Breathwork and the Perinatal Journey: A Gentle Path to Healing and Support

The perinatal period—spanning conception, pregnancy, birth, and postpartum—is a time of deep transformation. While often filled with hope and anticipation, this journey can also stir anxiety, overwhelm, and emotional vulnerability. Breathwork, an ancient and accessible practice, offers a powerful way to support individuals through these changes by connecting the body, mind, and heart.

Whether navigating fertility treatments, coping with a high-risk pregnancy, recovering from birth trauma, or adjusting to life with a newborn, breathwork provides a grounded way to ease tension and reconnect with inner stability.

The Role of Breath in Perinatal Health

Breath is the bridge between the physical and emotional body. When we feel anxious, it’s often the first thing to become shallow or restricted, but it’s also the most direct path back to a sense ofcalm and regulation.

The nervous system is often heightened during the perinatal period. Hormonal shifts, fear of the unknown, identity transitions, and trauma responses can activate the sympathetic “fight-or-flight” system. Breathwork can activate the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” system, calm the body, and create space for safety and emotional regulation.

Benefits of breathwork during the perinatal period include:

• Reducing anxiety and emotional overwhelm

• Improving sleep and supporting rest

• Enhancing connection to the body and baby Supporting labor preparation and pain management

• Promoting emotional healing after loss or trauma

• Encouraging postpartum recovery and resilience

Simple Breathwork Techniques for the Perinatal Period

These gentle techniques can be practiced throughout the perinatal timeline. They are accessible, adaptable, and can be done lying down, sitting, or even while holding a baby.

1. Breath Awareness (Mindful Observation)

Use during early pregnancy, anxious moments, or postpartum depletion. Simply observe your breath as it moves in and out. Do not change it. Notice the rhythm, depth, and any sensations. This can be done for 2–5 minutes, even while resting in bed or nursing. Breath awareness builds internal safety and present-moment grounding.

2. Extended Exhale

Use for stress reduction, calming the heart rate, or falling asleep. Inhale gently through the nose for a count of 4. Exhale slowly through the nose or mouth for a count of 6 or 8. The longer exhale activates the vagus nerve, which helps regulate the nervous system and reduce panic symptoms.

3. Box Breathing

Use in high-stress or clinical environments (e.g., hospital visits, labor prep). Inhale for 4 counts → Hold for 4 → Exhale for 4 → Hold for 4. Repeat this steady, rhythmic pattern for several rounds. It helps restore a sense of control and balance in moments of fear or overwhelm.

4. Three-Part Breath (Dirga Pranayama)

Use for body connection during pregnancy or emotional processing postpartum. Breathe into the belly, then ribs, then upper chest. Exhale from chest, ribs, belly. This layered breath encourages deep oxygenation, supports lymphatic drainage, and can help you reconnect with your physical body—especially after medical interventions or birth trauma.

5. Audible Exhale or Sighing Breath

Use during tension, frustration, or crying. Inhale deeply through the nose and exhale with an audible sigh. This release can help discharge excess emotional energy and soften the nervous system response. Pairing it with gentle movement, like shaking out the arms, can enhance its effect.

A Trauma-Informed Approach

Breathwork should always be approached with compassion and sensitivity, especially for those with a history of trauma, medical complications, or pregnancy loss. Some people may find breathwork activating at first. It’s okay to begin with short sessions or guided support. There’s no “right” way to breathe—only the way that feels safe and supportive for you in the moment.

If a breath practice feels overwhelming at any point, pause. Come back to simply noticing your breath, or place one hand on your heart and one on your belly to return to a sense of grounding.

Conclusion

The breath is always available. It requires no equipment, preparation, or perfect setting. In a season marked by profound change—physically, emotionally, and spiritually, breathwork offers a simple, restorative practice to help you feel steady, connected, and supported.

It is possible to soften the edges of uncertainty and come home to yourself one breath at a time.

Learn more or schedule a breathwork-informed session at:

www.sageandstoneholisticcounseling.com

Written by Ally Kayton, RMHI, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC

Yoga Therapist (in training) & PerinataMental Health Specialist