Do I Need a Birth Ball?
One of the most popular tools and images that many women see when they’re envisioning and preparing for their labor experience is a birth ball.
What’s a birth ball, you say?
It’s nothing ‘special’ or different from an exercise ball - the kind you can pick up on Amazon or at your local Target.
Its purpose is just different, in that we’re using it as a tool for proper posture, support and relaxation in labor.
In my first birth, the ball was all I knew about and all that I used. And, truthfully, it wasn’t all that helpful because it was the first time I’d sat on one, and sitting on it was all that I did to prepare myself for comfort.
Why a birth ball?
Sitting on a ball at the ending stages of your third trimester helps to correct and support your posture and pelvic floor to keep ligaments nice and loose as your body prepares for labor. We tend to sit in a hammock position on couches, beds, and in the car. Add in texting and hunching over a desk all day and our spine’s curvature, and the support for our pelvis, have a hard time.
Sitting on a ball or the floor helps keep everything loose, aligned and happy.
In labor, a birth ball can be used to sit on and keep the hips open, taking away strain from other parts of the body that are hurting.
You can also lean forward over a ball to get some rest and still keep your hips wide open during the times that active labor is intensifying. This is especially useful when it no longer feels good to sit down anymore on your pelvic floor, as baby is descending! (You also won’t have to worry about rolling off the ball this way!)
The ball can also be placed in the shower to sit on and let the water run down your back for some relief.
Do you NEED a birth ball?
Definitely not. A birth ball is nice to have on hand - and many of the area hospitals have them handy. It can be great to have nearby, but its benefit can also be matched by positional changes in the bed and around the house. If you’re looking for the greatest perks of the ball, have one at home for pregnancy comfort vs. labor support.
Next item of business: all birth balls were not created equal.
There are sizes!
Birth balls come in 55 CM, 65 CM and 75 CM sizes. To find the right size for you, when you sit on the ball fully inflated, your knees should be at a 90 degree angle. A ball too big or small will force you to overcompensate your posture, which is the opposite of the intention!
If you’re not sure what size to go with, and are average height, a 65 CM ball should work well for you. In a pinch, a ball too big can be deflated to a more appropriate size.
Need to see a ball in action? Ask your doula! A birth ball is one of the many tools that we discuss in our comfort measures prenatal session with our clients, and helps you to understand how its utilized in practice for the best assistance.
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