When it comes to pregnancy, there’s a lot of information and focus on mother’s health (for herself and baby), what to buy for the nursery/baby, and planning for baby…but what about how to prepare for birth itself? Did you know there are things you can do to help feel more comfortable during the 3rd trimester and help prep your body for labor? One of the best things you can do to prepare for labor is to help your pelvis get ready for birth. But you might be thinking: doesn’t this happen naturally? Yes and no. Birth and labor are natural, however, our modern lifestyles can interfere with normal movement and function of our body, especially the pelvis. Prolonged sitting, repetitive movements, muscle tension, joint restrictions, previous injuries, and even stress can interfere with how the pelvis moves and functions and may cause issues during pregnancy and labor. So what can you do? Here are a few tips to help you prepare your pelvis for birth:
1. Stay active! Movement is essential for healthy pelvic function. Avoid sitting for prolonged periods. Incorporate more movement including walking, swimming, prenatal yoga, and exercising.
2. Practice better sitting posture and habits: Most of us sit more than our pelvis was designed to sit. While jobs and driving may affect how much we sit, we can modify our sitting posture, making sure to sit up over our sit bones and keep good, aligned posture (think not rounding your back, slouching, or getting “text neck”. Be sure to get up at least once an hour to move and stretch. Try sitting on a balance ball or stability pad or kneeling chair.
3. Stretch! Yoga and pelvic specific stretches are great ways to keep your pelvic joints and ligaments mobile. Try gentle hip and pelvic movements sitting on a balance ball. Deep squat stretches are very important, too (supported with a ball or small stool are great modifications especially later in pregnancy). Pigeon or modified pigeon stretches help to loosen the pelvic joints and stretch the pelvic floor.
4. Strengthen! Strength of the muscles supporting the pelvis (including glutes) is important. Squats not only stretch tight tissue but also can strengthen stabilizing muscles for the pelvis. Shin box get-ups and glute hip hikes are great, too.
5. Get adjusted! Prenatal chiropractic care helps to keep your pelvis moving and identify possible issues or imbalances that may affect pregnancy or labor. Restrictions of the pelvic region not only can cause pain and discomfort but can also affect optimal nerve flow to reproductive organs and lower extremities. Pelvic restrictions can pull on soft tissue and may affect baby’s position. Tension in the body along with nerve interferences may
6. Get a massage! Massages help to loosen tight soft tissue and can reduce stress and tension in your body. Not only does this provide relief to sore, tight, achy muscles, but also can loosen the pelvic area and help the body prepare for labor. Plus, it can help relieve stress which may help balance pregnancy hormones.
7. Try perineal massage: Starting about 4-6 weeks before birth and performing perineal massage at least several times per week may help. This technique may help the soft tissue in that region to prepare for the stretching that occurs during labor which may reduce pain and prevent tearin or the need for an episiotomy. Check out https://hermanwallace.com/blog/perineal-massage-for-childbirth for more information.
8. Check out Spinning Babies and The Miles Circuit: These resources have wonderful information and stretches to help reduce pelvic tension. They also have information that may help if baby is not in an optimal position for birth. Check out https://www.spinningbabies.com/ and http://www.milescircuit.com/the-circuit.html for more information.
Note: these are suggestions and do not replace specific professional advice. If you are experiencing any pain, issues, or complications during pregnancy, consult your healthcare provider.
Want more information? Be sure to check our Prepare Your Pelvis for Birth class next month on Friday December 2nd! It’s free and open to anyone preparing for birth (you don’t have to be a patient to attend). Contact the office to register.
We’re here to support you at any stage of pregnancy and postpartum. Wishing you all the best as you prepare to meet your new baby!
In health and blessings,
Dr. Abbey