When it comes time to push, there are a few different breathing techniques that we can use:
- Open Glottis, or gentle pushing, where you exhale as you push
- Closed Glottis, or purple pushing, where you hold your breath as you push. Most commonly coached in a hospital setting.
Both techniques have about the same level of efficiency, although open glottis appears less effective since it is less strenuous. But, both techniques will help you meet your baby in about the same amount of time!
The best technique is the one that YOU choose to do.
However, the issue is that not very many are familiar with how to coach gentle pushing techniques.
If you attempt open glottis pushing, and your pushes do not seem effective, you will likely not receive any cueing or coaching to help you improve your gentle pushing technique. So, if you do not just “get it” on your own, you likely will be encouraged to do closed glottis pushing.
Let’s explore three tips to support gentle pushing if that is your preference!
3 Tips for Gentle Pushing
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Here are three tips to do open glottis pushing or gentle pushing during your birth:
- Practice beforehand on the toilet!
- Long, forceful exhales
- Make deep, grunty noises
- Bonus: Surrender to the fetal ejection reflex (if you experience it)
Not everyone will experience a strong fetal ejection reflex, especially if you have an epidural. You may feel the urge to push, but it may not be this overwhelming spontaneous bearing down.
If you do not really experience the fetal ejection reflex, you may need to actively push with your contractions.
If you want to learn more about the science of birth and pushing techniques, check out our childbirth education course!
1) Practice beforehand on the toilet!
If you wait til you’re pushing in birth to learn how to gentle push, you may be too late.
As we have discussed already, not very many are skilled in coaching how to do gentle pushing as the default is to hold your breath and bear down. So, if you are unfamiliar with HOW to do gentle pushing, then you may have a hard time trying to figure it out at the moment without much support.
How can you practice gentle pushing? On the toilet during pregnancy!
When you are using the restroom, you can practice your gentle pushing technique!
It can be most helpful when you are having a bowel movement but note that pushing a baby out is not exactly the same sensation and direction of effort as pooping. However, to learn how to do gentle pushing, it can be a helpful way to learn!
When you are on the toilet, focus on taking a big inhale to feel your perineum bulge and stretch.
Then, exhale forcefully down as you bear down. Exhale for a count of 4-6.
Take another inhale, and repeat with the exhalation until you are done with the restroom.
Take note of the difference between not taking a big inhale down into the perineum and trying to exhale. Notice how it feels different if you are more forceful with the exhalation and bearing down versus just blowing air out.
Use this opportunity to really explore the breathing technique!
2) Long, forceful exhales
While you are actually pushing, one helpful tip that I have is to do LONG, forceful exhalations with your pushes.
Commonly, my clients will do a really short exhalation (maybe 2-3 seconds) and they are just blowing air out without actually pushing.
This could be helpful if you have a really strong fetal ejection reflex, BUT if you are actively pushing then you need to actually push with the exhales.
Two tips:
- Forcefully blow air DOWN and OUT with your exhales. Don’t just exhale or blow air out gently.
- Exhale for a count of 4-8.
The exhale should be audible! It is more than just blowing out a candle!
3) Make deep, grunty noises
Another tip is the type of noise that you make with the exhalations! We want to have deep, grunty type noises when we push to help relax the pelvic floor.
Focus on a deep, low noise when you are exhaling out. Watch the video below for some examples of the pitches that may help or hinder your birth!
If you want to learn more ways to prepare your pelvic floor for birth, check out our new pelvic floor prep course!
Bonus: Surrender to the fetal ejection reflex
If you have a strong fetal ejection reflex, or spontaneous bearing down that is uncontrollable or overwhelming, then you may not need to actively push at all. You just need to surrender to let your body do it for you!
The fetal ejection reflex can feel like an out-of-body experience! I would describe it as vomiting out of your vagina; nothing you do will stop it from happening.
But, not everyone will experience the fetal ejection reflex! Especially if you have an epidural. If you don’t have a strong urge to push, nothing is necessarily wrong, but you may need to actively push with the techniques we have described above!
Open Glottis Pushing: Gentle pushing to protect the pelvic floor
If we exhale as we push, it tends to be less strenuous and exhausting for us in labor; it tends to be less stressful for us and our baby, and it can also protect your pelvic floor since an open glottis technique tends to relax the pelvic floor.
But, open glottis or gentle pushing may not be a familiar technique used at your birth location. If you don’t just “get it” right away, you may be encouraged to do closed glottis pushing or hold your breath as you bear down.
Try these tips to enhance your gentle pushing. But know that whatever method you choose in the end, whether it be holding your breath or exhaling, is the best option for you!