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Birthing balls are great for relieving discomfort during pregnancy. They provide a firm, yet soft place to sit. They also force good posture, allowing for decreased straining of your muscles. When mothers are learning to squat, the birthing ball can help them achieve this without the need for a partner. The birthing ball is a wonderful tool for pregnancy and labour, providing comfort to the mother. The birthing ball was originally developed for physical therapy, and has been used for years by physical therapists in a variety of ways in treating orthopaedic and neurological disorders and has widely been used as a tool for exercise. For pregnancy and labour, it is versatile and portable. It is now standard equipment in many hospitals and birthing centres, and is carried by doulas when they attend births.
In labour, the birthing ball becomes an vital tool, and can be used in any number of ways. In hospital, in particular, where the mother may be attached to a monitor, an IV, and other tethers which prevent her from moving around freely, the birthing ball becomes an important alternative to the bed, where movement will undoubtedly be significantly restricted. Usage of the birthing ball encourages a natural swaying or rotating motion of the pelvis, promoting foetal descent. The birthing ball helps keep the foetus aligned in the pelvis and provides vital perineal support without the need for additional pressure. The sitting position assumed on the birthing ball, similar to a squat, opens the pelvis, helping to speed up labour. Gentle movements on the birthing ball greatly reduce the pain associated with contractions. In addition, this sitting position allows the doula or support person to provide massage or counter-pressure to the back of the labouring mother. With the birthing ball placed on the bed, the mother can stand and lean into its softness, which encourages pelvic swaying and mobility. With the ball on the floor or bed, the mother can kneel and lean over the ball, encouraging pelvic motion which can aid a posterior baby in turning to the correct position, thus allowing labour to progress more quickly and easily. This position is wonderful for a mother who is having back labour caused by a posterior position. Again, the birthing ball supports the mother's weight entirely and the doula or support person has excellent access to the mother's back for massage and counter-pressure. In studies on maternal position during the second or pushing stage of labour, it has been found that either sitting up or lying on the side to push instead of lying on the back resulted in:-
Source: Gupta JK, Nikodem VC. Woman's position during second stage. After the baby's birth, the birthing ball provides support without excessive pressure on the perineum and can be used for gentle exercise. All in all, a birthing ball is a great investment that will pay off in many ways!
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Using the birthing ball throughout pregnancy will keep the deep supportive muscles of the spine in shape and help stimulate postural reflexes. The birthing ball has many additional uses in the later stages of pregnancy when sitting can become very uncomfortable and getting up and down from a chair becomes increasingly hard. The pregnant woman can roll up off the ball; it's much easier than getting out of a normal chair.
