Exercise Balls for Pregnancy, Labor, and Motherhood

Originally Published on October 15th, 2016

Ah the exercise ball…

It’s no secret that I am obsessed with exercise balls. I take them to most of my birth classes and give them as giveaways. But what do I do with them you might wonder?

Yes, it’s true that there are so many great ways to tone and strengthen your muscles using an exercise ball BUT there's also so many ways it can help you transition smoothly into motherhood. In fact, a $12 ball was the very first thing I bought when I found out I was pregnant and I used it every single day when my babies were young. I love it and here's why...

IN PREGNANCY

I absolutely loved being pregnant but my biggest complaint was back pain. The weight of my belly took a huge toll on my mid-back and I was totally uncomfortable sitting on a couch. My exercise ball became my new favorite place to lounge because it was so much gentler on my back, hips, and tailbone.

If I wasn't simply sitting on it, I was on the floor on my knees and kneeling on my ball. It was such a relief to my body!

Furthermore, it's way easier to stand back up off of a bouncy ball than trying to swing your belly up off the couch. Extra bonus: Sitting on the ball is the perfect place to practice those kegels.

Finally, bouncing on the ball in those last few weeks of pregnancy can help your baby engage in the correct position for birth which means he will be locked and loaded and ready to meet you!

IN LABOR

Along those same lines, an exercise ball is great for labor because it allows your hips to open up and move as contractions help to guide your baby down the birth canal. While sitting on the ball, you can simply bounce, rock back and forth, sway side to side, or do hip circles during contractions.

Not only will the rhythm of your movement help you cope with pain but it can also move things along. Of course, you can also do all of these movements standing up, but labor can be long and exhausting so it's great to be able to sit and still put the work in.

For me in particular, the ball was especially helpful in my first labor. Due to preeclampsia, I was not allowed to stand and walk around because it would raise my blood pressure even higher so the ball was my favorite place to be.

Finally, the ball is a great tool when you're experiencing back labor and need someone to put pressure on your back during contractions (which feels amazing by the way). Looking back over my first labor, the part I loved the most was the couple hours I was sitting on the ball, leaning against my bed and having either my sister, sister-in-law, or brother run a tube sock filled with tennis balls up and down my back as my husband talked me through contractions. They were awesome doulas and using the ball for this was wonderful!

IN MOTHERHOOD

My exercise ball probably helped me out the most with my babies’ naps. I don't know if it was because I bounced on the ball when they were in the womb or what but they all loved to be held as I bounced on the ball. It soothed them and it was their favorite way to fall asleep. I suppose it's just like bouncing when you're standing up, except you get to sit down! My mom even bought one for her house because it's been so helpful for us.

You can also rock, sway, or glide on the ball if you get tired of bouncing. It's so versatile and probably the best part is that it's so easy to take with you. When you’re going away for the weekend, you aren't stuck trying to find new ways to comfort your baby. It's been a great help.

For these reasons and more, I think exercise balls are a wonderful investment for any parent-to-be.