Hypnobirthing question re: "slow breathing"

sl_gordon

I'm reading the book by Marie Mongan (I won't be taking the actual classes), and I am currently going over the various breathing techniques.  When it comes to the Slow Breathing technique, the author instructs "Slowly and gradually draw in your breath to a rapid count from 1 to 20+...".  So does this mean to slowly breath in while counting really fast?  If it takes me 7 seconds to count to 20 really fast, what does it matter if I'm counting fast or counting slow, as long as it still takes me 7 seconds.  I'm possibly an idiot here, but can someone explain this to me?

sschwege

According to my hypnobirthing teacher 20 sec is just a guide, she says she could never do 20.  What I did when I was in labor was just to breathe in and out as slowly as I could.  Once I got the hang of the breathing I stopped counting.  

I'm so excited for you that you are doing this.  I loved it! 

Kkarvola

My teacher told me forget counting and just make sure you are exhaling longer than inhaling - I got wrapped up in counting and it jsut made me anxious so this works a lot better.

LindseyJW

the HB institute recently changed the language for some of the techniques. sleep breathing is now calm breathing (to be used between surges) and slow breathing is now surge breathing, because (as you will soon learn), it is the breathing technique you use during surges. if a surge is 60 seconds long, and you can get up to 20/25 in and 20/25 out, you can nearly do an entire surge with one breath (ideal). 

what you will learn in a later class is a visualization to use during your surges. you learn this visualization in a later class because they want you to master the breathing that goes with it first. then the visualization is an additional layer. the problem is, many people have trouble with counting during this breathing technique and get hung up on the numbers. 

i tell my students to breath in as slowly as you can and exhale even slower. it is helpful if you practice this breath with your birth companion (BC). then your BC can keep track of how long your intake and exhale are, and give you prompts to help extend the exhale length. i also tell my students to practice this breathing technique at least daily with their BC for this purpose and try to extend the breath by 2 seconds a week. 

sl_gordon

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!  I think I will scrap the whole counting thing all together now that I know what the purpose is.

barcelonagirl

kkaty:

My teacher told me forget counting and just make sure you are exhaling longer than inhaling - I got wrapped up in counting and it jsut made me anxious so this works a lot better.

My instructor said the same thing!

kmlevine04@gmail.com

I took the course, and actually counting helps me stay calm anyways, but the fast 1-20 thing i found odd; I just count a slow 1-10 and that works. same thing!

jumpymomk

Thanks for posting this, and for the replies.

I have another question about "Slow Breathing" - should I be breathing in through my nose, and out through my mouth, or vice versa, or some other combination?

I Hypnobirthed my son almost 4 years ago and I have the book but am not taking classes this time around, and I can't remember which one it is.

 Any help would be appreciated - thanks!