How To Sit On A Yoga Ball To Induce Labor

Quadruped Deep Diaphragmatic Breaths

* Diaphragmatic breath work and core muscle relaxation practices help to soften and connect to your pelvic floor.

In an all-fours position with your shoulders stacked on top of your wrists and knees directly below your hips, begin to breathe in and out through your nose. As you extend each breath as long as possible, start to increase your breathing rate, shifting the movement into your diaphragm. As you inhale, let your ribcage expand along with your belly. At the same time, try to consciously lengthen your pelvic floor with each new breath. On your exhale, reverse the movements, keeping your body light and loose. Nothing should feel forced and no muscles should be actively engaged. The focus here is on your breath, allowing it to create space and lengthen.

Supported Deep Birthing Style Squat With Breath Work

*Add support here by sitting on a few yoga blocks or by placing your back up against a wall or couch.

Begin in a deep birthing style squat with your legs wide, butt down, chest up and both feet planted firmly on the ground. If your heels are lifted when in this position, place a rolled-up towel or yoga mat beneath them. Bring your hands to hearts center and gently press your elbows into the insides of your knees to create resistance. Find your diaphragmatic breath and let it guide you through this hold.

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Did You Knowuse Birth Ball For Labor

Research shows that you can have shorter labor just by being active during labor process: sitting, walking, standing and of course doing exercises with the birth ball.

How do I use birthing ball to progress the labor?

Yes, you can use birth ball to start labor. To bring babys head on your cervix you can do energetic but smooth circles on birth ball. Turn on some music for easier flow and wait for your contractions to begin. After 20 minutes change directions of circles.

What are birth ball exercises to help baby drop?

You can basically do all the other exercises with the birth ball you did during your pregnancy. Here are few moves with the ball to progress labor.

1. Sitting as straight as possible on the ball.

2. Slight bouncing will open up your pelvis and will have more space for the baby to go down.

3. Moving in circles with your ball. Vigorous circles done with ball will bring on contractions.

4. Leaning on the ball will take the pressure of your back and will decrease some pain. Also it makes a good access to your back for some massage which can help with the babys positioning too.

5. Using birthing ball to progress labor on the bed may fix babys head position. A mother can sit down on the bed with her legs open so the birthing ball can fit between her knees. Mother hugs the ball and leans from side to side. There must be 2 assistants on each side to support mother from falling.

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Difference Between Yoga Ball Or Exercise Ball And A Birthing Ball

Yoga balls and exercise balls are very similar to birthing balls.

Birthing balls tend to be larger and firmer than a yoga or exercise ball. This offers additional support so you dont feel like youre sinking down too low when sitting on the ball. Birth balls are designed to support the extra weight of a pregnant woman and are made of a thicker material.

For safety reasons, I recommend getting a birth ball versus an exercise or yoga ball. The extra height and firmness is much safer and will help prevent you from falling or sliding. Additionally, many birth balls have an anti-slip finish.

You can always use the birthing ball for exercise or yoga afterwards, but during pregnancy and labor its better to have the extra support.

Can Sex Help Bring On Labour

Although you may not feel like having sex, and its not the easiest thing to negotiate when your 40 weeks pregnant, sex is one of the oldest techniques in the book for helping bring on labour. Sex can encourage the release of the love hormone oxytocin, which can help to stimulate contractions.

Of course, sex with a big bump can be a little awkward, so make sure you find a position that is comfortable for you. The spoons position, where you both lie on your side and your partner lies behind you, is often recommended. However, if your waters have already broken, sex is not recommended as it can heighten the risk of infection.

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Deep Birthing Style Squats With A Hold

Begin in a wide squat stance with your feet wider than hip-distance apart. Lower down into a deep squat with your butt driving down and back. Find your lowest position . From here, press up through your heels to return to the starting position, keeping a slight bend in your knees the whole time. Once you feel comfortable with this movement, try incorporating a 15 to 30-second hold at the lowest point of your squat. This will add an additional layer of hip opening as well as pelvic floor relaxation. While here, engage in diaphragmatic breathing to center your focus on your core.

