Prepare for Birth: Exercises and Mobility
Prepare For Birth: We can move to create more space in the pelvic levels during labor. Each level opens more based on the movement pattern. It’s also important to note that not every level opens simultaneously, so there is no one movement that opens the entire pelvis.
Different movement patterns must be accessible for labor! If we are lacking in strength or mobility to find a certain movement, it could inhibit labor progress or cause a labor stall!
During pregnancy, we can prepare for labor by ensuring we can find specific movements that will support opening at each pelvic level.
This could include:
- Finding wide knees with a posterior pelvic tilt to open the inlet; aka squats
- Finding unilateral opening of the pelvis, external and internal rotation to open the midpelvis, such as with step-ups or lunges.
- Finding internal rotation or knees in, ankles out, to open the outlet; aka deadlifts and hinge focused movements.
These are all exercises that we already incorporate into our 40-week Prenatal Strength Program that can be started at any time during your pregnancy! We sync the program to your week of pregnancy and offer monthly payment options.
Opening the Inlet: Preparation
The inlet, or the top of the pelvis, is where baby first enters the pelvis. This is known as engagement! Movements that can help open the top include:
- External Rotation of the Femur (Wide Knees; Ankles In, Knees Out)
- Posterior Pelvic Tilt (Butt tucking under or hips in full extension)
The type of movements that tend to open the inlet include:
- Deep supported squats
- Rocking front to back sitting on a birth ball or all-fours
- Leaning forward with a rock front to back
But, we need to be able to achieve this movement pattern in order to find opening during labor!
How can we prepare to open the inlet? We can incorporate movements into our prenatal routine that support the strength to find a squat position, maintain an upright position, and also find external rotation with mobility drills.
Inlet Preparation: Squats and Mobility
Our prenatal and postnatal fitness trainer certification course educates you on how to approach programming design to support your clients prepare for birth.
Prenatal fitness programming is more than just pregnancy-safe exercises!
We can adapt our programming to ensure our clients find the necessary movement patterns to facilitate labor progress!
Understand how to approach training clients throughout pregnancy, prepare for birth, and then recover in the postpartum as they return to fitness!
- 12.5 hour of on-demand videos
- 6 Guest Lectures from Pelvic Floor PTs
- Lifetime Access of Program
- Earn 1.3 NASM CEUs and 13 AFAA CEUs
Opening the Midpelvis: Preparation
The midpelvis is the bony structure that baby has to rotate through. The midpelvis opens with asymmetrical movement patterns, including an external and internal rotation at the femur-pelvic connection.
The midpelvis tends to be where most baby’s get “stuck” and it may be related to the inability to find internal rotation of the femur.
Movements that could help us prepare to open the midpelvis includes:
- Step Ups with Internal Rotation Bias
- Lunges with Internal Rotation Bias
- Cossack Lunges
- Unilaterally loaded movements
Midpelvis: Preparation Movements
While doing single-leg movements, we want to focus on that internal rotation element to ensure we can create space in the lower midpelvis!
When the leg is in flexion, focus on reaching forward or bringing the opposite hip towards the knee to find internal rotation.
Key: The rotation is the pelvis ON the femur, not the leg moving outwards.
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!
- 5 Workouts Per Week
- Labor Prep Workouts
- Teambuildr App Access
Midpelvis Focused Mobility Drills
Opening the Outlet: Preparation
The outlet is the bottom of the pelvis, and is usually the focus when pushing. The outlet opens more with internal rotation of the femurs, so knees in, ankles out. This allows the ischial tuberosities to shift outwards, creating more space from side to side.
When we are pushing, we are focusing a lot on lat engagement and creating this space in the bottom of the pelvis.
Movements such as deadlifts or hinge-focused movements, and rows or back-focused strengthening exercises, can help prepare for pushing!
Mobility drills could include breathing drills that focus on internal rotation and relaxing the pelvic floor.
This mini-course focuses on pushing during birth! Learn pushing strategies, positions, and breathing techniques to meet your baby faster.
- 1+ hour of on-demand videos
- 4 downable resources
- Lifetime Access of E-Course
- Watch on Mobile Device
Pelvic Girdle Pain??
Some of these wide knees or asymmetrical movements can be challenging if you have pelvic girdle pain! The best approach is to address pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy.
Working with a pelvic floor physical therapist can be a great start to addressing the pain.
Next, we can address pelvic girdle pain by working on pelvic positioning, strengthening myofascial slings for support, and modifying movements to your comfort level.
Watch the videos below for some ideas on how to approach pelvic positioning for better stabilization and squatting if you have pelvic pain!
Find comfort and relief from pelvic girdle pain throughout your pregnancy and postpartum period! This program incorporates myofascial sling focused exercises to stabilize across the pelvic girdle joints.
- 3 Week Program, 9 Workouts
- On Demand Workout Videos to Follow
- Educational Videos on How to Approach Modifications
- E-Book
Prepare for Birth: Movement and Mobility
We can prepare for birth by ensuring certain movements are accessible during labor! If we cannot find a certain movement pattern, we may be limiting how much we can increase space in our pelvic levels. This decrease in space may inhibit labor progress!
Learn more about pelvic biomechanics and movements to prepare for birth in our birth preparation courses! We offer prenatal fitness programming, childbirth education, and also professional courses!