Activities for every day

"The Daily Do" in pictures.

Daily balancing activities (First Principle) will help your womb and pelvis be more aligned for the baby. Balancing activities may make your childbirth easier. Wondering how to promote an anterior position, try this. To avoid a posterior or breech position, adding the weekly activities to your routine will help immensely.

Daily Self Care

These activities will not make a head down baby turn back to breech nor will they make an anterior baby turn posterior. You can start them as soon as you like. Some women wait for morning sickness to pass. I don't recommend waiting until late pregnancy, or to "see" if the baby ends up in a "malposition" before beginning. These activities can be done at any time, even before pregnancy! Why wait when balance enhances physiology?

Balancing Activities for every pregnant woman

These exercises can be done by all healthy women. These are the activities than could be done daily. Consult your provider before starting any exercise activities.

Generally,

When you are doing these by yourself, start with a short forward-leaning inversion (30 seconds).

If you have a helper, begin with rebozo sifting (2-3 min), followed by a forward-leaning inversion as often as you can. Do pelvic tilts at the end of each day for comfort and to enhance flexibility. Take a brisk walk each day. Good posture is very important, yes, even though our couchs would defeat good posture. Practice good posture every day. Stretching out everyday is good for circulation, metabolism, and comfort.

When you have a helper and have about 15-30 minutes add in the abdominal release or diaphragmatic release, a standing release and a side-lying release. These are myofascial (muscle and fascia) body work techniques that give baby more room and increase maternal comfort. They could be done daily, but time being what it is, hopefully they are done 2-3 times a week or weekly.

All of these can be done with the baby in any position. They are all geared towards increasing balance, not manipulating the baby.

Living this way, we expect good things. Some women will need body work to achieve body balancing because of chronic conditions set up by habits, past accidents, etc. If baby isn't in a good position with the Daily and Weekly activities, consider Professional Help.

Always use "Rest Smart" maternal positioning in pregnancy, except for short periods of time, like exams, treatments, exercises requiring you to be on your back, etc.

When? You can do these activities once a day in pregnancy beginning as soon as you are aware of these activities. None of them will turn your baby from head down to breech as long as you don't tip yourself upside down and shake yourself vigorously. Be moderate and mindful. These are balancing activities and are non-interventive.

The forward-leaning inversion for fetal positioning at a Spinning Babies Workshop with Gail Tully

Technique: Forward-Leaning Inversion

Why? This activity stretches the supporting ligaments in the lower uterine segment, such as the uterosacral and cervical ligaments. A gently stretching muscle relaxes (uterine ligaments have muscle fibers within them). When you get upright again these ligaments relax.

Repeating the stretch and relax many times helps release a possible spasm or asymmetry and allows the baby's head to fit more symmetrically during labor.

Who does this? Use a spotter for the first few tries. The chair shown below is not reliable -or deep enough - so make sure the chair doesn't slide. Your bed or couch will be more stable. Knees are close to the firm and secure edge.

How long? 30 seconds. That's three breaths long.

How frequent? Daily!

Indications, or do this when... When you have a uterus....or a brain. This is nice for the brain, too. (I'm being funny, but I mean you don't have to have a problem, just a body!) Watch the videos before AND AFTER trying the inversions, mistakes are common!

Please do the forward-leaning inversion with a helper for the first couple of times. (Have a helper each time if you don't have good balance or if you don't feel secure doing it on your own.)

The forward leaning inversion with the wrong way to get down...

Uh oh~ Here we see Katie get down from the chair THE WRONG WAY! Crawling off the chair causes too much of a twist in her SI joint (at the back of the pelvis)! A better option would be to put the top of one foot on the chair and then the other foot on the edge of the chair, too, clinging with knees now in the air hanging on by the top of the feet, and THEN put one knee down (now its a short distance, if any) and then the other kne. This way there is little twisting. So, foot, foot, knee, knee, going with the opposite knee as the last foot to be used. Or do this on the bottom three steps and then you can climb down without twisting. The key is not to twist sharply as you see here.

She could push her arms back up and raise herself back up to kneeling. That is best if it can be done.

When she is stable, she swings up! It is the swinging up and relaxing the utero-sacral ligament and broad ligament insertion points that make this technique useful! So pay attention to that detail.

Thanks: to Dr. Carol Phillips, DC, for teaching Dynamic Body Balancing and emphasizing the importance of the forward-leaning inverison.

