Inside: Want to know how to give birth faster? Try these 7 exercises for an easy labor and delivery!
When you’re pregnant, chances are you probably want to know how you can have an easy labor, and give birth faster. I know I wasn’t sitting around thinking, I really hope my labor and delivery takes its time!
So if you could do something to speed up labor and delivery, wouldn’t you?
Luckily there’s an easy way to not only speed up your labor and delivery, but keep you and your baby healthier too.
It’s actually a simple answer…Exercise!
Look, giving birth is like an Olympic event. You can’t just show up to the starting line of the cross country skiing event without ever training, and expect to finish quickly!
The same goes for labor and delivery. You have to prepare and train your body for childbirth and in doing so, one of the benefits is giving birth more quickly.
Related: How To Induce Labor Naturally
The other benefits of exercising during pregnancy are:
- It helps build your strength and stamina, (which you’ll need during labor and delivery!).
- You’re likely to gain less weight when you exercise during pregnancy, (while still maintaining an appropriate weight).
- You’re less likely to get gestational diabetes when you exercise during pregnancy.
- Exercising during pregnancy helps your body bounce back more quickly after you’ve had your baby
- It’ll reduce your soreness during your postpartum recovery
Related: 6 Tips For Quickly Recovering From a Vaginal Birth
(If you’re not sure if you should be exercising then you’ll want to check with your healthcare provider).
Exercising while pregnant doesn’t have to be intimidating either. I’m not talking about running marathons or lifting tons of weights. You can do simple exercises, which will achieve the results of building that necessary strength and stamina.
7 Exercises for an easy labor and delivery
Swimming
This is a great way to get your cardio in. Swimming is especially nice as you get further along in your pregnancy because the water makes you buoyant and takes the weight off of your joints.
- You can swim laps
- Walk through the water
- Even just playing in the water with your other kids can be beneficial!
Walking
This is a great, low impact workout for pregnant women.
Some things to remember are:
- Try to walk for about 30 minutes.
- You want to walk briskly, (you should be able to talk but not sing)
- Make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes and bring water with you
- This can be a great way to enjoy time to yourself. Walking can be relaxing and allows you to be alone with your thoughts, listen to music, or to just enjoy the scenery. You can also include a friend, your significant other, or your other kids.
Related: 8 Pregnancy Essentials You Need
Prenatal yoga
This is another very relaxing exercise for you as it reduces mental and emotional stress, plus you’re still gaining the benefits of exercise.
You can join a prenatal yoga class or find prenatal yoga videos online.
There are also a couple of other specific pregnancy exercises that can aid you during labor and delivery. These exercises help prepare and tone the muscles you’ll use when you push your baby out!
This means you’re risk of tearing during delivery is reduced, and your postpartum recovery is easier, (umm…yes please!).
Squatting
You want to spread your feet shoulder-width apart
Tuck your pelvis under your spine
Keep your heels on the floor and keep your back straight, (putting your weight on your heels rather than leaning forward)
Make this exercise a habit! Find ways to squat during your everyday life.
Kegels
These are great to do during squatting as it really prepares and tones your pelvic floor muscles! (source)
The way you tone your pelvic floor muscles is by contracting your muscle for about 5-10 seconds, which you can do 10 times in a row.
If you’re not sure which muscles you should be using, this is how you can identify them. When you’re peeing, if you stop mid-stream and hold your pee in, that’s the muscle used in a Kegel.
Pelvic tilts
These help relieve back pain, strengthen your abdominal muscles, and can even help your baby to move positions, (like if you’re trying to get them into the head down position).
You get on your hands and knees with your back in an even line, arch your back up, (like a cat stretch) and then straighten yourself back even.
Make sure you’re using your muscles to keep your back and head even and not let your tummy sag towards the floor.
Butterflies
This exercise helps open up your pelvis. You sit with your knees bent and your feet flat, touching each other. Then gently move your legs up and down.
Final thoughts
Yes, you can have an easy labor and give birth faster! The best part is, it’s not based on if your mom, gramma, or great-gramma all had fast deliveries. You can prepare your body for your own personal cross country skiing Olympic event by doing these exercises.
These exercises for an easy labor and delivery will help you build strength and stamina, keep you in shape, and overall healthier, along with preparing your pelvic floor muscles to reduce your risk of tearing and allow you to recover more quickly after you have your baby!
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