Expectant moms often come to me with the goal of a vaginal birth. They want to avoid a c-section and deliver “naturally”. If you share this goal, know it’s a common and normal desire.
There are many reasons why this is a goal for so many expectant mothers.
- Vaginal births tend to be the safest;
- Vaginal births commonly have a shorter hospital stay for mom and baby,
- Most mothers who deliver vaginally have a quicker recovery than those who have c-sections.
Because of these reasons most expectant moms feel they can start loving, feeding, and enjoying their baby right away, without the need for more follow-up and monitoring to ensure all are recovering smoothly.
Did you know you can prepare your body to deliver vaginally?
Pelvic floor physical therapy will help you prepare and coordinate your body to deliver naturally, and experience a strong, present birth and recovery. In your third trimester it’s especially important to focus on mobility within your pelvic region and opening your pelvic floor, hips, and abdomen.
Try these three moves to make room for baby and have a vaginal birth:
1.Deep squat: Place pillows underneath, or hover over a chair/edge of bed, as you squat deeply with knees pointing to opposite directions and trailing externally. Keeping your chest up and shoulders relaxed and lower to the chair/pillows. As you lower, inhale deeply through your nose, and as you rise to stand exhale out of your mouth.
2. Wall-supported chair: Start by facing the wall, standing about two feet in front of it. Place your hands onto the wall shoulder height. Take a big inhale and push into your hands while your lower body reaches back with knees slightly bent and back straight. Exhale as you come back into standing. Repeat and feel the strength in your abdomen, hips, and the stretch in your hamstrings.
3. Deep Belly Breathing: In a seated position, with your shoulders drawing down from your ears, place one hand on your heart and one con your belly. Make your spine long, sitting with straight posture. Deep breathing will be both a mental and physical exercise creating space in your pelvic floor, diaphragm, and headspace. Doing this prior to birth and during will allow you a connection to your pelvic floor and coordinate opening for a safe exit for baby.