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 --------------------- 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