I learned these techniques as a competitive swimmer during my childhood. After a 10-year hiatus, relearning breathing in the pool wasn't "like riding a bike." It took some time to develop again so I can understand that it must be really difficult to new swimmers. Pawel Lewicki from Total Immersion can help you simplify this process with 4 Steps to Easy Breathing in Freestyle. Do you struggle with breathing during the swim? Do these steps help with the issues you've been facing or is it something else?