Pregnancy is a time of incredible change, and preparing your body for childbirth is an essential part of this journey. One way to ensure a smoother delivery is through targeted mobility exercises that focus on the pelvic region. In this post, we’ll delve into a nine-minute birth prep mobility flow specifically targeting the lower pelvis, helping to release tension in the pelvic floor and improving hip mobility—key factors for a successful birth.
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The Importance of Pelvic Mobility
As the baby rotates and positions itself for birth, it’s crucial for the mother’s pelvis to be mobile. This mobility can significantly ease the birthing process, making it more comfortable and efficient. Today’s workout includes four specific movements designed to enhance both hip and pelvic floor mobility.
These movements not only prepare the body for labor but also enhance overall comfort during pregnancy. By focusing on releasing tension and improving mobility, this flow can help pregnant individuals feel more at ease in their bodies as they approach their due date.
- Improved Hip and Pelvic Mobility: Enhanced flexibility in the hips and pelvis can ease discomfort and promote a more fluid birth experience.
- Pelvic Floor Function: Targeting both the overactive and underactive areas of the pelvic floor ensures balanced muscle function, crucial for labor.
- Strengthening Core Engagement: Many of the exercises encourage core engagement without straining the glutes, promoting a holistic approach to fitness during pregnancy.
Mobility Flow Breakdown
Equipment needed:
- A bolster or pillow
- A yoga block
90/90 Side Body Release:
- Starting on one side, place a bolster under the thigh while keeping the opposite knee externally rotated. This position encourages the activation of the inner thigh and right glute, which helps relieve tension in the pelvic floor. The focus here is on breathing into the side body while pressing both knees down, fostering greater engagement of the pelvic muscles.
Windshield Wipers:
- Transitioning into a 90/90 position with the legs, shift side to side in a windshield wiper motion. This dynamic movement promotes hip mobility through internal and external rotation. By using either supported or unsupported hands, you can find a comfortable challenge that enhances your personal range of motion.
- From here, you will continue the windshield wiper motion with the legs, but add a hip extension on each side. You can do this supported with a reach overhead or unsupported.
Half Lunge Rocks:
- In a half lunge, open-hip position (think Captain Morgan), keep the big toe down and rock back and forth to feel a deep stretch in the inner thigh. This movement helps to open the hips, releasing tightness and improving pelvic floor function.
All Fours Hip Shifted Pelvic Tilts:
- Transition to a tabletop position with a yoga block. Shifting weight onto one knee while performing pelvic tilts, this movement targets the posterior pelvic floor, promoting sacral mobility. Exhale to pull the belly to the spine and round the back, inhale to look forward and arch the back. This is crucial for easing the strain on the pelvic floor muscles, which can become tight during pregnancy.
If you want more daily workouts to support a strong pregnancy as you prepare for birth, join our online prenatal fitness programs!
MamasteFit is unique in that we are one of the ONLY prenatal/postnatal training facilities in the United States. We develop our workout programs from our experience of working with in-person pre/postnatal fitness clients and work closely with physical therapists to refine our programming. In addition, we are birth workers, so we combine our experience as perinatal fitness trainers and birth professionals to ensure that our programs actually support your birth preparation and recovery!
Our prenatal fitness programs are offered in several formats:
- 40-Week Prenatal Strength Program in the Teambuildr App:
- This program is a self-paced workout with shorter demo videos. This is ideal if you like to workout in a gym setting and prefer a traditional workout delivery format.
- This program syncs to your current week of pregnancy, so you can start anytime, with one-time payment or month-to-month payment options.
- This program has a full and mini version, depending on how much time you have to dedicate to workouts!
- Prenatal On-Demand Fitness Program:
- If you prefer to follow a video as you workout at the same time, this workout program will be the best option!
- This program syncs to your current trimester, so you can grab the trimesters you need!
- Birth Prep Workout Program:
- If you already have a workout routine or you only want birth prep-focused workouts, check out this program!
- This program includes full-length workout videos to follow as you workout at the same time.
- Prenatal Yoga Classes:
- If you want prenatal yoga, join our prenatal yoga program! This also syncs to your current trimester.
Conclusion
Preparing for birth is a journey that involves both physical and emotional readiness. Incorporating mobility flows like today’s workout can significantly enhance your comfort and confidence as you approach delivery. Not only does this nine-minute flow target crucial areas of the pelvis, but it also empowers you with knowledge and tools to take charge of your pregnancy experience.
Prenatal Support Courses
Learn the science of pregnancy and birth to take the mystery of labor away! Understand why you are feeling what you feel, and learn strategies to confidently move through pregnancy and birth!
- 9h+ of Video
- Support Group
- Close Captioning
- 5 Workouts/Week
- Gym Workouts
- Self-Paced
Instructor
GINA
Workout on-demand with our prenatal fitness workout videos! Each workout is 30-40 minutes to follow along as you exercise at the same time!
- Birth Prep
- All Trimesters
- Mobility Work
Instructor
GINA
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 Weeks
- On Demand Workout Videos to Follow