Use Birthing Ball Safely

• make sure to use a non-bursting birth ball. If it is punctured, the ball should not burst suddenly, but deflate little by little so you can get off the ball safely.
• get the ball with non-slippery surface
• get the right size for you, depending on your height
• when using the birth ball move carefully
• before sitting down on the ball put your hands on it to keep it steady
• make sure your feet are apart from each other so you can have a solid foundation when you sit down on the ball
• dont hold your breath. Breath in through your nose and exhale through the mouth
• stay bare feet when using birthing ball. Less chance to slip/slide. If you do have to wear socks or shoes make sure they are not slippery.
• especially in the beginning of using a birthing ball have your partner or doula be there to help you. Start with very simple sitting on the ball to feel comfortable.

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What Would You Like To Do Together

Try letting your child lead the way in choosing what to do with your quality time on occasion. Even if itâs only for 30 minutes, they will get the idea that you want to spend time with them doing what they want to do. Showing interest in your childâs hobbies, even if you have little interest in them yourself, pays off over time because you learn so much about what your child is thinking and feeling through watching them play.

The Drawback To Interventions

It is important for me to include the disclaimer that while I was able to kick-start labor with natural interventions, I ultimately ended up delivering by a c-section.

While Ill never know for sure, Ill always wonder if maybe my baby just wasnt quite ready yet. Perhaps if I had waited a couple more days she would have arrived on her own, maybe even without a surgical birth .

Most of the above induction methods are harmless. So even if they dont work, they dont have any side effects. However, membrane stripping is another matter, and one I might not choose if I could do-over.

Ultimately, every birth is different, so what worked for me might not work for you. And vice-versa. The most important thing is to listen to your body, keep an open line of communication with your doctor or midwife, and wait. Yep, waiting is sometimes the best thing we can do!

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Birthing Ball Techniques To Help Your Baby Drop

Birthing ball techniques to help your baby drop are nothing new. Midwives have been relying on birthing balls for years, keeping soon-to-be-mums, as comfortable as possible during those painful hours of labour.

Recent studies have now found that pregnant ladies who sit on a birthing ball at home, around the start of their third trimester, should expect to see labour progressing much faster.

So why not give it a go yourself? From knowing how to bounce on a birthing ball, to techniques a little more advanced, heres 7 easy ways to induce labour at home with a birthing ball.

How Do I Use A Birthing Ball

The answer is with caution. Always with caution.

Even if a yoga ball has been part of your fitness routine for years, keep in mind that most women are less coordinated than normal during pregnancy. And if exercise balls are completely new to your repertoire, remember: Theyre round!

Because theyre circular and unsteady, you need to be extra careful when using a birthing ball during pregnancy since you can easily fall off, says Dr. Sheila Loanzon, an OB-GYN in northern California. Its also important to check that your ball is the correct size for your height and weight and is inflated properly.

Birthing ball safety tips:

• Your ball should be firm but have a little give, so you can gently bounce or roll back and forth while sitting.

• When it comes to ball size, go by your height. According to Mayer:

• Shorter women usually benefit from a 55 cm ball.

• Medium size women from a 65 cm ball.

• Tall women from a 75 cm ball.

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What Is Birthing Ball

Birthing Ball to Induce Labor. Using a birthing ball to naturally induce labor is a great idea. As you approach closer to 40 weeks, sitting on the ball opens your pelvis and allows baby to descend and apply pressure on the cervix. Thereby, encouraging labor to start and allowing baby room to get into optimal position for labor and delivery.

Use Birthing Ball After The Pregnancy

There are many ways how you can use your ball after the baby was born.

• If the ball was THE chair to sit on while you were pregnant, it might be THE chair now too when your perineum is still sore after the birth. Deflate the ball little bit to make it softer.
• When you get a hang of breastfeeding, sit on the ball while you nurdin your baby. IT will keep your posture straight.
• Use your birth ball to exercise and get back in shape.
• If you have a colicky baby, the ball will be your best place to sit on. Hold your baby in your/his favorite position and gently bounce on the ball. Or you can even put the baby on the ball and GENTLY bounce. This soft pressure and rhythmic movements will help to sooth the baby. Make sure to keep all safety precautions when using birth ball with the baby.

