Birth Prep! 5 Pelvic Floor Release Exercises to Prepare your Body for Birth
Let’s talk about preparing your body for delivery!
If you’re in your third trimester - this one is for YOU.
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the bottom of your pelvis that physically helps GUIDE baby out of the birth canal. Pretty cool right?
Just as we talk about the importance of strengthening the pelvic floor, the other important (and commonly missed) piece as we enter the third trimester is learning to RELAX it. Otherwise, baby may have a harder time coming out and your odds of tearing can slightly increase.
And ladies, we want to avoid that at all costs!
Pelvic floor relaxing is something you’ll want to start practicing in your third trimester, if you haven’t already.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to take more than 5 minutes out of your day, and it’s also great for mentally relaxing.
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5 Pelvic Floor Release Exercises
Check out the images below with for some of my favorite pelvic floor relaxing exercises! As a general recommendation: pick 2-3 exercises to practice most days of the week for about 60-90 seconds per exercise.
For more information on keeping a safe fitness routine during pregnancy, grab my free resource: The Ultimate Guide to Exercising during Pregnancy!
Standing Figure 4
How To:
1. Support your weight with one hand on a wall or chair
2. Take one ankle across the opposite knee (knee bent to 90 degrees)
3. Bend your standing leg to deepen the stretch
4. Keep pelvic floor relaxed
5. Repeat on opposite side
Deep Squat Hold
How To:
1. Start with feet hip width apart (wider if needed for your belly)
2. Keep heels flat as you lower your hips down toward the floor; go as low as possible without letting heels lift
3. With elbows between knees, engage your back and keep an open chest (no hunching)
**If it’s hard to get in this position, keep hands on a sturdy surface (I.e. closed door handle or countertop) and hold on as you sit back.
Happy Baby
How To:
1. Carefully roll over to your back (if you feel dizzy at all, come out of this stretch)
2. Bend knees and hips and bring bottom of feet toward the ceiling.
3. With straight arms, keep arms inside the knees but grab on the outside of each foot
4. Keep pelvic floor relaxed, rock side to side
Cat/Cow
How To:
1. Start in tabletop position with shoulders over the wrists and hips over the knees
2. Inhale as you drop the belly and lift your head
3. Exhale as you round through your back and tailbone and tuck your chin to chest
4. Keep following your breath with the movement as you relax your pelvic floor
*Caution - Do not force any movement here. Listen to your body and operate within your range of motion.
Child’s Pose
How To:
1. Start with knees as wide as a yoga mat to create space for your belly
2. Sit your hips back over your heels
3. Keep arms out front resting on the mat - keep straight or bend at the elbow if needed
4. Relax your pelvic floor as you take big inhales through the nose and exhale through the mouth
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