1. A method for ventilating a patient with a ventilator, comprising: determining an initial base flow; determining an initial inspiration trigger threshold; delivering the initial base flow during at least a first portion of exhalation while setting the inspiration trigger threshold to the initial inspiration trigger threshold; determining a desired base flow; determining a desired inspiration trigger threshold; increasing base flow from the initial base flow toward the desired base flow during at least a second portion of exhalation; and decreasing the inspiration trigger threshold from the initial inspiration trigger threshold toward the desired inspiration trigger threshold based on a function of the step of increasing the base flow while performing the step of increasing the base flow.