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Baddha Konasana With Circles Variation

Have a seat on a blanket, bed or couch, or right on the floor. Sit with the soles of your feet together. Let your knees fall gently toward the floor. Sit up tall for a moment. Then, start to circle your torso .

After a few repetitions moving one way, gradually come to a stop. Take a breath. Then, circle in the other direction.

Id like to hear from you. If this isnt your first baby, tell me what position you spent most of your labor in. Was it one of these? Something totally different? Let us know by commenting below .

Bouncing On A Yoga Ball

What the experts say This is one of the most common suggestions for starting labor or encouraging your baby to assume the correct birthing position. My midwife told me to bounce, bounce, bounce!

What I tried Sitting on top of an inflatable, yoga exercise ball with feet firmly on the ground, I bounced gently for about 15-30 minutes at a time.

While this became our go-to trick for rocking our baby to sleep once she was out of my belly, bouncing did nothing to encourage her to leave when she was inside. In fact, I think I bounced so much that its why she would only fall asleep bouncing for almost a year postpartum!

How much did I bounce? Probably a combined 1-2 hours every day by the last few weeks. It was a lot of bouncing.

Verdict: Good exercise, and perhaps it kept my core strengthened, but didnt start labor.

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Wall Squats With A Birthing Ball

When you decide to use an exercise ball to induce labor, wall squats are an effective way because they help your baby get into proper position, open up your pelvis, and provide your baby some additional space to move through your pelvis. Simply place the ball between your lower back and a wall and then roll downward while bending your knees. Then slowly return to the starting position. It is better to try this exercise when your baby has already started moving downward into your pelvis. The exercise speeds up dilation and starts labor quickly.

How Does A Birthing Ball Help Induce Labor

A birthing ball is a large exercise ball that you can sit on, not only during pregnancy but also during labor. Many women will use their birthing ball to help induce labor or encourage contractions when they are near the end of their pregnancy.

It is not known if a birthing ball truly helps to induce labor, but it is a great tool you can use at home to try and get things going. Using an exercise ball can also encourage your baby into an optimal fetal position for labor and birth.

A birthing ball is a nice comfortable place for a pregnant person to sit, and because it is an inflated ball, you can bounce on it. Bouncing can help the baby engage into the pelvis more and place more pressure on the cervix.

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Labor Help: The Peanut Ball Solution

If youre pregnant, preparing for your delivery can seem like a whirlwind at times. With so many advancements and delivery options to choose from, there is a lot to wrap your mind around. Youre probably familiar with some of the traditional birthing options like epidurals and breathing techniques but did you know there are recent discoveries that can speed up the delivery process and prevent you from extended hours of discomfort?

Say hello to the peanut ball, a helpful labor tool you may want to consider using during your delivery process.

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Why A Birthing Ball

A birthing ball may seem like just a large, inflated ball however, dont let its simplicity fool you into thinking you dont need this amazing tool. Why get a birthing ball? Several reasons:

• Help take pressure off of your joints
• Super affordable for amazing benefits
• Encourages good posture during pregnancy
• Helps you have an open pelvis allowing for good baby positioning
• Help relieve back pain and sciatica
• Amazing tool for labor and delivery

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Exercises To Induce Labor Naturally

One of the most common questions that I hear heavily pregnant ladies ask is How can I put myself into labor or induce labor?

Well, sweetheart. I hate to break it to ya, but theres no physical way to reallyput yourself into labor unless you get induced by a doctor. You can bounce on a ball all day, eat all the pineapple you want, or have sex five times a day, but at the end of the day, baby will come when she or he is ready to come.

Now, with that being said, you CAN encourage labor to be shorter-and to start on time. These 6 moves below are notorious for helping pregnant ladies go into labor on or near their due dates instead of waiting to be induced medically when they hit the 41 or 42 week mark. Who REALLY wants to be overdue right?

These exercises will help to speed up dilation , effacement and the process of labor , helps relieve back , hip and pelvic pain. Not only that, these moves help to open and create space in the pelvis , allowing your baby to drop down or can potentially help to turn a breech baby weeks before delivery.

You can get your own fitness ball for cheap here. I highly recommend one for everyone as they are amazing for pregnancy and beyond!

Give it a try and let me know which one is your favorite!

6 Exercises to Induce Labor Naturally

Rocking Ball Hug