Why “Breathe Into Your Belly” Is a Misleading Cue

Why "breathe into your belly" is a misleading cue and what to focus on instead for better core and pelvic floor support.

If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, gone to a physical therapist, or even tried a meditation app, you’ve probably been told to “breathe into your belly.” It’s one of those phrases that gets tossed around a lot—but here’s the thing: it’s not actually the best cue. In fact, for many women—especially moms navigating core or pelvic floor recovery—it can lead you in the wrong direction.

Let’s break down why this common breathing cue can cause confusion, and what you can focus on instead to breathe better, feel more supported, and build real core strength.

What We Think “Belly Breathing” Means

“Breathe into your belly” usually comes from a good place—it’s meant to encourage relaxation and diaphragmatic breathing (more on that in a second). It’s trying to get you out of shallow, chest-only breathing and into a deeper, calmer rhythm. But here’s the problem: your lungs aren’t in your belly. They’re in your ribcage.

When we focus too much on making our belly puff out, we can start to lose the real purpose of diaphragmatic breathing. And for women healing from pregnancy, birth, or any kind of core or pelvic floor issue, that confusion matters.

What Should Be Happening When You Breathe?

Let’s talk about how your body is actually designed to breathe.

Your diaphragm is a big muscle that sits below your lungs. When you inhale, the diaphragm drops down to make space for the lungs to expand. That downward movement does create pressure in your abdomen—and yes, your belly might rise a bit—but that’s not the whole story.

A full, effective breath doesn’t just push the belly forward. It should expand your rib cage in all directions—forward, backward, and sideways. Think of it more like a balloon inflating inside your lower ribs than just the belly popping out.

Why “Belly Breathing” Can Be a Problem

Here’s where it can go sideways:

You might miss the ribs completely. If all your focus is on pushing the belly out, your ribs might stay stiff and locked down. That limits how much your diaphragm can move—and you don’t get a full breath.
It can lead to a pressure mismatch. In postpartum bodies, especially, we care about how pressure moves through the system. Too much pressure forward into the belly can add stress to the linea alba (the connective tissue down the center of your abs), or increase pelvic floor symptoms like heaviness, bulging, or leaking.
You might unintentionally shut down your core. We often want to encourage gentle core engagement and support. Belly breathing can sometimes feel like turning everything “off”—and that’s not what you need when you’re rebuilding strength.

What to Do Instead: 360° Breathing

A better way to think about breathing is this: 360-degree rib expansion.

That means when you breathe in, your ribs gently expand all the way around. Not just in front. Not just into the belly. But out to the sides and even into your low back.

This style of breathing:

Allows your diaphragm to fully move
Distributes pressure evenly throughout your core
Encourages better postural alignment
Supports the pelvic floor without overloading it

You don’t have to be perfect, but tuning into this more balanced breath can help you feel stronger, calmer, and more connected to your body.

How to Practice It

Here’s a quick way to get the feel for it:

Try This: Side Lying Breathing

Lie on your side with your hands gently resting on your lower rib cage.
Inhale through your nose and imagine your rib cage expanding in every direction—forward, sideways, and into your back.
You should feel your ribs move into your hands, not just your belly.
Exhale gently through pursed lips, letting the ribs soften inward.

You can also try this seated with a resistance band or towel gently wrapped around your ribs to give you feedback as you breathe.

“Breathe into your belly” isn’t totally wrong—it’s just not the full picture. And if you’ve been told that cue and it didn’t feel quite right, that’s okay. You’re not doing anything “wrong”—you just deserve better tools.

If you're working on your core, healing from birth, or trying to feel stronger and more stable, how you breathe matters. Start by ditching the belly breathing cue and focus on 360-degree rib expansion instead. Your core (and your pelvic floor) will thank you.

And if you want personalized help figuring out how to integrate breathing into your workouts and daily life, that’s exactly what I help clients do inside my 1:1 programs. E-mail me or check out the rest of the website to learn more.