The pelvic floor plays a huge role in birth! But, we don’t necessarily need a tight, rigid pelvic floor (cue all the kegels you’ve been told to do to prepare for birth). We need a pelvic floor that can release and let go as we prepare our pelvic floor for birth!
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Pelvic Floor Exercises to Prepare for Birth: Kegels are NOT the answer
As baby moves through the pelvis, they need to pass through the pelvic floor during birth. This means that the pelvic floor needs to stretch and lengthen to allow baby’s head and body to pass through with ease.
If the pelvic floor is tight or tense, it could inhibit or slow down this process, making labor longer or potentially dysfunctional.
Fortunately, there is a lot we can do during pregnancy to prepare our pelvic floor for birth! We can focus on learning to move our pelvic floor through its full range of motion: shortening, lengthening, and relaxation!
If we only contract or shorten the pelvic floor with kegels, we could be making things worse as we prepare for birth! A shortening or contraction of the pelvic is a part of its overall range of motion (and a necessary function of the pelvic floor), but we also need to be able to lengthen or stretch the pelvic floor. This is something many of us have more issues doing!
We break down different techniques and explain the anatomy and function of our pelvic floor during pregnancy and birth in our prepare your pelvic floor for birth self-paced course!
This course explore your pelvic floor anatomy, function, and how to prepare your pelvic floor for birth! This course includes educational videos, mobility exercises, relaxation drills, and how to relax your pelvic floor during labor tips.
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Pelvis and Pelvic Floor Relationship: It Moves!
The pelvic floor has several muscles that attach to the pelvis. So, when we move the pelvis or adjust the positioning of the pelvis, we can stretch different portions of the pelvic floor musculature.
If we are more externally rotated in both hips, we tend to lengthen the front portion of the pelvic floor more. But the posterior portion tends to be tighter. If we are more internally rotated in the hips, we tend to lengthen the back portion of the pelvic floor.
We can also find more opening with asymmetrical movements, where one leg is more internally or externally rotated. You can see this this starts to create a lot of different potential movements we can do to release the pelvic floor musculature.
The pelvic floor moves in relation to the diaphragm, as well! So, when we breathe, the pelvic floor is moving.
When we inhale, the pelvic floor should move downwards, expanding and lengthening. This would be the stretching portion of our breath.
When we exhale, the pelvic floor has two options! It can either totally relax (which is what we want for birth prep), or it can lift up and in and shorten (which is what we want for exercising or when under a demand).
We can use our breath to move our pelvic floor through its full range of motion, and then add on different pelvic positions to stretch the different portions of the pelvic floor musculature!
We include a breathing drill as a part of the warm-up for every workout in our 40-week prenatal fitness program. This program is synced to your current week of pregnancy, so you can start it at any time! We offer a one-time payment and monthly payment options!
Feel strong and move comfortably throughout your entire pregnancy. Our program syncs to your current week of pregnancy, so you can start at any time!
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3 Pelvic Floor Exercises to Prep for Birth
Let’s explore three pelvic floor exercises that can help you find some release in the pelvic floor! These movements use different pelvic positions and breathing to stretch the pelvic floor! Watch the youtube video below to better understand how we can use diaphragmatic breathing to move the pelvic floor.
1. External Rotation: Deep, Supported Squat
The first movement is usually the most common pelvic floor exercise you’ll see for pelvic floor relaxation: the deep squat.
If you can move into a deep squat and relax in that position, you can omit the yoga block or support at the bottom. If you find that there is tension at the bottom of a squat for you, sit to a block. It is important that we can relax the glutes!
Inhale to feel the pelvic floor push into the yoga block, then exhale to relax the pelvic floor in this movement.
2. Pigeon Pose: One-Sided External Rotation
The pigeon pose is another common pelvic floor exercise for pelvic floor relaxation! This movement also has more external rotation, but it is more towards one side with the other leg in a more neutral position.
Same breathing here: inhale to feel the pelvic floor lengthen and stretch, then exhale to release.
Play around with support in this position for both the chest (if belly is big, putting pillows under the chest can be more comfortable), and under the forward hip!
3. 90/90 with Leg Lift: External and Internal Rotation
Then, we can do some more dynamic movements! This pelvic floor exericse uses both an external and internal rotation plus some movement to really challenge the pelvic floor. Starting in the 90/90 position, lean forward in the knees to come up on the knees. You may need to use your hands to support you.
Then, at the top, lift the back leg heel up to increase the internal rotation! This lift will likely not be very big or super difficulty, which is totally normal and okay! Gradually build up to being able to lift the back leg.
Prepare Your Pelvic Floor for Birth
The pelvic floor needs to be able to release and let go during labor to allow baby to pass through more easily. If the pelvic floor is tight or tense (or even smaller portions of it have tension), it could impede or slow the baby’s path through the pelvis. This could result in a labor stall or a dysfunctional labor pattern!
Solutions are to learn how to move the pelvic floor through its full range of motion throughout pregnancy! The pelvic floor can lengthen or stretch, relax and let go, and also contract and shorten, similar to other muscles in our body!!
Learn more on how to prep the pelvic floor for birth in our childbirth education courses and prepare your pelvic floor for birth course!