The early stage of labor is an important time to stay active and continue moving to help the baby descend down into the pelvis.
You may have heard the concept of "engaging" the baby during labor. This simply means that the baby drops into the pelvis. There are specific movements and exercises that you can do to help the baby engage during labor. However, after an epidural, most hospitals limit movement to only positional changes in bed.
Here are 3 exercises you can do to help engage the baby.
POSTERIOR PELVIC TILTS:
Posterior pelvic tilts (tucking tailbone or flattening back) while sitting on ball/chair or in quadruped (hands/knees)
CHILD's POSE:
Start on your hands and knees, with your knees wide and feet together. Hinge your hips back towards your heels.
DEEP SQUAT:
Sit on a yoga block or pillow for comfort. Press your elbows into your inner thighs to further widen your pelvic inlet.
Check out my website to learn more about how we can help you prepare for labor and delivery.
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