Pre-labor Exercises to Ease Delivery
By Sally Aubrey

Fitness and health are important throughout the pregnancy, but especially as your due date draws near. Keeping active and in shape right up until delivery can actually help make labor and delivery shorter, less stressful and easier.

Childbirth may very well be the most taxing and exhausting process your body will ever experience. It requires a degree of stamina, flexibility and mental preparation. Knowing that your body is ready for labor and delivery will help reduce the anxiety you may be feeling in the weeks leading up to the event.

Most importantly, your pelvic floor muscles should be strong. From the fourth month of your pregnancy on, you can practice doing Kegel exercises to target these important muscles. Kegels may feel awkward at first, but once you are comfortable, you can practice them anywhere… even while grocery shopping! To find the right muscle, try to stop urinating midstream. The same muscle that stops your flow of urine will help you to push the baby out during delivery. Once you have the muscle singled out, clench and hold it for up to 10 seconds at a time, up to 10 times a day. When this muscle, called the pubococcygeus or PC muscle, is toned, your pushes will be stronger and more effective, helping to reduce delivery time. You will also have greater control over your bladder leading up to and immediately after delivery.

Strong legs and thighs will make certain childbirth positions easier to hold for long periods of time. For example, one of the most effective birthing positions is squatting. Holding onto a bar or other support, you will squat on the bed and push. This is a great position because the baby is assisted by gravity in their journey down the birth canal and you are much less likely to tear or require an episiotomy. However, squatting can tire your legs if they are not prepared. Practice stretching your legs and walking as much as possible while you are pregnant to keep your legs strong.

During pregnancy, your body produces a unique hormone called relaxin that works to soften your hip joints and allows them to spread to accommodate the baby. Keep your hips flexible with light stretches, but never push it too far. Your joints may feel more flexible than they actually are, leading to torn muscles if you stretch farther than the muscles will allow. Always hold on to a steady support while doing leg lifts as your balance might be off in later pregnancy. Keeping your hips flexible and toned will help you to handle childbirth and recover faster after the delivery.

Let’s not forget the best exercise of all… sex! As long as your doctor has given you the okay and you feel up to it, sex is a great way to keep those PC muscles in shape and get your heart pumping.

As you exercise, remember that daily light stretching and walking are more productive in later pregnancy than spurts of strenuous exercise. Drink plenty of water and be sure to wear comfortable shoes! Your daily exercise routine should be a time that you enjoy and look forward to.

Being fit and in good health overall will help to ease delivery and make recovery quicker. Your ability to process oxygen, your heart’s ability to handle stress, and your body’s ability to recover are all increased when you are in good health. A healthy diet and pre-labor exercises will keep you in top form for your newborn’s arrival!

For more information on keeping excellent health for you and your baby click here!