Birthing balls increase personal comfort, speed up the labor process and help the baby's position in utero. Learn more about birthing balls in this video.
Keep legs at 90 degree angle
Be sure to purchase a birthing ball
Have someone help while using a birthing ball
Stefany Mills is the owner of Touched by an Angle Childbirth Services. She is based out of Central Fla.
STEFANY MILLS: Hi, my name is Stefany Mills. I'm with Touched by an Angel Childbirth Services here in Central Florida. We are a birth doula and postpartum doula services company. This is Bea. She is a midwife with Labor of Love, and she's going to be assisting me today as I show you how to use a birth ball in pregnancy and in labor. First, it's always important to have someone hold the birth ball for you before you sit down on it. Thank you, Bea. Second, always make sure your legs are in a 90-degree angle. Before purchasing a birth ball, be sure you understand what you're receiving. A birth ball and an exercise ball are two very different things. They are made of different material. Get a birth ball or a physical therapy ball. They're made of a stronger material; and therefore if they do get a hole in it, they're not going to rupture and have you dropped to the floor. When you sit on a birth ball with your legs at a 90-degree angle, it does a lot of things. It allows the baby to be able to move down. It takes pressure off of your back and off of your perineum. It allows you to be able to rock back and forth, in lunges back and forth, as in rocking chair and even move your hips around in circles. It even allows you to be able to bounce which is a wonderful thing after you have your baby because then you can hold your baby as you bounce with it. They like that. They've been in there bouncing before. Using the birth ball is so comfortable and really does make a huge difference in the speed of your labor and the positioning of your baby in utero and your comfort level. It's very important, again, to make sure that you get the right kind of ball. Make sure you have someone holding it for you before you sit down and be sure that your legs are in a 90-degree angle prior to moving. Thank you.
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