RESUMEN
Forty mothers were included in this study and were admitted for normal labor at full term of pregnancy in the first stage of labor with no complication and baby with no associated diseases. Twenty of them received the experimental combining breathing exercise and relaxation techniques. The other 20 mothers were managed as a control group receiving only the routine nursing care during labor. Two tools were designed specifically to collect data: First tool is a special interview sheet for mothers and second tool is an observation sheet for both mothers and newborns. Breathing exercise and relaxation techniques according to Reads methods were applied for each mother individually for about 16 times during labor and each time take about 5 minutes. The results revealed effectiveness of breathing exercise and relaxation techniques on improvement of progress of labor and newborn Apgar scoring. The present study recommended that breathing exercise and relaxation techniques should be integrated to the nursing practices of antenatal care and early in first stage of labor to be benefit for both mothers and babies