Third Trimester Breathing Exercises

For when your belly feels full, your ribs feel tight, and your mind needs space to exhale.

Why try breathing exercises in the third trimester?

As your baby grows and your uterus presses higher into your diaphragm, breathing can feel shallower or more effortful. It’s normal to feel breathless, especially when climbing stairs, lying down, or even just talking too much. This is where intentional breathing becomes more than just relaxation. Breath work can offer small moments of relief, presence, and power.

Breathing exercises during the third trimester can help you:

✔ Ease physical tension in your chest, shoulders, and belly

✔ Make space for your lungs and baby to co-exist more peacefully

✔ Calm your nervous system (especially when sleep is broken or anxiety creeps in)

✔ Practice the kind of focus and breath control that will support you in labour

✔ Reconnect to your body when you’re feeling overstimulated, uncomfortable, or emotional

Breathing Exercises

An illustration of a pregnant woman sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed, one hand on her chest and the other on her belly, on a yoga mat, with lotus flower patterns in the background.
A woman practicing nose breathing meditation while sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat with lotus flower illustrations on the wall
A pregnant woman practicing yoga in a seated meditation pose, with one hand in a mudra and the other pinching her nose, on a red yoga mat with lotus flower illustrations on the wall in the background.
Illustration of a person sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat with eyes closed, smiling, and touching their temples, surrounded by bees and lotus flowers, practicing meditation or mindfulness.