Thanks: to doula, Evelyn Hernandez for taking these photos. Find Evelyn at Everyday-Miracles.com

Note: When we first get upside-down our body signals us (in case we didn't notice) by a throbbing head. After about 6 times your body will realize you mean to be upside-down and your head won't pound.

This is nice for a brain refill, too!
Do this even if you are also doing "Downward Dog" in yoga. They are NOT the same!
If you have an inversion board, you can use that instead.
See more and see the videos on the article about Forward-leaning Inversion.

Counter-indications, or don't use this when: High blood pressure and/or risk of stroke are suspected or known. Amniotic fluid levels are unusually large and the doctors are worried and measuring weekly. If you have a sinus infection going upside down may throb (or may sooth). It may help (use your "nettie!")

Walk Every Day

Technique: Walking

Why? Walking briskly with full motion stretches the psoas muscles (a large pair of internal "wings" from spine to thigh). "So -as" I was saying, long, supple psoas muscles give us better range of motion, emotional groundedness and flexibility, better fetal descent, better fetal positioning (with other balanced muscles and aligned spine and pelvis). Walking is good exercise and protects your good health.

Who does this? Everyone unless the doctor says no.

How? In a safe place, without ice, and without pushing a stroller or stopping to window shop. Walk at a pace you can still hold a conversation but aren't dawdling.

How long? Don't start so aggressively that you strain yourself if you aren't now used to walking. Gradually work up to 3 miles, 4-5 kilometers.

How frequent? Didn't I say daily?

Counter-indications, or don't use this when.... If your provider prohibits walking, such as when a woman is told to do bed rest or to restrict her movement. If you have pubic symphysis pain, wear a snug pregnancy belt, start slow, or wait to walk until you have done the pelvic stabilizing exercises to restore your pelvis. Then start slow. Avoid walking on icy areas, or in other slippery conditions.

Every Day Do Pelvic Tilts

A folded yoga pad or quilted blanket, rug or folded towel protects knees and wrists. Leaning over a birth ball or couch seat can be done if your wrists are too tender. Or go down on your elbows for "cat cow" and undulate that spine! Don't sway your back much, so really its "cat-table top" so the back goes straight and then arches up (cat).

Its good to rest on your belly in child's pose, on hands and knees, but don't expect that pelvic tilts will be the one technique to turn a baby. Solutions rarely work in isolation.

Crawl around a while. Use knee pads for crawling.

Technique: Psoas Release

Why? A tight psoas (so-as) muscle pair keeps baby high. A long labor can relax the psoas, as may an epidural, but why not improve your body's balance by relaxing your psoas in pregnancy.

Who does this? The mother herself.

How? Lie on your back with your feet on a chair so that your calves are at a 90 degree angle to your thighs. Thighs are straight up and down and calves are horizontal. After five minutes, roll to your side and get up slowly.

One day you will notice that your lower back relaxes enough so that the space between your lower back and the floor disappears. Don't force your lower back to touch the floor, wait till it happens on its own. Then repeat this technique occasionally. Before that, do it daily as much as you can, but for five minutes at a time.

How long? 5 minutes.

How frequent? Every day.

Indications, or do this when...you walk upright. Constipation, lack of engagement of baby's head after 38 weeks. Previous long labor. First time mother. History of sexual or emotional abuse. Desk work or lots of sitting.

Counter-indications, or don't use this when.... Any time on the back is not possible. Roll over to your side if you feel unwell while doing this.

Remember, you spend 5 minutes on your back for a prenatal exam. This 5-minutes will be ok.

Thanks: to Liz Koch who teaches us all about this in her book, The Psoas Book and at CoreAwareness.com For more than a release,Liz Koch suggests an actual psoas resolution.

Hip Openers

Technique: Hands through the hole

Why? Balances the pelvis and "opens" the hips, allowing easier descent of the baby in labor.

Who does this? Women themselves. Learn this "pose" at yoga and from a physical therapist.

How? Lay on your back. Bend both knees with your feet flat on the floor. Breathe a few times.
Lift one leg, lets say your right knee, and put that ankle above the bent knee of the other leg.
Put one hand through the hole your right leg makes and grab the thigh or shin of the other leg (left).
Lift the left leg to grab it.

Hold the pose for a bit, and stretch your lifted knee, in this case, the right knee, away from your head. You will feel a stretch. Don't hurt yourself. Take a few breaths.

Put both feet down again and breathe a breath. Then do the opposite leg in the same way, opening the left knee, this time, away from your head.

