Morning!
Last year I focused on getting well for conception. I was able to lose 50 pounds and walk my very first 5K and 10K. This year I want to focus on becoming strong for pregnancy/labor. When I had my last ultrasound- my legs began to shake in the stirrups and I realized that I needed to work on that.
Do you have any books, DVDs or websites to recommend for strength training or endurance exercises that target on parts of the body that will be used during labor?
pomelo / 5678 posts
Squats are supposed to be good and walking and swimming. I did Bradley and they had several others too. I also climbed a lot of stairs.
pear / 1571 posts
For one, stirrups don't have to be involved in giving birth. 
But I would recommend a nice prenatal yoga workout DVD. It helps you learn to focus on your breathing, endurance, all that good stuff.
And don't stress out about it too much. Anything you do to keep yourself in shape is great, but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone being too out of shape to give birth. It will make things easier on you if you have to walk for miles or climb mountains of stairs while in early labor, but your body will do what it needs to do regardless.
Now, I'm no couch potato, but I'm plus size and workout regimen only involves farm work and running after my other kids, but I've had 3 uncomplicated and unmedicated vaginal deliveries and my endurance was fine. But maybe I'm just lucky.
persimmon / 1167 posts
@FarmWifeGina: And thank goodness for that! When I do eventually get pregnant, my plan is to do a home birth with a midwife and doula. DH has had quite enough time to think about this idea, so he is very comfortable with the idea now.
I definitely like the idea of a prenatal yoga workout DVD. Did you try any that you liked?
watermelon / 14467 posts
Squats, as long as you can do it. And walk, walk, walk! It doesn't have to be long or far, but make sure you walk every day. Walking is also good for during labor, as I felt that movement helped me deal with contractions better.
apricot / 334 posts
Definitely walking! Also stretching helped lots as well as tailor sitting.
pear / 1571 posts
@HolisticMama: I liked this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000BYNMH/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1388514544&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40 Although, I didn't do it as regularly as I would have liked.
And I forgot about squats! If there's an exercise to do during pregnancy, it's squats! Deep, sinking, low squats. It doesn't necessarily need to be a "workout," just substituting squatting for bending over and then holding those squats can be supremely helpful!
pomelo / 5678 posts
Relaxing techniques did not help me at all. Mostly they did not apply... but I think a chiropractor that specializes in prenatal care would have helped me with my back labor pain.
pear / 1799 posts
I love my prenatal yoga class. Really, the squats are GREAT for leg strengthening ... and the chair pose.
nectarine / 2667 posts
Yes - prenatal yoga when you get pregnant! I recommend finding an in-person class. Since you're not pregnant yet, I'd say look into a regular yoga class.
pomelo / 5258 posts
I worked out a lot while pregnant. There's an Ina May quote about squatting 300 times a day for a quick, healthy birth. I wanted to try it just to see because working out pregnant felt so good. I averaged about 175 squats a day and I labored for 51 hours. Maybe I would have labored for 150 otherwise? Maybe I really needed those extra 125 squats per day? Maybe it had no impact or slowed things down. I'll never know.
My doula recommended crawling for 10 minutes a day to help get baby lined up properly. Crawling was much harder than I anticipated. I think I did about 30 minutes a week in 5 minute chunks. Again I don't know of any results.
My mom is certain that my workouts slowed me labor. She had fitness buddies betting against me having a vaginal birth. Maybe it did slow things down. All I know is that I wouldn't have made it 51 hours if I wasn't in shape.
In retrospect I would make sure your birth partner is working out. I needed so much counter pressure applied I was glad DH had been working out.
pomegranate / 3643 posts
Bumping this.
Anyone have other suggestions? Whenever I try to google labor exercises all I find is the cat cow stretch. Kegels, pelvic tilts, and squats. Maybe that's all I should be focusing on? I remember with my first doing those seemed too easy, and labor seemed soooo hard. It seems like a workout prep should be more intense!
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