Your Powerful Pelvis: How to Set Yourself Up for a Smooth Birth
If you’re pregnant for the first time, you’ve probably already noticed changes - big and small - in your body and also in relationship to others, your space and your job. The transformation of motherhood touches all aspects of life.
Early on, there’s often, but not always, excitement and joy, anticipating the birth of your child. Revisit these questions as you move through your pregnancy as a way to stay grounded:
What’s going on in my body?
How am I feeling emotionally?
What concerns are keeping me up at night?
At some point during the pregnancy, if you’re able to have a vaginal birth, there’s often the daunting realization, “How will I get my baby out?” This can bring up different emotions like fear and nervousness. This is common.
I’m here to reassure you - you can do this!
When you understand the basic physiology of birth and are committed to being proactive and doing a few targeted exercises consistently during pregnancy, much of your fear and nervousness begins to fall away.
Staying active during pregnancy helps with digestion, circulation and sleep.
Your Powerful Pelvis: What You Need to Know
Your pelvis is like a basin that nurtures and holds your baby, until birth. Like your brain, your pelvis is not fixed. Just like you can shift your mindset, your pelvis shifts and adjusts to what’s required.
In simple terms, your pelvis is mobile and made up of several joints that are connected by ligaments and joints. This system also includes your breathing mechanism and pelvic floor.
During pregnancy, with a few targeted movements, you can create optimal balance, space and mobility so you can labor and birth with ease and confidence.
With a regular prenatal routine, you’ll to be able to move in various ways during labor - intuitively or with the help of your doula - depending on where baby is in the pelvis during descent.
3 Targeted Exercises in under 3 Minutes
Do these 3 exercises for pregnancy and for birth.
Tuck and Untuck
To create balance front to back, do this movementon all fours. Unlike a traditional cat/cow, isolate the action in your pelvis only. Avoid letting your spine and head lead the way. Tuck and untuck only your pelvis.
2. Lunge
To create balance side-to-side, spend time breathing into any tightness as you lunge on your right and on your left side.
3. 3-D Breathing
Breath into your ribcage - front to back, side to side - to create balance and space and to regulate your nervous system. This helps you stay calm and baby feeling safe.
With a regular prenatal practice, you’ll be well prepared for labor.
Final Words
With these simple movements, you can support yourself well throughout pregnancy. A regular and set yourself up for a smooth birth. It will also help you stay centered during this time of miraculous and radical change. When you choose to commit 3 minutes/day to these movements, your body, mind and baby will thank you.
Need help understanding the 3 Targeted Exercises? Need help shifting your mindset? Click the button below to set up a call.
You’re not alone. Support is available. You’ve got this!