are using or diaphragm can be helpful, try to use it the right way as often as possible, especially if you commonly leak a little urine while coughing/sneezing/laughing.