When you’re already close or way past your due date, you may want to find ways to dilate the cervix faster. There’s a lot of speculation about whether or not exercises can induce labour naturally. This article focuses on the easiest and least intensive exercise that helps induce labour naturally.
Best Exercises to Open Cervix for Delivery
The fact is that when your baby is not yet ready to come out, nothing you do can speed up the process. Experts know this by heart. However, there are certain activities and exercises that can help give your baby a nudge to get in position.
“Movement is not going to induce labour, but it can really help progress labour and get baby in a good position for birth,” said US-based nurse and certified midwife Jessica Costa.
All pregnant women need to be aware of the necessity of proper treatment and effective exercise to open the cervix to deliver a healthy baby. Opening the cervix before delivery helps avoid serious complications like having the baby’s head stuck in the birth canal or having the uterus rupture, which can end up taking the mother’s life.
Also, remember that despite these simple and easy exercises, it’s important to seek a professional doctor’s advice before beginning.
Walking is a great way to induce labour naturally. It’s easy to do and can be done anywhere, anytime!
The best thing about walking is that it’s free. You don’t need any special equipment or clothing. Depending on the weather, you can do it in the comfort of your home or outside. You can even walk while listening to music or watching TV!
Walking has been shown to help with pain management during labour, so it’s a good idea to start now if you haven’t already. Make sure you keep moving throughout your pregnancy, even if it’s just around the house or through the parks near your home.
If you’re lucky enough to live near trails, walking them could also be beneficial because they help prepare your body for labour by strengthening your muscles and increasing circulation in your pelvic region (which helps prevent haemorrhoids). But don’t worry if there aren’t any trails near where you live—just go for a long walk instead!
Swimming is a great exercise to induce labour naturally. It’s low-impact, so it’s safe for everyone, and you can do it in the water at any temperature. Swimming is also a great way to work on your endurance, which will help you have a strong and healthy pregnancy.
You should be sure not to do any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise during pregnancy, but swimming is an excellent option for keeping fit and toned. If you have access to a pool or lake, try taking a swim at least once a week—but if not, there are other ways to get your workout in.
The best part about swimming? It’s easy on your joints! You can go as fast or as slow as you like while still getting an effective workout!
Image source: iStock
Dancing can be a great way to induce labour naturally. Dancing is a low-impact activity that uses many muscle groups and can help you work up a sweat. It has been shown to help women overdue with their babies go into labour and bring on contractions in women who are currently pregnant but have not yet started labour.
Although dancing may seem odd to get your body ready for birth, it does work! You should try your best to dance for at least 30 minutes a day for at least three days in a row. This will help you increase your blood flow and prepare you for labour.
Dancing is also a good exercise for those who have had caesarean sections because it helps in recovery and will help you strengthen your abdominal muscles. You can also use dancing as an exercise while pregnant – this will help strengthen your body so that it will be better prepared when your baby arrives!
Kegels are exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. They can help increase blood flow to the uterus and make it easier for your body to go into labour.
To do a Kegel, tighten the muscles that stop your urine mid-flow. Hold them for 10 seconds, relax, and then repeat ten times. Repeat this five times per day until you’re ready to give birth!
Squatting is a great exercise to induce labour naturally. This is because it helps to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which are essential in helping you to push your baby out.
The easiest way to do this is to squat on the floor with your feet apart, and knees bent as if you were sitting down. You can also sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent, then lower yourself until you feel pressure in your bottom.
How many squats induce labour? Try doing this for 20 minutes every day for at least three days before going into labour.
Image source: iStock
Did you know that there are also sitting positions to induce labor? There are exercises you can do while sitting. It helps to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and loosen the ligaments in your pelvis, which will help to bring on labour.
To perform this exercise, sit on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place one hand over your belly and one hand just below it. Take a deep breath and then exhale as you tighten your stomach muscles as if you were holding back gas. Hold for 10 seconds before letting go. Repeat ten times.
This exercise can be done anywhere at any time!
Pelvic tilts are an easy exercise to induce labour naturally.
If you’re looking for an exercise that’s quick, easy, and effective, pelvic tilts are it. They can be done anywhere and don’t require any special equipment.
All you need to do is lie on the floor with a pillow under your head and another under your bottom. Then lift one leg as high as you can without twisting your spine. Hold this position for 5 seconds before slowly lowering your leg back down. Do this ten times on each side of your body.
Pelvic tilts can help open up the pelvis, which may help release prostaglandins that start contractions.
Image Source: Pexels
Climbing stairs is one of the easy exercises to induce labour naturally.
It’s also a great way to get your baby moving down the birth canal, so you’ll be ready to push when it’s time!
Start by walking around the house at a normal pace. Then, begin climbing up and down stairs. Do this for about 15 minutes. You can even do this with a partner or friend if you want some company! The more you do it, the better! If you’re feeling ambitious, you could even walk up and down the whole flight of stairs in your house or building!
If you’re looking for ways to induce labour naturally, give climbing stairs a try! It may just be what you need to get things moving along smoothly.
The birth ball is a great tool to help you start labour and can be used at home or in a hospital. Try birthing ball exercises to induce labour naturally. It is a big inflatable ball you can sit on while pregnant. It helps your body by strengthening your pelvic floor muscles, back, abdomen and legs.
The birth ball also helps stretch out your ligaments, making it easier for you to give birth when the time comes.
Jumping to Induce Labor Naturally: Is it Recommended?
No matter how excited you are for your baby to come out, you should never jump to induce labour.
Jumping jacks or any jumping exercises are not recommended in pregnancy for the reason that they may put pressure on the uterus, pushing it to the cervix that may cause bleeding or miscarriage.
Moreover, our body releases the hormone relaxin in pregnancy, which relaxes our ligaments and joints to prepare for childbirth. This makes us extra clumsy and prone to accidents and injury. Jumping puts you at risk for that since your centre of balance is not as reliable as before. You would never want to fall on your belly during pregnancy.
ALSO READ:
Sports and Exercises That Are Safe During Pregnancy
How To Deal With Pregnancy Fatigue
The Stages Of Labour: A Guide For Pregnant Mums
How to Make Cervix Open Faster
Making your cervix open faster can be a great way to start with natural childbirth. If you’re feeling nervous about the process, knowing that you can take steps to make it easier on yourself can help calm your nerves.
There are several ways to make your cervix open faster, but some are much more effective than others. Aside from the exercises to induce labour naturally, here are some of the best ways to do this:
- Eat foods that contain magnesium
- Get more sleep
- Use a heating pad on your lower back and pelvis area
- Sex
- Use evening primrose oil
- Try raspberry leaf tea
- Nipple stimulation
- Castor oil
Best Sleeping Position to Encourage Labour
The best sleeping position to encourage labour is a matter of personal preference and comfort. You can choose the most comfortable position, but you should follow some general guidelines.
Here are three tips for finding the best sleeping position to encourage labour:
- Make sure your hips are higher than your knees
- Make sure your head is not lower than your chest
- Avoid lying flat on your back or side
Image Source: iStock
Though it may be hard to believe, pregnant women can induce labour naturally. Although the underlying causes for delayed labour are not well understood, some reliable methods can be followed to encourage natural labour.
You have to remember though, that your body’s timetable may be different from your plans. If your baby is really not yet ready to come out, nothing you do can help make the process faster. However, it can encourage your baby to get in a good position for birth.
With the right preparation and support from loved ones, you can prepare your body for labour before its scheduled appearance. Try the above easy exercises to induce labour naturally!
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.
