Most women think about preparing for birth, they focus on creating the perfect birth plan. Choosing what their environment looks like, putting together a support team and really visualizing the birth in explicit detail.
Don’t get me wrong these things ARE crucial to the birth experience, however, what if I told you that preparing your body is just as critical as planning for the experience?
How your body functions, moves, and aligns can directly impact how smooth your baby can navigate through the pelvis with ease and flow.
Here are five key factors about your body that can make for a smoother home birth experience.
1. Focus on Pelvic Balance
This means creating an environment for the pelvis to be as level as it can be.
Creating strength surrounding the pelvis can be a great way to ensure stability in the pelvis and maintain optimal alignment.
Simple exercises like, Core Activations, Squats, Sidelying leg lifts, and working the adductors can benefit you greatly here.
Along with stretching muscles like the psoas to relieve tension and maintain that balance.
Quick Tip: Try implementing these exercises early on to maintain the stability of your pelvis throughout your entire pregnancy.
2. Strengthen and Relax Your Pelvic Floor
The ability to contract AND relax your pelvic floor is KEY.
During labor, a tight pelvic floor can create resistance, making it harder for your baby to descend.
Consulting with a professional (e.g. a pelvic floor physical therapist) to help you gauge if you have tightness or weakness in your pelvic floor is best, so you can understand which part of a pelvic floor contraction you may need the most or not.
Actionable Step: Practice 360 breathing to connect with your pelvic floor.
Here’s how:
Step 1: Inhale deeply towards your pelvic floor visualizing your pelvic floor softening and opening.
Step 2: Exhale and feel your pelvic floor gently lifting back into place.
The ability to do this contraction without the help of accessory muscles like your glutes, adductors, or extreme contraction of your core is vital here.
3. Master Breathing Techniques
Breathing is your greatest ally during pregnancy and labor. Proper breathing helps reduce tension, manage pain, and keep you calm.
Even though the baby is growing and taking up more space, it is extremely important to start working on your breath now and creating space.
Start practicing techniques like inhaling down towards your pelvic floor and exhaling to lift the abdominals and pelvic floor together.
Pro Tip: Combine breathing with visualization.
Picture your body opening like a blooming flower with each breath.
When it comes to pushing we want to exhale using our abdominals to aid our uterus to help bring the baby down.
This is NOT bearing down on the pelvic floor, your pelvic floor should be able to relax as you are doing this.
4. Build Strength and Endurance
Labor is often compared to running a marathon, so building endurance is key.
Focusing on strengthening our entire body in alignment is crucial. The more interconnected our body is during this time the less our body has to work during labor.
Focus on low-impact, functional movements that mimic the positions you’ll use during labor.
Exercise Idea: If one of the positions you want to attempt to give birth is on all fours, then you should be practicing that position and building strength there to support you so you can maintain the position for an extended period of time.
You can also use a birthing ball in this position as well to help hold you up.
5. Prepare for the Unexpected
Birth is unpredictable, even with the best preparation.
Preparing your body also means preparing your mind to adapt to unexpected challenges.
Trust that the work you’ve put into your physical readiness will support you, no matter how your birth unfolds.
Mindset Shift: Incorporate affirmations into your daily routine, like: “My body was made to birth this baby,” or “I am flexible and prepared for anything that comes my way.”
Another example can be to make yourself a powerful playlist that keeps you calm and motivated and repeat those affirmations to yourself.
A birth isn’t just about the setting; it’s about your connection to your body.
By focusing on alignment, relaxation, strength, and endurance, you’ll enter labor feeling empowered and prepared.
Remember, this is your journey, and every step you take to prepare is an act of love for yourself and your baby.
Are you planning a birth and want more guidance on how to prepare your body?
👉🏼 Download my free guide, 7 Simple Moves To Get Your Baby In The Optimal Position
