The best exercises to prepare for labor: A Pelvic Floor Physical therapist’s favorites
Hey pregnant mamas - I see you trying to be the MOST informed and prepared for a delicious labor and birth!
As a holistic pelvic floor physical therapist in New Orleans specializing in pregnancy and postpartum and mom of (almost) 2, I know preparing for birth can cause a lot of anxiety, especially if it’s your first go-round.
You might be feeling:
Overwhelmed by the scary stories your friends have told you about their birth experiences (or gaslighted by providers that don’t trust in your body)
Spooked about perineal tearing during birth, prolapse, diastasis rectus abdominus, hemorrhoids, and other things you’ve heard happen to your body from pregnancy and birth
Afraid you will have a long labor, or a hard one, or that it will be painful
Confused by the negative messages you’ve seen about dramatic births on TV (it’s nothing like that!)
But guess what, mama? You don’t have to fear birth. Your body KNOWS how to do this. You know what’s possibly even cooler? Your BABY knows what to do too.
You were born for this -
AND,
you are SO wise to be seeking out strategies to prepare your body and your pelvic floor for labor, birth, and postpartum.
Because you CAN influence your labor and birth by preparing mentally and physically, and you may even reduce common postpartum complications like perineal tearing, pain, and prolapse.
If you’re looking for the best exercises to prepare for labor, look no further! I’m a pelvic floor physical therapist based in New Orleans (and offering virtual care and birth preparation sessions worldwide) and I’ve compiled all the goodies right here for you.
In this post we’ll discuss the best exercises to prepare for labor that I recommend to all my pelvic floor physical therapy clients who are getting ready for a juicy birth!
Here we go!
Diaphragmatic breathing
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I would be remiss to not START with breath. Breathing is one of the BEST exercises to prepare for labor because
it is the primary way we can relax our pelvic floor (which needs to get out of the way for us to birth our babies, contrary to the poor advice on the internet that it needs to be strengthened for birth),
calm the nervous system, which allows your body to feel safe to start and progress through the phases of labor
endure the intensity of contractions in early and active labor
have effective pushing mechanics
It’s important to prepare your mind AND your body for labor - a calm nervous system usually helps you get out of your own way - and being able to relax your pelvic floor and open the pelvis for the various stages of birth will help you prepare for labor with confidence. Using your breath is KEY for this!
Incorporating breathing technique into the following labor prep exercises will make them even MORE effective at preparing your body (and your brain) for labor and birth.
PLUS - since I know you love to be prepared - working on your breath is the BEST place to start working on to help your pelvic floor heal after birth, redevelop your core, and manage the stress of motherhood.
Here’s how to breathe with your diaphragm.
Take a deep breath in, imagining that your belly is a balloon, and you are inflating it as you inhale (NOT pushing it out).
Think about inhaling downward into your sit bones, laterally into the sides of your ribcage, forward into your belly (hi baby!), and backward into your spine.
As you inhale, you may be able to sense your pelvic floor descending (this can be easier if you are sitting on a ball to feel)
As you exhale, think about becoming “heavy” to relax your muscles even more deeply.
You can try this in various positions - it’s wonderfully relaxing to do on your back with feet up, but if you are fully in your third trimester this may be uncomfortable. You can practice in a supported seated position, on your hands and knees, or in a relaxing pose like childs pose - and of course any of the following exercises I am about to talk about are a GREAT way for you to sense your breath in various body positions.
This can definitely feel complicated until you’ve practiced it more, and you may need to work with a pelvic floor physical therapist to get the hang of it (I can help you there!)
2. Deep Squats (with some modifications)
Deep squats are one of the best exercises to prepare for labor because they help to open the top of the pelvis, also known as the pelvic inlet, which is important during early labor as baby makes his or her descent and your cervix begins dilating.
Deep squats also allow for a natural lengthening of the pelvic floor muscles, which need to get the heck out of the way for your baby to come out. Combine this with your breath, and you’re creating a smooth exit for your baby!
Deep squats are also an excellent position to labor in and many women prefer this position in the pushing phase of labor.
I like to add a yoga block under the bum to make this more supportive, plus it gives a tactile cue, allowing you to feel your breath descend into your pelvic floor.
Two of my favorite modifications for deep squats:
Adding a little rocking from one foot to the other
Adding spinal rotation by opening one arm at a time up and to the side really adds a juicy ~twist~. Spinal mobility is such an important piece of pelvic floor health, especially when you are pregnant and things are a little… crowded.
3. Asymmetrical Cat-Cow
If you’re a seasoned yogi (or maybe attended a class at the Y that one time), you’re probably familiar with Cat Cow. This fluid movement from spinal flexion to spinal extension helps to promote mobility from the upper back all the way down to the pelvis, allowing space for baby to move into and through the pelvis as you prepare for labor.
This is also a great way to ease pelvic floor tension that can become bothersome at the end of pregnancy. BONUS - utilizing your breath with movement adds an even juicier effect!
My FAVORITE variation of Cat-Cow and one of the best exercises to prepare for labor, is this asymmetrical version, where you elevate one knee on a yoga block.
