Developing babies need oxygen beginning early in pregnancy. Babies don’t truly breathe in the womb. Instead, the umbilical cord provides the baby with oxygen until the first breath after birth.
Lung development begins early in pregnancy, but is not complete until the third trimester. Between 24–36 weeks of pregnancy, the lungs begin developing alveoli – the tiny lung sacs that fill with oxygen. Until these sacs are fully developed, a baby may have difficulty breathing on its own outside of the womb.
Women giving birth sometimes worry about how their babies will breathe, especially as the baby travels down the narrow confines of the birth canal. The umbilical cord continues to supply a baby with oxygen until after it is born.
With its wispy delicate blooms baby’s breath adds ethereal beauty to flower arrangements and gardens. But this unassuming plant contributes far more than eye appeal. Baby’s breath generates life-giving oxygen through photosynthesis like all plants. How much oxygen does this fluffy filler produce? Understanding baby’s breath’s air purification abilities reveals the environmental benefits this flowering plant provides.
How Baby’s Breath Produces Oxygen
Baby’s breath produces oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air through pores in their leaves called stomata Using energy from sunlight, the plant converts the carbon dioxide into carbohydrates it uses for food Oxygen is released as a byproduct of this reaction.
The amount of oxygen generated depends on:
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Light intensity – More sunlight drives faster photosynthesis and oxygen release
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Temperature – Photosynthesis increases up to optimal temperature range
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Humidity – Adequate moisture maximizes photosynthetic activity
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Carbon dioxide – Higher CO2 levels allow more absorption for photosynthesis
Given optimal conditions, a healthy baby’s breath plant can generate around 5-10 mL of oxygen per hour. This may seem small, but collectively, baby’s breath contributes meaningfully to oxygen levels.
Why Baby’s Breath’s Oxygen Production Matters
While we may admire baby’s breath for its delicate beauty, the oxygen it produces is vital to life in many ways:
Supports Human and Animal Respiration
We require oxygen to breathe. Oxygen powers all the body’s metabolic processes from cellular respiration to digestion and brain function. Baby’s breath’s oxygen production helps replenish our atmosphere.
Combats Climate Change
Plants like baby’s breath counteract climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Baby’s breath helps clean our air by taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.
Maintains Air Quality
Through photosynthesis, plants generate the oxygen that makes up 20% of our air. Baby’s breath helps balance gases in the atmosphere for optimal air quality.
Promotes Biodiversity
The nectar-rich blooms of baby’s breath attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. Pollinated plants provide food that sustains many species and ecosystems.
Factors That Increase Oxygen Production
While baby’s breath will passively produce some oxygen in average conditions, you can maximize its oxygen output by optimizing:
Sun Exposure
Position baby’s breath where it will receive at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. Morning sun is ideal. Insufficient light limits photosynthesis.
Air Circulation
Good air movement around baby’s breath foliage boosts gas exchange efficiency. Gentle breeze brings fresh carbon dioxide to the leaves.
Adequate Watering
Baby’s breath needs consistently moist (but not soaked) soil. Inadequate water reduces photosynthesis and oxygen release.
Plant Health
Healthy plants photosynthesize robustly. Ensure baby’s breath gets balanced nutrients and pest/disease interventions if needed.
Plant Population
More plants = more oxygen. Plant baby’s breath densely or in clusters to maximize total oxygen generation per area.
Creative Ways To Increase Oxygen In Your Home With Baby’s Breath
You can harness baby’s breath’s oxygen benefits through thoughtful incorporation in your living space:
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Group baby’s breath houseplants on windowsills to generate oxygen during the day.
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Add baby’s breath bouquets to dining and sitting areas to infuse oxygen into gathering spaces.
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Display vases of baby’s breath beside bedroom nightstands so you breathe its oxygen while sleeping.
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Plant baby’s breath in window boxes and outdoor pots to boost oxygen just outside the home.
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Use baby’s breath cuttings generously in floral centerpieces for indoor events and parties.
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Place bowls of floating baby’s breath blooms in pools, spas, and bathrooms for fresh oxygen.
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Grow baby’s breath in community gardens to share its air-purifying properties.
Baby’s Breath Offers Beauty And Benefits
With its delicate white plumes, the innocent baby’s breath flower delivers far more than meets the eye. Through the incredible process of photosynthesis, this ethereal plant purifies our air and powers life. Appreciating both the charm and benefits of oxygen production by baby’s breath, we can find creative ways to share its beauty while improving our very breath.
Fast facts on how babies breathe in the womb:
- In the earliest weeks of pregnancy, a developing baby looks more like a ball of cells than a person. In these early weeks, there’s no need to breathe.
- The umbilical cord is the main source of oxygen for the fetus.
- As long as the umbilical cord remains intact, there should be no risk of drowning in or outside the womb.
Several biological systems and processes play a role. They include:
After 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, the umbilical cord develops to deliver oxygen directly to the developing fetus’s body. The umbilical cord connects to the placenta, which is connected to the uterus. Both structures house many blood vessels, and continue to grow and develop throughout pregnancy.
Together, the umbilical cord and placenta deliver nutrients from the mother to the baby. They also provide the baby with the oxygen-rich blood necessary for growth.
This means that the mother breathes in for the baby, and the oxygen in her blood is then transferred to the baby’s blood. The mother also breathes out for the baby, as carbon dioxide from the baby is moved out through the placenta to the mother’s blood, the removed with exhale.
Substances going into the developing baby, such as oxygen, never interact with the substances leaving the baby, such as waste products. They travel through the umbilical cord through two separate blood vessels.
Flower 101: Everything you need to know about babies breath
FAQ
Which plant gives oxygen 24 hours?
How much oxygen does one plant produce in one day?
How much oxygen does the peace lily produce?
Where do Baby’s Breath plants grow?
Baby’s breath plants are native to Europe, Asia, some parts of Africa, and Australia. Baby’s breath plants form cloud-like mounds of light flowers that have a softening effect in gardens. Depending on the species, baby’s breath flowers grow between 6” to 8 ft. (15 cm – 2.4 m) tall and up to 4 ft. (1.2 m) wide.
How big does a Baby’s Breath grow?
It’s often grown for its flowers that can be edged with a light pink coloring. Viette’s Dwarf is one of the most unusual varieties of baby’s breath, producing pale pink flowers. It only grows to about 15 inches tall at the most and has flowers that bloom on a compact plant in the spring and summer months.
How do you grow a Baby Breath plant?
Dig a hole two or three times as wide and deep as the plant. Remove your baby’s breath from its container and place it in the hole. You will want to line the crown of the plant (where the stem meets the roots) with the soil line. You might need to fill in the hole you dig a bit to get it to the right depth.
What is a Baby Breath plant?
This is a perennial baby’s-breath with a mass of tiny flowers. Gypsophila paniculata ‘Bristol Fairy’ —The baby’s breath plant has tiny, delicate double white flowers 0.25” (0.5 cm in diameter). Its stems grow 3 ft. (1 m) tall, and it has a mound shape.