Easy Breathing Exercises

Something as simple as breathing the right way can prove to be a help to pull you through the highs and lows of pregnancy. M&B takes a closer look at therapies like meditation and hypnosis, which promise relaxation and better bonding between the mother and baby through simple breathing techniques

- Debjani Sengupta Arora

Different practitioners have different approaches towards meditation. While Dr Snehal Shah, homeopath and advanced clinical hypnotherapist uses the above-mentioned techniques to practise meditation, Dr Geetanjali Shah, Mumbaibased paediatrician helps her patients to follow a step-by-step approach for every trimester. “The first three months are very stressful as many women feel low and fatigued very soon. Relaxation, through corrective breathing, helps them regain their energy levels and also control morning sickness, nausea and other symptoms,” says Dr Geetanjali. The White Light Technique of visualisation is taught during the second trimester. “Here, expectant mum is made to lie on her back in a quiet place and breathe evenly, which would set in waves of relaxation through the body. Next, she is encouraged to visualise a white light entering her left leg and soothing her foot, calves, thighs and relaxing them. The same is advised for the right leg. Next, affirmations are sent across to feel that the light ascends through her body and enlightens the entire being,” explains Dr Geetanjali. In this state of trance, the mother is asked to connect and talk to the baby. “We ask the mother to tell her baby, ‘You are blessed and have blessed me with maternity. I pray that you develop physically, mentally and spiritually’. Slowly, taking deep breaths, the mother concludes the 15-minute relaxation technique,” says Dr Geetanjali. The third trimester deals more with managing labour, where affirmations are sent across while meditating. “We ask the mother to say to herself, ‘My baby is growing right’; ‘My baby is doing fine and descending slowly.’ Such affirmations are sent across to avoid pre-term labour and induce a safe birth,” says Dr Geetanjali.