Stretches to Help With Labor
- Tailor sitting is an exercise that helps strengthen the muscles in your hips, thighs and pelvis. Begin doing this exercise at any point in your pregnancy, and continue with it every day until you deliver. Sit on the floor with your back straight and feet together, also known as the "butterfly position." Gently press down on your knees with your elbows in a slow, fluid motion without bouncing them up and down. Hold the stretch for 10-second increments, and repeat it five to 10 times.
- Tone your uterus and bowels by doing Kegel exercises to control hemorrhoids and urine leakage. Sit or lie down somewhere comfortable to practice your Kegel exercises by contracting your pelvic floor muscle. If you are not sure what the pelvic floor muscle is, try this when urinating. Halfway through urinating, try to stop the flow. The muscle you just used is your pelvic floor muscle. Contract the muscle, and hold it for about 10 seconds. Relax your muscle for a few seconds, then continue until you have done the stretch 10 times.
- During labor, your doctor might advise you to squat, which opens the pelvic outlet 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch. Because this exercise is physically tiring, begin practicing squatting from the beginning of your pregnancy and continue it regularly until you go into labor. Stand straight against a wall with your arms relaxed at your side and your feet about shoulder width apart. Keeping your back straight, slowly slide down the wall until you are in a squatting position (thighs parallel to the floor). Hold this position for five to 10 seconds, then slide back up the wall and repeat five to 10 times.
- The pelvic tilt is one of the most beneficial stretches to practice doing before labor as it strengthens abdominal muscles as well as aids in the relief of your back pain during labor. To do this exercise, get on your hands and knees, and keep your head in line with your back. Pull in your stomach while you arch your back up, and hold it for several seconds. Relax and repeat the exercise five more times. When your back becomes stronger, you will be able to do the stretch 10 times during each session.