Birthing ball anyone find them useful?

Question

i am 36 weeks pregnant and was given a birthing ball has anyone used one and found them of any use and what did you actually do on them?

Answer 1

I found it great at the early stage of labour. You can sit on it while holding on to something and move your hips.

I really liked it. But after a while, your body starts to ache and it's hard to stay on the ball.

oh, and it's fab to skip around with too! When I was about your stage of pregnancy, I used to stay on it a night time and just hop for fun!

Answer 2

I love my birthing ball!! With both my labors i spent the first part sitting on it and bouncing. Not only did it get my babies in good positions, it was also fun and took my mind off it. Towards the end of my labors, i leaned over it to take the weight off my back

Answer 3

I have SPD, and am using it as advised by my physio, I find it very good to do supportive exercises on, these are for strenghening the lower back and pelvis.  Sitting on it and bouncing with your legs at shoulder width apart, if comfortable is one, kneeling before it and putting your arms over the top loosens the lower back apparently.

Another physio advised I use on during childbirth as it will help me to adopt a more natural position than my first baby, where they slapped me on my back and stuck a monitor on me.  If they hadn't my labour probably wouldn't have lasted as long.  

Answer 4

I had one in the hospital, and all I did was sit on it and rock from side to side, and back and forth. I felt better! I mean it helps with the pressure on your pelvis! so Its good you have one! GL

Answer 5

I've used it with my last 2 pregnancies and it really helped. Especially with my 2nd pregnanc with twins. Any time I'd feel uncomfortable and each time I went into labor I'd sit on it and roll in circles on it. Sometimes I'd put it at the desk and do that while playing game on here or whatever. It really helped relieve the pressure/pain.

Answer 6

When I went into be induced, the found that my baby was in the wrong position (back to back) and also her head completely covered the waters, so they gave me a birthing ball. It helped alot and helped soothe the pain whilst in labour, I was having more fun bouncing on the birthing ball then worrying too much about the pain lol.

Hey I was 17 and it was my final hours being just 'me'. I love being a mum though, but would still like a birthing ball to bounce on lol.

I found that bouncing slightly whilst twisting my hips helped get the baby into a good position.

Good luck hun

Answer 7

I did. I just sat it next to the edge of the bed, sat on it, and bounced and rocked my way through my contractions. In between, to rest, I just laid my head and arms on a pillow on the bed.

The movement is what helped with the contractions. Think about it this way - if you stub your toe, you rub it, you walk it off, you wiggle it. You don't freeze and keep still because the pain is worse. Same concept with labor. Move around, walk it off, rock your pelvis, rub your belly, get a backrub.