The Power of Breathwork in Pregnancy: Mindful Breathing for Labour & Birth

The breath is a bridge between body and mind — a natural source of calm during pregnancy and labour

As someone who has supported many births over the years, and spent a long time exploring the breath through yoga and meditation, I’ve come to see the breath not just as a physical tool — but as a doorway to calm, connection, and resilience. Whether I’m on the yoga mat, in a birth space, or guiding someone through preparation for labour and birth, the breath always seems to show up as a steady, powerful ally.

The more I learn about birth, and the more I witness what truly supports a calm, confident, and empowered experience, the more I find myself returning to the same essential truth: the breath.

For me, the breath feels like a kind of home. A place I can return to — anytime, anywhere. It’s always there, quietly offering support. The more I understand it, the more I see how powerful it is. It can focus the mind, ground the body, and shift our emotional state within moments. It’s astonishing how something so simple, so everyday, can be so deeply transformative.

Breath and Emotions Are Deeply Linked

Breath is so closely tied to how we feel. We sigh when we’re relieved. We hold our breath when we’re scared. We’re told to "just breathe" before something difficult. We even “huff” when we’re fed up.

These aren't coincidences. They’re signals — reminders that our emotional and physical states are constantly influencing each other. And the breath sits right at the centre of that relationship.

Where Has the Breath Gone in Birth Preparation?

Something I find troubling is how little attention the breath often gets in modern antenatal education.

Many classes today are filled with facts, figures, and descriptions of interventions. And while that information is useful, it’s often overwhelming — and rarely practical. What’s missing is how to actually be with yourself during pregnancy and birth. How to manage intensity from within.

This absence can echo a deeper message many of us have internalised: that we’re not enough. That birth is something to manage, to fix, or to hand over to others—that our bodies need help, or control, from the outside.

But breath is not external. It doesn’t need to be learned, or bought, or prescribed. It’s already with us. Already working. We only need to remember how to return to it — consciously, gently, and often.

What Does Mindful Breathing Really Mean?

Mindful breathing doesn’t need to be complicated. It simply means noticing your breath — becoming aware of how it feels, what it’s doing, where you feel it in your body. From there, you can start to guide it. Slow it down. Breathe deeper. Rest into the rhythm.

It’s such a powerful starting point. When you’re able to sit with your breath, you begin to notice your emotional state more clearly. And with that awareness comes choice. You can respond to what’s happening, rather than react.

“Nancy Bardacke speaks beautifully about how mindfulness helps us meet life as it is. Not trying to change it, just becoming aware. From that place, something shifts.”

The Breath, the Nervous System & Oxytocin

When we breathe deeply, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system — also known as the “rest and digest” response. This is the opposite of the stress-driven “fight or flight” mode. It’s calming. Grounding. It tells our body that we’re safe.

That matters deeply in birth.

It’s not just about feeling relaxed — it’s about creating the right hormonal environment for labour. Oxytocin, the hormone that drives contractions and bonding, thrives in calm, connected states. And interestingly, it’s closely linked to the out-breath — the long, slow exhale.

That’s why breathwork during labour isn’t just nice. It helps your body do what it already knows how to do.

The Breath and Your Baby

This isn’t just about you. It’s about your baby too.

We now know that a mother’s emotional state can affect her baby in the womb. Stress hormones like adrenaline can cross the placenta. And while normal ups and downs are part of life, chronic stress has been linked to things like premature birth and low birth weight.

That’s not about blame — it’s about awareness. And empowerment.

If we know this, we can start to build habits that support both mother and baby. The breath is one of the simplest, most accessible tools we have for regulating stress and returning to balance.

The Breath Is Useful for Every Birth

Mindful breathing isn’t just for those planning an unmedicated or “natural” birth.

Whether you’re having a caesarean, an epidural, or something else entirely — you’re still moving through a big, emotional, physical experience. There will be moments of discomfort, uncertainty, maybe fear.

Your breath will be with you in all of those moments. Learning to use it, to really lean on it, can help you feel calmer, more confident, and more in your body.

And more importantly, these skills don’t end at birth. They’re something you’ll carry into parenting, relationships, and life.

The Breath Is Always With You

One of the things I love most about working with the breath is that it doesn’t require anything or anyone else.

No special tools. No app. No teacher. You don’t need to go anywhere. The breath is perfectly portable. It’s always with you. Always working. Always waiting for you to notice it.

Once you’ve learned how to connect with it, you’ll find it becomes a kind of companion. A quiet source of strength you can return to again and again.