How long? This may take two minutes to start with, and longer as you get more comfortable with it. Give yourself 5 minutes to do both legs by the third week into it.

How frequent? Daily when you can, but three times a week for your body to respond.

Indications, or do this when... Everyone benefits. All pregnant women can benefit.

Counter-indications, or don't use this when.... When lying on your back is impossible.

Start in symmetry. Then put your "hand through the hole" and grab either your thigh or your shin as you are able. Relax your back. Rest in symmetry. Switch legs and repeat.

Thanks: to Colette Crawford from whom I first learned this from her yoga video for women's health.

Technique: 3 Hip Openers

Why? Hip flexibility and pelvic balance

Who does this?The woman herself. She learns this at yoga class.

How? There are three steps. Using a rebozo in this picture, the pregnant model wraps the scarf around the ball of her foot. She could use a pilates band or a belt. I use my sock because I can usually find it.

The first, both hands hold the belt. The right leg is straight, but not locked. That takes awareness. Lift the thigh muscle towards the hips to make the leg "active". Relax a bit while keeping your leg active. Notice your breathing. Let it be free. Then lift your leg towards your head. Don't hurt yourself. Give yourself some weeks to get more flexible.

The second, transfer the "belt" to your right hand (the picture doesn't show this with the right leg, but shows it with the left leg. Oh well, you will do both.) Let that leg open and rest on the wall. Again, the leg is straight but not locked. Breathe freely. Relax your leg into this while keeping your thigh muscle lifted towards your hips.

The third, cross your right leg over your body and rest it on a wall (or chair). Now the picture shows the right leg again. Sorry to confuse you. But read the directions again and you will get it. Let your leg rest, supported like that.

Switch legs and begin again.

How long? A minute or two for each step, or shorter and then repeat both sides again.

How frequent? 3 times a week or more.

Indications, or do this when... Everyone benefits.

Counter-indications, or don't use this when.... Again, only if someone can't at all be on their back.

Thanks: to Clare Welter, CNM, who taught me this at her Sunday noon prenatal yoga class at MplsYogaWorkshop.com

Technique: Pelvic Tilts

Why? Loosens the hips and sacrum. Relaxes the lower back and soothes an achy back at the end of a long day.

Who does this? No professional help is necessary, but a yoga teacher or physical therapist can give advice about technique.

How?Hands are under your shoulders, knees are under your hips. Knees are a little apart, not touching. Focus on your lower back.

Your back starts flat (not sway back!)

Lift your lower back

Flatten your back again.

This is like "Cat Cow" yoga pose.

How long? Do 20-40 pelvic tilts for comfort, usually about 2-3 minutes.

How frequent? Daily for comfort, or as needed. In labor, for 20 minutes.

Indications, or do this when... the lower back is tired or achy; or the hips are stiff. After balancing techniques to help baby swing to the anterior, or during labor through several contractions for the same aim.

Counter-indications, or don't use this when.... Wrists or knees are too weak or damaged. Use a cushion for your knees and lean over a birth ball or soft chair so you aren't resting on your wrists, if that's better.

Thanks to Penny Simkin, PT, who taught all of us doulas the importance of the Pelvic Tilt. And to my sister, Kathy, who taught me this when I was 17 years old and she was helping me prepare for a natural birth.

Thanks: to Katie and Jesse for sharing their photos with us here at SpinningBabies.com

Continue to Relax the abdominal muscles and ligaments and moving the pelvic joints

Relaxation doesn't only mean taking a deep breath. Breathing evenly and deeply is important, however. But for good fetal positioning and labor progress the ligaments, joints and fascia (the membrane surrounding our muscles, organs and bones) need to be relaxed and symmetrical.

What else you can do:

Prenatal yoga ( if not daily, then regularly 3-6 times a week)
Belly dancing
Swimming
Good upright postures (Rest Smart)

Hoola-hooping big circles on an exercise ball
Emotional resolutions: journaling, counseling, prayer, forgiveness...

There are professional body work techniques that will also help with Optimal Fetal Positioning using Spinning Babies first principle, Balance.

For breeches, add the Breech Tilt after the Forward-leaning Inversion.

I'll leave this template here in case I add more on this page. But those are most of the techniques that I suggest for Balance.

Technique:

Why?

Who does this?

How?

How long?

How frequent?

Indications, or do this when...

Counter-indications, or don't use this when....