What’s the deal with exercise balls during labor?
What’s the deal with people using exercise balls in pregnancy, labor, and postpartum? Welllllll....let’s talk about it!
During pregnancy, sitting on a ball can help place your pelvis and back in a more neutral position than say, your couch, your office chair, or the seat of your car. Sitting on an exercise ball can often alleviate aches and pains by putting less strain on the ligaments, muscles, and tendons that support your growing uterus. You know that sharp-shooting-grabbing pain on either side of your belly you sometimes experience when changing positions too quickly or rolling over in bed? That is most likely round ligament discomfort. When these ligaments have been stretched out a few times (over the course of several pregnancies) or if the pelvis is misaligned (helllllo #relaxin hormone), round ligament pain can happen more frequently and more dramatically. Enter — exercise ball! It may make a huge difference to replace your chair with one, or to make it a point of sitting on one and doing daily pelvic rocks and hip circles.
I’m really lovin’ this simple graphic from Mama Natural that gives a clear depiction of the round ligaments supporting the uterus. Check it out.. > > > > > >
Okay, so I geeked out on ligaments for a second.. how ELSE can using a ball benefit you during pregnancy? Well.. as you near term, it can help your baby get cozy in the most “optimal positions” for birth. Babies are born in several different positions, but what has been deemed the most “optimal” is the left occiput anterior position (LOA) or left occiput transverse position (LOA) . (See diagram below) To help out with that lingo… “occiput” refers to the back of your baby’s skull and “anterior” refers to being nearer to the front of the body than than back. “Left” simply refers to the baby’s occiput on the left side of the mothers body rather than the right. In the LOA or LOT positions, babies seem to have an easier time descending and keeping their heads well-flexed, which aids in allowing for the smallest circumference possible to move through the pelvis first, most often as some moulding/overlapping occurs at the sutures of the skull. (This is such an incredible design!!! It’s super difficult for me to NOT geek out too much and use allllllll the midwife-y jargon to talk about your baby’s position and the process of labor/birth. I encourage you to do some research of your own to obtain a more complete and clear understanding of what we are talking about here. Knowledge is totally empowering! Feel free to shoot me an email if you are looking for some decent resources instead of diving into the massive sea of google.) The LOT or LOA position may contribute to a more efficient and comfortable labor/birth, as it aids in the “cardinal movements” —which is the physiologic dance of sorts that occurs as your sweet babe comes earth side. (There are some great youtube videos that show this process!) When babies are in the OP (occiput posterior) position, women often experience more back pain during labor (as the baby’s skull presses against the sacrum) and have longer pushing stages. But— I feel it necessary to say that it is still possible for babies to be born OP, mama may just work a little harder and baby maayyyy just have a little more swelling and bruising in the face than the baby birthed OA.
Diagram courtesy of Dearbhla Kelly/Irish Times Premedia, in an article regarding fetal positions
Diagram courtesy of Dearbhla Kelly/Irish Times Premedia, in an article regarding fetal positions
So now that you know what the “optimal” position for your baby is, why does sitting on a ball support it? Well, when you lean back to recline on your couch, or while sitting in the bucket seat of a car, your pelvis is tilted back. Some midwives help relate the position of the pelvis to the position of the belly and uterus by referring to the bellybutton like a flashlight. You will notice that while leaning back and shifting your pelvis to tilt back, your bellybutton is also tilted to “point” and “shine” higher than the horizon line. This tilt of the pelvis, and therefore uterus, encourages your baby to roll into your back or into the occiput posterior (OP) position, as pictured in the diagram above. When you sit on a exercise ball, your pelvis is in more of a neutral position because if you leaned back on a ball… you’d fall off! So, your bellybutton is in then line with the horizon or lower, which is ideal and encourages your baby to position more centrally or to roll forward into the LOT/LOA or ROT/ROA positions. Other positions that help bring your baby out of the OP position include: leaning forward over your kitchen counter, hands and knees, left side-lying, and knee-chest position.
The last reason a ball may be beneficial to your changing body throughout pregnancy is that it can help strengthen your back muscles, your abdominal muscles, and your pelvic floor muscles. Having a strong, healthy body will not only aid in labor and birth, but will definitely help the body recover postpartum. There are some great resources for using an ball to exercise during pregnancy. I have included video links at the end of this post to inspire your research!
So now that your pelvis and ligaments are feeling realll goood, your baby is in a great position, and your body is strengthened and ready… how can a ball be used during labor?
During labor, especially early labor, a ball can help your baby rotate to an optimal position (if not already there!) with the help of your contracting uterus.
Some women like to lean forward onto the ball while on their knees, which relieves pressure off of the back and allows the perfect amount of support for your partner, doula, or midwife to massage your back or apply counter pressure.
Sitting on the ball during labor is a great position to work with gravity, as you are upright, with your legs apart in a mild, supported squat… creating SPACE for your baby to moveeee on downnn.
The ball can also encourage movement, as many women circle their hips or rock back and forth— following a rhythm along with the breath or music. Many cultures actually bellydance during pregnancy and labor. Using a ball helps to mimic this beautiful, traditional practice. (And… PLEASE, if you feel so inclined… get up off the ball and dance!!!) This movement can provide for a primal, soothing pace as labor builds…and builds… leading to birth!
And so, your little one has arrived! Birthed in love and strength. Three or four weeks have passed by and your sweet babe is a little more difficult to soothe than she was back in the day. ;) What do you do?
During the postpartum period, pull out the ball from the corner, hold your baby close to your heart, and gently bounce up and down. Hum a little hymn or song… and voila! Almost always works like a charm if your baby is fed, changed, and just needs some movement and love. For colic, the ball also works wonderfully in combination with loud white noise (louder than your baby’s cry), vibration, and a good ol’ swaddle.
And while you are sitting on the ball, bouncing and soothing your baby, go ahead and engage that pelvic floor if you think of it! That is the last benefit of having your ball handy— it can help you strengthen your back, core, and…. drumroll….. your pelvic floor (!) after your body has experienced the incredible adventures of growing and birthing a human!
So, if it intrigues you, go snatch up an exercise ball online or at a local store. Inflate it according to your height, so that your thighs are just about parallel to the ground… and reap the many benefits of such a simple tool!
Much love to you and your happy pelvis,
P.S. Lots of other awesome ladies have shared their thoughts and compiled research regarding the use of exercise balls. Take a look-see for yourself!
And as promised, here are some exercise videos using a ball. Note* These videos may recommend some exercises that aren’t always indicated during pregnancy, such as cat/cow yoga poses. Use your discretion and do what feels good— your body knows “whats up” and will communicate with you as long as you are open to listening. ;)