This helps to open one side of the posterior pelvic floor as you breathe with movement. It feels SOOOO good, and allows for opening of one side of the pelvis, allowing space for baby to move into optimal positioning for birth.
How to do Asymmetrical Cat-Cow:
Get down on your hands and knees
Place one knee on the shortest side of a yoga block center your hips over your knees. (one side of your pelvis will feel “higher” than the other)
As you inhale, look up and let your belly fall to the ground, arching into your lower back. You should look like an eager puppy :)
As you exhale, push into the floor, bow your head toward the ground, tuck your tailbone under you, and reverse the arch in your back, pushing your belly and spine AWAY from the ground. You should look like an angry cat.
Repeat 10-20 times, inhaling and exhaling.
Another variation of Cat Cow that I LOVE for labor prep:
try positioning your knees in and your ankles out wide, and repeat the above steps. This knees-in-ankles-out position is GREAT to open the bottom of the pelvis during the pushing stage of labor.
4. Asymmetrical hip rock-backs
Similarly to the cat cow, this exercise helps to mobilize the hips and pelvis, while opening one side of the posterior pelvic floor as you breathe with movement. The set up is also the same!
How to do Asymmetrical hip rock backs:
Get down on your hands and knees
Place one knee on the shortest side of a yoga block center your hips over your knees. (one side of your pelvis will feel “higher” than the other)
As you Inhale, Hinge your hips backward, rocking your butt back onto your heels
Exhale as you hinge your hips back up to the start position.
Try to keep your back straight throughout the movement and don’t let your tailbone tuck under - imagine you are kissing the wall behind you with your sitbones.
Other Variations: Do 10 repetitions with your knees out wider than ankles, then 10 with your knees pointed INward, with ankles out wide.
You can also place one knee slightly forward to change it up. Just make sure to repeat on the opposite side.
5. Quadruped Hip Dips
After your cat-cows and hip rock backs, your hips should be nice and loose!
These hip dips add a stability challenge which is great for your late-pregnancy core and pelvic floor, but also helps to release tension in the pelvic floor while mobilizing your pelvis.
How to do Hip-Dips:
Stay in the same start position as the cat-cows and rock-backs with one knee on your yoga block. Then:
Slowly push into the knee that’s on the block as you lift your opposite knee off the ground a few inches.
Slowly lower your lifted knee down, and repeat.
After 10-20 repetitions, repeat with the opposite knee on the block
6. Finally, finish off your routine with a yummy inversion
Inversions are one of the best exercises to prepare for labor because they help to reduce tension in the uterine ligaments, allowing space for baby to get into an optimal position.
Try this:
Start on your knees on an elevated surface like a couch or ottoman.
Slowly- and carefully- walk your hands down to the floor, and lower down onto your elbows.
Relax your belly (let it really HANG) and your head as you support yourself on your forearms
Take 3-5 breaths (to your tolerance) in this position (more if you are feeling great)
Push back onto your hands, carefully walking yourself back up to the start position.
Not only do these inversions help make space to get baby in position for birth, it can feel SO good to reverse the effects of gravity on your pelvic floor. I immediately feel relief in my tailbone when I do my inversions.
Modification tip: If this feels too intense for you, you can try a puppy pose instead. Start on your hands and knees on the floor, then lower down onto your forearms and elbows, letting your chest hang while your sitbones point toward the ceiling.
There you have it mamas! Those are some of the BEST exercises to prepare for labor.
Are you getting the theme here? Movements that facilitate a MOBILE pelvis and spine and a RELAXED pelvic floor are the best exercises to prepare for labor. We covered some of my favorites today - and I hope doing this routine helps you to relax your pelvic floor and feel confident heading into birth. As a major bonus, these can really help to reduce discomfort during pregnancy, especially in those final weeks.
These are a GREAT place to start getting your pelvic floor ready for birth - AND - preparing for birth can bring up a WHOLE lot of anxiety that you didn’t even know was there, and you might be feeling the need for extra support.
As a pelvic floor physical therapist in New Orleans (and offering virtual care worldwide), I LOVE working 1:1 with mamas to help you feel prepared for the specific birth you desire to have.
Whether you
are a first time mom who wants to know ALL your options for birth and how to have and empowering birth experience (with or without pain meds)
had a C-Section before and want to have an all-natural VBAC - but know you need to prep mentally and physically.
You want to know how to move through labor with an epidural
You’re preparing for an unmedicated home birth
… then my pregnancy and birth prep sessions are designed especially for smart mamas like you!
Book your birth preparation session below
By the way, mama, I know you love to be prepared - so I’ve got a fun freebie for you. My Free Postpartum Recovery Checklist is the ultimate guide to all the supplies you need to make a juicy transition into motherhood, care for your pelvic floor in those early postpartum days, and nourish your body for optimal healing. Get it here
Here’s what’s next on your reading list:
BTW HI! I’m Dr. Jackie Roelofs, pelvic floor physical therapist and holistic preconception-postpartum coach.
Looking for more support to make a smooth transition into motherhood? I practice pelvic floor physical therapy in New Orleans and offer virtual fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum coaching EVERYWHERE. Learn more about my programs below:
