Preparing Your Body For Birth

Prepare for your best birth

Many women are unaware of the role pelvic health physiotherapy can play to help prepare their body for birth. As always, knowledge is power! Many women feel understandably apprehensive about the thought of giving birth; it feels really reassuring knowing there are some positive, practical steps you can take to help prepare your body while you wait for your baby to arrive. This blog will take you through the key elements of birth preparation and why you should consider it. 

prepare your Pelvic Floor

There is good evidence to support the use of perineal massage and pelvic floor release to reduce your risk of perineal tearing or needing an episiotomy during birth, leading to faster postnatal recovery of your pelvic floor. A pelvic health physio can teach you how to perform these techniques yourself and give you individual guidance as you need it. This will enable you to get to know your pelvic floor and feel what it’s like to experience stretch - then when it happens during your baby’s birth you’re able to identify the sensation and better release your pelvic floor muscles, helping your baby’s head descend into the birth canal.

How to Push

There are two types of pushing in labour; directed and spontaneous. Your physio can help you to understand the difference between these two types and how and when both might be indicated. Pushing is directly linked to your breath. You will be taught how to identify and practice the link between your breath and your pelvic floor to make your pushing technique as effective as it can be.  

Labour Positions 

Different positions can influence your comfort and your baby’s progress during labour and birth. Your physio will be able to help you identify positions of comfort whether you have an epidural or not, maximising the effect of gravity and allowing your pelvis to open more easily. Going into your birth having practiced some different birthing positions will give you options and confidence on the day. 

Strength and Conditioning 

For some of us, labour and birth can be an endurance event! By maintaining fitness and strength through pregnancy you’re preparing your body for what lies ahead. Your physio can design an exercise programme to incorporate strengthening exercises that are suitable for pregnancy and make modifications along the way. Pregnancy yoga practice is a great way to bring together relaxation, breathing techniques, optimum fetal positioning for your baby and gentle mobility for the pelvis. 

Bethany offers birth preparation physiotherapy sessions in person and online as well as physiotherapy led pregnancy yoga classes in Silverstream, Upper Hutt. Contact for more details and bookings.