HypnoLabour Breathing App: Techniques That Work During Contractions
A labour breathing app with guided techniques for every stage of contractions. Practise before birth, use during delivery. Free on iOS and Android.
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A good labour breathing app gives you simple, guided breathing you can follow during contractions, plus a calm voice to anchor you when your brain goes a bit “I can’t do this”. Used regularly in late pregnancy, it can reduce fear, help you stay at home longer in early labour, and make coping strategies feel automatic rather than theoretical.
If you want something you can practise with now and actually use on the day, look for an app with short breathing tracks (not just long meditations), options for different stages of labour, and tools like a contraction timer you and your birth partner can operate without thinking.
I’ve tested HypnoBirth App and the other big names with UK mums heading into NHS births, home births, inductions, and planned caesareans. The pattern is pretty consistent: the apps that work best are the ones you’ll genuinely practise, and the ones that don’t overcomplicate breathing when you’re tired, hormonal, and in pain.
TL;DR: A labour breathing app can significantly enhance your birthing experience by providing guided breathing techniques during contractions, reducing fear and anxiety. Effective apps focus on simple, short breathing tracks and contraction timers, allowing users to practice easily and cope better during early labour. Regular use can help manage stress and improve overall control during childbirth.
Why a labour breathing app helps during contractions
Breathing is one of the few things you can control in labour. That sounds small. It isn’t.
When contractions ramp up, most people either hold their breath, breathe too fast, or tense their jaw and shoulders without realising. That can feed panic and make everything feel sharper. Slow, steady breathing supports the parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and digest” mode), which is linked with calmer adrenaline levels and better conditions for oxytocin and endorphins, the hormones involved in labour progress and natural pain relief.
And here’s the practical bit: a breathing app gives you pacing. You don’t have to count. You don’t have to remember the technique your antenatal teacher showed you six weeks ago. You just follow along.
It can help you stay home longer in early labour
Many UK mums tell me the hardest part is not “pain”, it’s uncertainty. Is this it? Is it too early to ring triage? Am I overreacting?
Apps that guide breathing and relaxation can help you cope in early labour so you’re not racing in too soon, stressed and exhausted. In a 2025 Swedish randomised controlled trial of a labour support app, app users tended to stay home slightly longer in early labour, suggesting better coping, while overall birth outcomes and intervention rates were similar across groups (JMIR 2025 RCT).
It’s especially useful if you’re feeling genuinely scared
Fear changes how your body responds. Your breathing goes high and tight, you tense, and contractions can feel more overwhelming.
That same 2025 trial found women who started with a fear of childbirth had a statistically significant reduction in that fear when using the app, with measurable improvements in sense of control and self-efficacy (Karlstad University summary).
What to look for in a labour breathing app (UK, real-world)
There are loads of “pregnancy meditation” apps. Fewer that actually hold up at 3am on a labour ward, with beeping monitors and your partner asking where the snack bag is.
Here’s what I’d prioritise.
Breathing tracks that match labour stages
Early labour breathing is different to “I can’t talk through this one” breathing. Good apps offer a few styles: calming, steady breaths for rest; stronger, slower breaths for active labour; and focused breathing for the pushing phase. If everything is one long floaty track, it’s not enough.
Short options you can repeat
Ten minutes is often the sweet spot. Long audios can be brilliant for sleep, but during contractions you usually want something you can loop, pause, switch, and come back to without faff.
Partner-friendly guidance
Your birth partner needs something to do. A breathing app can give them a job: press play, keep the volume right, remind you to drop your shoulders, offer sips of water, and time contractions. Simple jobs. Big impact.
Tools you’ll actually use: contraction timer and kick counter
Look for an in-app contraction timer that’s clear and doesn’t require fiddly setup. Between appointments, a baby kick counter can also be reassuring, especially if you’re the kind of person who spirals at 2am wondering if today’s movements feel “different”.
How to use breathing techniques from an app in labour
The best time to download a labour breathing app is not when contractions start. It’s when you’re eating toast and still have patience for learning new things.
Start practising at least 4 to 6 weeks before your due date
Repetition matters. Breathing is a skill, and under stress you’ll fall back on whatever is familiar. Daily or near-daily practice is what turns “a nice idea” into “my body does this automatically”. If you want a structured approach, the step-by-step tracks in pregnancy breathing techniques are a solid place to begin.
Rehearse in real moments, not just when you’re calm
Try a breathing track when you’re annoyed, overtired, or uncomfortable. Do it after a long day. Do it when you’ve got Braxton Hicks. That’s much closer to labour than doing it only in a perfectly quiet bath with candles.
Pair breathing with relaxation cues
Breathing works even better when it’s linked with something physical: soft jaw, loose hands, heavy shoulders, relaxed pelvic floor. I often tell mums to think “melt” on the out-breath. Sounds silly. Works.
During contractions: breathe in, then slow the exhale
Most people cope best with a gentle inhale through the nose (or mouth if you need to), then a longer, slower exhale. The exhale is where your body often unclenches. If you’ve got gas and air (Entonox), you’ll still want a steady rhythm so you don’t end up gulping and feeling dizzy.
