Should I swallow when I'm having contractions

[ijchase281]

I read on here I shouldn't swallow when I'm having contractions? Yes or No or Up to me ?

 

[ComputerBoy]

"I read on here I shouldn't swallow..." Can you copy & paste here the link or title of the thread where you read that "shouldn't swallow"? I don't see any reason why swallowing is not good, though! For newbies when your epiglottis is not trained enough to close your airway constantly, swallowing is a very natural and helpful way to force it closed. Most advanced freedivers don't swallow just because they don't need to, I think!

 

[Bussard]

Swallowing before contractions start tends to trigger early contractions for me, but as for swallowing once they are hitting me hard I think I'd be too far gone to notice weather I was or not.

 

[ijchase281]

I don't have contractions until around 1:30 then I start to swallow to control them a little. I read if you don't do a breath up contractions can start earlier and they aren't that bad. I read this after doing my last pool static hold. I'm planning on trying it next time. Just to see if it works for me or is true.

 

[sims]

For static or dynamic it probably doesn't matter much.

But for depth, I think it may screw with equalization a bit (try it, swallow while pinching your nose and you will get under-pressure in your ears.. the opposite of what you want).

Also I hear if you go deep enough to need mouth-fill, swallowing will interfere with that also. I don't recall ever actually getting an urge to swallow when head-down though.

 

[Bussard]

I don't have contractions until around 1:30 then I start to swallow to control them a little. I read if you don't do a breath up contractions can start earlier and they aren't that bad. I read this after doing my last pool static hold. I'm planning on trying it next time. Just to see if it works for me or is true.

If you over breathe or hyperventilate during breathe up then contractions will be delayed but severe when they start. Try what I call a rest up instead - take 3-4 minutes and concentrate on gathering your thoughts and calming yourself down, breathing as you normally would. I am one of those who get contractions very early on and learning to rest up instead of breathing up has helped me immensely.