Winner Flow Breathing Device: for a Calm, Empowered Birth
The breath is our biggest ally in labor. It’s our biggest ally ANYTIME we are experiencing stress. When you start to practice slow breathing in pregnancy, you realize how quickly and easily you can take control of your emotional state simply by changing your breathing.
For most first time moms the thought of losing control in labor is a big trigger for anxiety in those final weeks. Worries about making embarrasing sounds…worries about what the staff will think if you’re not coping. Worries about fluids leaking, weird sensations and pooping in front an audience can keep expectant moms up at night.
But there’s a new kid on the block - a new tool for your labor bag - the Winner Flow breathing device, a straightforward but creative little gadget that helps you to keep focused, emotionally balanced, and helps you breathe your baby into the world without all of that purple-faced pushing (with less perineal injury for you and more oxygen for your baby).
The Winner Flow breathing regulator for labor.
This tiny but mighty device - is the secret weapon for moms preparing for a positive birth—vaginal or cesarean. And one of the biggest benefits? It’s also perfect for calming anxiety during pregnancy and supporting postpartum recovery.
What is the Winner Flow?
The Winner Flow is a breathing device originally developed by a French physiotherapist to improve pelvic floor fitness and prevent diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles). Despite its physiotherapy origins, the Winner Flow has revolutionized birth preparation and labor support in Europe. US moms are now enjoying the benefits too!
How Does it Work?
This device adds gentle resistance to your exhale, engaging your core and pelvic floor muscles while promoting slower, deeper mindful breathing. This slower intentional breathing turns on your body's relaxation response (the parasympathetic nervous system), it reduces stress which allows oxytocin to flow—the key hormone for a faster, easier labor. You simply breathe IN through your nose and OUT of your mouth - slowly.
Why Use the Winner Flow During Labor?
The Winner Flow offers several benefits for moms during labor, including:
Shorter Second Stage/Pushing Stage of Labor: A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated that using the Winner Flow significantly reduced the second stage of labor (pushing phase) by an average of 12 minutes compared to those who didn’t use it.
Improved Pushing Efforts: It allows for controlled, mother-led pushing without holding your breath (known as Valsalva or “purple pushing”), ensuring better oxygen flow to your baby, uterus, and perineum). This practice is common in every US hospital.
Enhanced Focus and Empowerment: Midwives and nurses report that moms using the Winner Flow feel more in control, experience less pain, and are able to communicate more effectively during labor. (Almost every birth I attend ends in the OB asking where to get the Winner Flow).
Using the Winner Flow in Pregnancy
Slow mindful breathing stops the stress response allowing you to enjoy your pregnancy more. Moms who experience panic attacks carry their WF in their purse for moments that feel overwhelming.
How to Use the Winner Flow
During Pregnancy:
Begin using the Winner Flow in the second trimester to practice slow, diaphragmatic breathing. Try starting with a resistance setting of 2 which should introduce some gentle resistance to your exhalation. The resistance will make the outbreath longer. If this resistance feels to difficult or too easy you can increase or decrease the resistance
Use it daily to improve pelvic floor fitness, reduce constipation, and enhance core strength.
During Labor:
In early labor, sleep and ignore the sensations until you feel you need to focus on your breath. Slow mindful belly breathing with a long exhale through the Winner Flow. As labor progresses start with a resistance level of 1.5 and adjust as needed.
For the second stage/pushing stage you can increase resistance to support effective pushing without straining or long periods of breath-holding.
Gentle Cesarean
The Winner Flow gives mom’s a more active role to help ‘nudge’ baby out.
Postpartum Recovery:
Whenever possible consult a pelvic health physiotherapist around 6 weeks after your baby’s arrival to determine the best settings for your recovery. You can use the device to rebuild pelvic floor flexibility and improve core fitness.
Winner Flow for Every Birth
Unmedicated Vaginal Birth: Reduces stress and anxiety, facilitates oxytocin and endorphin release and supports mother-led pushing.
Medicated Vaginal Birth: Helps moms stay calm and focused while waiting for the epidural to be administered and take effect. Ask your provider for lots of time for “passive descent” (allowing the baby to move down naturally before pusing) and ensures oxygen flow to the uterus, your perineal tissues, and your baby during pushing.
Gentle Cesarean: In some hospitals, moms use the Winner Flow during their cesarean to reduce anxiety and also to engage their diaphragm and core, allowing moms to take a more active role in a cesarean birth experience.
Real Moms, Real Results
Myriam: "I felt so in control the whole way through. Breathing through the Winner Flow helped me stay calm, and my partner’s pressure points made the experience almost enjoyable. It was so different from my first labor!"
Jenny: “The midwives in the Limerick Maternity Hospital were truly amazing. They were so intrigued by the Winner Flow and how calm I was. I got to labor in the birthing pool, with the lights dimmed the track ” Deep Within” on continuous repeat and my Winner flow. It was so calm.”
Caroline: “I loved how it gave a focus to my breathing and was a solid ‘action’ to take. I had done a lot of GentleBirth practice and Hypnobirthing too, and this was a great addition to that practice. Looking back, I’m honestly not sure if focusing on my breathing without the Winner Flow in the second stage of labor would have been possible for me.”
Rebecca shares her VBAC experience using the Winner Flow - https://www.mamanatural.com/birth-stories/hypnobirth-training-using-a-breathing-device-and-a-tens-machine-helped-rebecca-j-during-her-hospital-vbac-birth/
Rebecca and Baby Theodore (Teddy) after their VBAC.
Your New Best Friend for Labor
The Winner Flow is a companion for your pregnancy, labor, and postpartum journey.
For U.S. and Canadian moms, the Winner Flow is available for $49.95, including shipping.
Winner Flow Mindful Breathing Audio Mp3
Prepare for labor with a 10-minute guided audio session designed to help you practice using the Winner Flow as your confidence grows. This mindful breathing practice will:
Help you practice with your Winner Flow during pregnancy.
Trains your brain to stay calm and more in control during your labor.
Build your confidence in your coping skills.
This audio session is free with your purchase of the Winner Flow. You’ll receive an email immediately after checkout with simple download instructions, so you can start practicing right away.
Bulk discounts are also available for birth professionals.
Add the Winner Flow to your labor toolkit today.
Tracy
(In this podcast I interview Myriam Liaigre European distributor for the Winner Flow).