Breathing support that fits around NHS midwife-led care
A labour breathing app should sit alongside your NHS antenatal care, not compete with it. You’ll still follow your midwife’s advice, your hospital trust’s guidance, and your personal birth plan, whether you’re aiming for a midwife-led unit, labour ward, or home birth.
Breathing techniques can work alongside all the usual options too: movement, water, a birthing pool, massage, a TENS machine, gas and air, opioids, epidural, or a caesarean. It’s not “either/or”. It’s coping tools plus medical support when you want it or need it.
If anxiety is a big part of your pregnancy, it can also help to build calm day-to-day, not just in labour. The ideas in gentle calm pregnancy support can make the breathing feel easier to access when you’re under pressure.
Honest limitations of a labour breathing app
Apps can be brilliant. They’re not magic.
Breathing won’t guarantee a pain-free labour. Labour can be intense, and sometimes the most positive choice is an epidural or a change of plan. No shame. Ever.
Practice is the difference-maker. If you only listen for the first time during established labour, it might still help, but it can also feel annoying or “not for me” because your brain doesn’t have the familiarity yet.
Evidence is still emerging for most apps. The strongest RCT data in 2025 is for one specific app (Birth by Heart), and benefits seemed most pronounced for women with existing fear of childbirth, while overall distress changes were smaller (MedicalXpress overview).
Apps don’t monitor complications. If you have reduced fetal movements, bleeding, severe headache, or you just feel something’s wrong, you need to contact your maternity unit or community midwife rather than trying to meditate through it.
How HypnoBirth App supports breathing during labour (without the hype)
HypnoBirth App for labour breathing and relaxation is built for the real rhythm of birth: short, usable tracks, practical breathing, and a tone that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve failed if your birth goes off-script.
I’ve watched birth partners visibly relax when they’ve got something concrete to press play on, and I’ve seen mums use the breathing tracks through the transition phase when everything gets noisy and emotional. Not because it makes contractions “easy”, but because it gives you a familiar pattern to come back to.
If you want to try it properly, start with a few days of guided meditation for pregnancy by trimester to get used to the voice and style, then add labour-focused sessions as you get closer. When you’re planning how you’ll cope on the day, the practical options in hypnobirthing techniques for labour can help you choose what fits you, not what looks pretty on Instagram.
Breathing, affirmations, and timing tools in one place
HypnoBirth App includes breathing exercises designed for contractions, plus affirmations you can play quietly in the background if that helps you stay steady. For many mums, the most useful tracks are the straightforward ones, not the fanciest.
And when labour starts, you’ve also got the option of a clear timer. If you like the idea of pairing tracking with calming audio, the contraction timer with meditation support is made for exactly that “is this pattern established?” moment.
Getting it on your phone before you need it
Download it, favourite a few tracks, and test your headphones or speaker now. Future you will be glad you did. You can grab it here: download hypnobirthing app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an app for breathing labour?
A labour breathing app provides guided breathing cues and relaxation audio designed for contractions and different stages of labour, and it can be used alongside NHS antenatal care and midwife guidance.
Do breathing apps actually reduce labour pain?
Breathing apps do not guarantee less pain, but paced breathing and relaxation can reduce anxiety and improve coping, which can change how pain is perceived and managed during contractions.
What does research say about labour breathing apps?
A 2025 randomised controlled trial of a labour support app found reduced fear of childbirth among first-time mothers who started with higher fear levels, while overall birth outcomes and intervention rates were similar to standard care.
When should I start practising with a labour breathing app?
Most users benefit from starting in late pregnancy and practising regularly for at least 4 to 6 weeks before the due date so the breathing pattern becomes familiar under stress.
Can I use a labour breathing app with gas and air or an epidural?
A labour breathing app can be used alongside gas and air (Entonox), a TENS machine, opioids, or an epidural, as it is a coping technique rather than a medical treatment.
Do you push on inhale or exhale during labor?
In many births, pushing is coached on the exhale because a long, steady out-breath can reduce breath-holding and help maintain control, but pushing guidance should follow the midwife’s coaching and the clinical situation.
Is the Freya app worth it?
The Freya app may be helpful for contraction timing and guided breathing for some users, but individual preference and regular practice largely determine usefulness, and high-quality RCT evidence is currently limited for most competing apps.
Can a labour breathing app help if I’m being induced?
A labour breathing app can support relaxation and coping during induction, including when contractions become intense, but it does not replace medical monitoring or pain relief options offered by the maternity team.
Is a labour breathing app safe to use in pregnancy?
Breathing and relaxation audio is generally safe for healthy pregnancies, but users should seek urgent medical advice for warning signs such as bleeding, severe headache, or reduced fetal movements rather than relying on an app.
What’s the difference between a labour breathing app and antenatal classes?
Antenatal classes provide education, discussion, and personalised support, while a labour breathing app provides on-demand guided practice and in-the-moment prompts; many people use both together.