Birthing Balls: Pregnancy, Labor, and Post-Labor Tools

Birthing balls are very similar to the stability balls and exercise balls you may have seen in the gym, as all of them are derived from the rubber balls that physical therapists have used for years.

Also referred to as Swiss balls, birthing balls, however, are made from a more advanced and stronger material. These balls are generally about two feet in diameter, but smaller and larger balls are available for shorter and taller women, as the birthing ball should be proportionate to the mother’s height.

And although they may look more like a toy for the new baby than a tool for the mother, birthing balls can ease the pregnancy and delivery processes as well as help a new mother get back into shape.

Using a Birthing Ball During Pregnancy

Although called a “birthing” ball, this air-filled rubber ball is also useful before birth, during your pregnancy. Reasons to use a birthing ball include:

• Simple exercises on the birthing ball can strengthen the muscles around the spine, reinforcing posture and helping support the weight of the growing baby.
• Birthing balls can also ease the back pains associated with pregnancy.
• Later in the pregnancy, many women find birthing balls more comfortable than chairs or even beds because they more flexible and easier to get off of than a traditional chair.

• Positioning using the birthing ball keeps the mother in a more upright position, resulting in easier labor than a reclined position.
• Rolling on the ball can ease the pain of contractions during labor.
• Finally, the ball helps to open the pelvis and align the baby properly for a simpler, potentially faster, and less painful birth.

• Stretching and toning using the birthing ball can be done sooner than other forms of exercise, such as swimming or running, because they are more gentle exercises for the new mother’s body.
• Birthing balls can be used to exercise nearly every muscle in the body as well as strengthening the back and abdominal muscles used most frequently.
• Additionally, birthing balls can be used as a way to soothe babies, and have been shown to relieve the stomach pain suffered by infants with colic.