Is there anything more exciting than expecting the arrival of your new baby? While it’s a thrilling experience, you might be feeling a bit anxious about labor. The good news is that with regular exercise during your pregnancy you can increase your chances of experiencing an easier delivery. Read on to learn our top 10 exercises for normal delivery that are sure to help you feel stronger and prepare for the big day!
What is normal delivery?
Normal delivery, also known as vaginal delivery, is the most common and preferred way of delivering a baby. It involves pushing the baby out from the uterus through the birth canal or vagina. Generally, it is the least intervention option for delivering a baby and can be very satisfying experience for the mother due to its natural course.
During normal delivery in a hospital setting, necessary equipment like foetal monitors and oxygen will be available to ensure optimum monitoring of both mother and child during labour. The assistance of doctors and midwives throughout labour will also be available to ensure a safe delivery for mother as well as baby.
Factors that improve chances of a normal delivery
Having a normal delivery is the most common desire of all pregnant women and the best outcome for their babies. It is also known as “spontaneous vaginal birth”, which generally occurs between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. Many factors can help improve a woman’s chances at having a successful normal delivery, such as keeping up with regular prenatal checkups, eating healthy, exercising moderately, avoiding stress and practicing relaxation methods like yoga or meditation.
Women should also maintain good pelvic floor muscles by doing kegel exercises to build strength in that area. Another factor that often helps women have an uncomplicated natural birth is having enough support from family members or attending specialized classes such as childbirth education classes where they might learn about labor techniques, postpartum care and recovery tips. Ultimately, how smoothly a woman's labor progresses affects whether she will be able to deliver naturally or opt for medical interventions.
What factors improve your chances of a normal delivery?
For many women, the goal of childbirth is to experience a normal delivery. In today's world of medical technologies, this is still an achievable goal. Factors that can improve your chances at a normal delivery include having a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and eating nutritious food - being overweight or obese during pregnancy can decrease the chance of a normal delivery.
Additionally, forming knowledgeable relationships with healthcare professionals throughout your pregnancy and seeking their advice on prenatal care will increase the likelihood of having a normal delivery. Taking birthing classes also improves women’s understanding of the labor process which can in turn help make sure it ends in a natural birth.
Ultimately, before pregnancy, women should understand their medical history to ensure that nothing could put them at risk for complications during labor. By following these steps and ensuring good health throughout your pregnancy term, you significantly increase your chance for achieving a desired normal delivery birth.
Exercises for normal delivery
1- Child’s pose
Child’s pose is a beneficial yoga exercise frequently used during prenatal yoga classes due to its low-impact exercises that ease lower-back tension, encourage relaxation and focus on proper breathing techniques. It stretches the hips, thighs and ankles while strengthening the back muscles – all important exercises for women preparing for pregnancy and normal delivery.
This pose is easily done as it requires no props or specific experience, making it appealing to beginners who may want to expand their yoga repertoire to benefit from its relaxation abilities during the pregnancy stages. With such a versatile exercise, there isn’t any reason why pregnant women shouldn’t try incorporating child’s pose into their daily exercises!
2- Deep squat
The deep squat is one of the best exercises for achieving a normal delivery during childbirth. It helps to relax the pelvic floor muscles, which can help to make labor less painful and reduce the chances of experiencing complications during delivery.
Additionally, it increases overall flexibility in the lower body and legs, strengthens your hips and glutes, and lets gravity assist with opening dynamic areas in the chest and neck; all essential factors that contribute to a successful labor experience. The deep squat exercise can be performed on its own or combined with other exercises before entering labor for maximum benefit.
3- Quadruped cat/cow
Quadruped exercises for cats and cows are well known to be beneficial for normal delivery. Whether your cat or cow is expecting a litter of kittens or calves, exercises such as box turns and pivots can provide the base foundation exercises they need to stay fit while they are expecting.
These exercises help strengthen the muscles that are recruited during delivery, allowing your pet to have an easier time with the birthing process. Additionally, these exercises will keep your pet's joints flexible which lessens the risk of injury during delivery. With proper care and exercises, you can ensure that your pet's birthing goes smoothly.
4- Perineal bulges
Perineal bulges, also known as perineal hernias, are a common postpartum issue that can cause pelvic discomfort. This issue is caused by a weakness in the muscles of the pelvic floor, which should be strengthened to make a normal delivery easier and to prevent or reduce symptoms of perineal bulges.
Exercises such as kegels exercises, pilates exercises and squats can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, making labor and delivery much smoother than it would be if the muscles were weak. These exercises are simple yet effective for restoring muscle tone in the long run and allowing for a safe and successful vaginal delivery.
5- Perineal massage
Perineal massage is an excellent technique to utilize during pregnancy, as it can help reduce the risk of an episiotomy or tear during childbirth. During a perineal massage, exercises are performed to help stretch and relax the perineum, as well as about a month before delivery, allowing for easier passage of the baby through the birth canal and easier tearing of vaginal tissue.
Not only does this form of stretching and massaging improve flexibility in the perineal area, but it also increases blood flow which may reduce the likelihood of pain during labor. Additionally, exercises designed for normal delivery can be practiced to achieve the same result. In any case, perineal massage is an important part of any pregnant woman's birthing routine and should not be neglected!
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6- Swimming during pregnancy
Swimming during pregnancy can be extremely beneficial for the mother and baby, as it is a low-impact cardio exercise that helps strengthens the muscles that are used during labour. Most exercises for normal delivery focus around strengthening your thighs, buttocks and hips.
Swimming is therefore a great way to achieve this without worrying about jogging or exercises putting too much pressure on your body. Swimming also offers soothing relief, since the buoyancy of water takes off some of the extra weight carried during pregnancy. Additionally, swimming exercises can help build endurance so that you are better prepared to face labor and delivery.
7- Yoga during pregnancy
Performing yoga exercises during pregnancy helps to keep the body fit and healthy, as well as prepare an expectant mother for delivery. Along with other exercises like stretching or swimming, pregnant women can benefit from a regular yoga routine in order to better handle labor pains and ensure a normal delivery.
By performing exercises like breathing exercises or modified versions of sun salutations and warrior poses, one can strengthen the muscles of the body which are essential for childbirth. Moreover, pelvic floor exercises can notably reduce the chances of urinary incontinence after birth. Last but not least, yoga during pregnancy also helps with relaxation and combating stress – essential components for a healthy baby.
8- Kegels exercises
Kegels exercises are exercises that focus on strengthening the muscles of the pelvic floor. This type of exercises dates back to 1948, when doctor arnold kegel created them as exercises for normal delivery. However, today these exercises have much more uses than childbirth, such as treating urinary incontinence and providing overall pelvic floor health benefits.
Doing kegels exercises regularly helps in making the muscles below your uterus, bladder, and rectum stronger and tighter which will lead to improved sphincter control and bladder leakage prevention that characterize weak pelvic muscles. A 10-minute workout at least once per day is enough to make this type of exercise effective. It is also possible to do it twice a day (in 20-minute sessions) for maximum effectiveness.
9- Abdomen exercise
Abdomen exercises are an essential component of fitness routines. These exercises have special significance during pregnancy, as they can increase a pregnant woman's overall coordination and range of motion, help maintain their posture, and even increase the chance of a normal delivery. Specific exercises include abdominal crunches, squats, bridge exercises, pelvic rotation exercises, and leg circles. These exercises should be performed under the guidance of an experienced health professional for best results.
10- Hand and leg raise exercise
The hand and leg raise exercise is an effective way to achieve or maintain a healthy posture during normal delivery. This exercise exercises multiple muscle groups in the both the upper and lower body, helping to strengthen core muscles, increase flexibility, and reduce fatigue before labor begins. It not only exercises the arms and legs but also helps the expectant mother develop greater muscle endurance with each repetition.
Additionally, it exercises breathing techniques that can be used during labor for efficient oxygen intake. This exercises can be beneficial not just for those expecting a normal delivery, but in general for anyone who would like to improve their mobility and physical strength while achieving better overall health.
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Physical therapy help during pregnancy
Many expecting mothers experience a range of muscle aches and pains during their pregnancy. Physical therapy can be a helpful remedy to alleviate these symptoms, as it can help to strengthen the muscles in the abdominal area and hip joints. During physical therapy sessions, expectant moms may be treated with posture-correcting exercises or even massage to relieve tension in contracting muscles.
Women who participate in physical therapy during pregnancy may find that they have more control over actively managing their discomfort for better overall health, which is important for both mother and baby. A physical therapist will ensure that any exercises used do not overdraw energy or worsen preexisting conditions, creating an environment where both doctor-recommended rest and necessary exercise are welcomed.
Are all exercises safe during pregnancy?
Exercising while pregnant can carry both risks and benefits. Consulting a medical professional will provide guidance on what's appropriate for each individual situation, as every pregnancy is unique. It's important to remember that exercise during pregnancy should be carefully tailored to meet the needs of the expectant mother to ensure her safety. Generally speaking, low-impact exercises are considered safe for most pregnant women, such as walking, stretching and swimming.
However, more strenuous activities, like running or jumping, may become too taxing on the body and should be avoided. Ultimately when it comes exercises during pregnancy there's no one-size-fits all answer, so it's important to listen to your doctor and body and do what feels right for you.
Please book an appointment with the best Gynecologist in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and all major cities of Pakistan through InstaCare, or call our helpline at 02137136090 to find the verified doctor for your disease.
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