I sent this earlier today. AOL is apparently eating subject lines and  the
first lines of submissions.  Hope the entire thing gets there this time.  M.
Brower
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Forwarded message:
Subj:    Re:Deep Breathing
Date:    96-04-13 11:32:18 EDT
From:    MGBrower
To:      [log in to unmask]

Joyce writes about the use of deep breathing to relax a stressed mother.  I
have been reading a number of books by Joan Borysenko (the first one is
"Minding the Body, Mending the Mind") and she thoroughly discusses relaxation
as a means of stopping adrenalin reactions.  I have been teaching that to
some of my clients (especially the ones who come in and practially start
hyperventilating over the stress of talking to a dietitian about their diet).
 One particularly stressed out client told me that the technique I taught her
worked better than Ativan!!!!!!!  (Since she was going to diabetic class
after talking to me, I handed her a pen and made her write "breathe" on her
thumb so that she would remember to do it if she got stressed.)

The technique I teach is this.....  Take a deep breath in.  Blow it all out
by heaving a heavy sigh of relief.  On the next in-breath, place the hand on
the abdomen and feel the abdomen expand.  Thereafter, continue breathing so
that the abdomen expands with each breath.  I have found that teaching people
to harness their inner power leads them to a feeling of mastery over their
reactions and often breaks a downward spiral of self-defeating behaviors.  I
have not tried this with breastfeeding moms, but I am sure it would work just
as well there.  In fact, I think I will start teaching it as part of my
prenatal breastfeeding class.

Thanks Joyce.

>I don't know if this is one of the usual things but, I take a
>big deep breath, and as I blow out I relax my muscles.  When I'm
>pumping milk I get a spray of milk with every deep breath out.
>I have been told by Dr. C. Samuel West a lymphologist that one
>of the best ways to move the lymphatic system are big deep
>breaths!  At any rate, show me a stressed out mom who is told to
>take bed rest and I'll show you a mom who stays stressed!  Ask
>her to notice if she is holding her breath while nursing!
>-Joyce LLL in Utah USA

Martha Brower RD LD IBCLC, Dayton, OH