Prenatal Exercises To Make Birth Easier

A hundred years ago, many doctors believed pregnant women should not be exercising. Today, research has shown advantages to both you and your baby. Of particular interest to many expectant mothers is how to make labor and delivery easier. In general, helpful exercises include strengthening the pelvic floor, opening up the hips and stretching the perineal region. The perineal area is between your pubic symphysis and coccyx.

Strengthen the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor supports the uterus, bowel and bladder. Strong muscles can prevent prolapse of these structures. In other words, they can keep these structures from bulging into the vagina. Luckily, they are easy to strengthen. Kegel exercises can be performed discreetly at almost any time. First, identify your pelvic floor muscles by imagining you are trying to stop the flow of urine midstream. Contract your pelvic floor muscles, but do not hold your breath or contract your abdominal muscles. Work up to 10 sets of 10 second holds of these muscles.

Opening the Hips

The pelvis and hip area need to be open during labor. In fact, they will probably never be more open! Prenatal yoga classes include many useful poses. One example is Baddha Konasana, or Bound Angle Pose. Sit on the floor or, if you are tight, a blanket, with the soles of your feet together. Bring your heels toward your pelvis and allow your knees to fall toward the floor. Hold the pose for a few minutes, allowing your knees to sink further down as you go.

Virabhadrasana II, or Warrior II Pose, as well as other variations on squats, is another exercise useful for strengthening the leg muscles and stretching the pelvic and groin areas. Widen your stance so your feet are three to four feet apart. Stretch your arms out to the sides so they are parallel to the floor. Turn your right foot out and the left foot slightly in. Bend your right knee, aiming to get it directly above your right ankle. Hold the pose for a full minute if you are able.

If you are a beginner, find a class with an instructor experienced in prenatal yoga. A prenatal yoga class includes many benefits for an expectant mother, such as breathing exercises, relaxation and meditation.

Stretching the Perineal Region

The American Pregnancy Association recommends beginning perineal massage around 34 weeks of pregnancy to help prevent tears during delivery. Begin by washing your hands. You may want to position yourself in front of a mirror so that you can see your perineum. Lubricate your fingers and perineal area as needed and insert your thumbs into your vagina 1 to 1.5 inches. Pull your thumbs out to the sides until a stretch is felt and hold for two minutes. Repeat but this time, pull your thumbs up and down so that you get a stretch in all directions. You may experience mild burning or tingling.

Warnings

Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially during pregnancy. Conditions including, but not limited to, high blood pressure, heart disease and back pain may alter what your doctor recommends for you.