A pregnancy ball, often called a birthing ball or stability ball, is a large, inflatable sphere constructed from durable, anti-burst material. It is a popular tool throughout pregnancy because it encourages dynamic sitting. Unlike a stationary chair, sitting on the ball requires continuous, small muscle adjustments that stabilize the trunk and gently engage core muscles. This subtle movement improves posture and relieves the pressure a growing abdomen places on the lower back and tailbone.
Selecting the Right Ball and Safety Guidelines
Choosing the correct size ball is necessary for maximizing benefit and ensuring safety. When seated, your hips must be positioned slightly higher than your knees, creating a gentle downward slope. This open-hip posture encourages optimal pelvic alignment, which helps alleviate lower back strain and opens the pelvis for the baby’s positioning.
A general sizing guide suggests:
- Individuals under 5’4” typically use a 55cm ball.
- Those between 5’4” and 5’10” use a 65cm ball.
- Those over 5’10” should select a 75cm ball.
Safety also depends on proper inflation and environment. The ball should be inflated until it is firm but still yields slightly when you sit on it, and you should always check the manufacturer’s guidelines. Always use the ball on a non-slip surface, such as a carpet or a yoga mat, and consider going barefoot or wearing non-slip socks. When first using the ball, especially in later pregnancy when your center of gravity is shifting, have a stable object nearby, like a wall or a partner, to help maintain balance.
Gentle Seated Movements for Pelvic Comfort
Once seated, gentle movements can be performed to address common pregnancy discomforts.
Pelvic tilts involve rocking the hips slowly forward and backward, engaging the lower abdominal and back muscles. This motion helps to loosen the sacroiliac joints and can provide relief from localized lower back tension.
Figure eight or hip-circling movements further mobilize the pelvis and hips, encouraging the fetus to move into an anterior position. To perform this, keep your feet flat on the floor and slowly trace a figure eight pattern with your hips, ensuring the movement remains fluid and controlled. This rhythmic swaying can also improve circulation in the lower extremities, helping to reduce swelling.
Controlled, seated bouncing is a subtle vertical movement that requires the core to stabilize against the ball’s elasticity. This action strengthens the stabilizing muscles and engages the pelvic floor while providing a mild, calming effect. The repetitive compression on the perineum can also help prepare the tissue for labor.
Stability and Stretching Exercises
The pregnancy ball can also be utilized as a supportive prop to perform strength and stretching exercises that do not require sitting directly on it.
Wall squats are executed by placing the ball between the lower back and a wall, then slowly lowering the body into a squatting position. The ball provides support and stability to the spine, allowing for the strengthening of the quadriceps and gluteal muscles without straining the knee joints.
For a restorative stretch, try the kneeling supported stretch, where you kneel on the floor and drape your upper body forward over the ball. With the knees spread wide, this position decompresses the spine and rib cage, offering relief to the upper back and shoulders. Gently rocking side-to-side can also help to encourage the baby’s movement and rotation.
The ball glute bridge is performed by lying on the floor with your upper back resting on the ball and your feet flat on the ground. Slowly lifting and lowering the hips isolates the gluteal muscles and hamstrings while the ball supports the upper spine. This variation helps to maintain strength in the posterior chain, which counteracts the forward pull of the growing abdomen.
Specific Positions for Labor Preparation
Beyond general fitness, the ball serves a distinct purpose in late pregnancy and during labor by using gravity to assist in pain management and fetal descent.
During early labor contractions, sitting on the ball and engaging in slow, rhythmic rocking or swaying motions helps manage pain perception. This movement stimulates the release of endorphins and keeps the pelvic joints mobile, which may help accelerate the dilation process.
A position for managing back labor is the leaning forward drape, achieved by kneeling on the floor and resting your chest and arms over the ball placed in front of you. This posture takes pressure off the lower back and allows for gentle hip-swaying during contractions, providing a resting position that utilizes gravity. It also encourages the baby to rotate away from the spine, which can alleviate back pain.
Using the ball to facilitate pelvic opening involves sitting astride the ball with the legs spread wider than the hips, simulating a supported, open-legged squat. This wide stance maximizes the diameter of the pelvic outlet, providing more room for the baby to descend. The mobility offered by the ball allows small, instinctive movements that aid in the birth process.