Golden Thread Breath, also called Feather Breathing. Practised during pregnancy to prepare for labour, when contractions get more intense, but also useful to ease into sleep and to relax.

Ensure that your face and jaw are completely relaxed, teeth and lips very slightly apart. Take a deep breath in through the nose, imagining breathing in energy and oxygen into your body and your baby, then a really slow, gentle, controlled breath out through your mouth.

It’s called Golden Thread Breath because it’s like blowing a golden thread from your lips gently into the distance or like a fine golden breath spinning out between the lips.

The breath comes more from the chest, so you are breathing over and above the pain, riding the waves of contractions.

Imagine to breathe in strength, love and energy and to breathe out pain.

Remember: every contraction brings you one step closer to your baby!