5 Hip Stretches to Prepare for Childbirth

Benefits of Stretching During Pregnancy 

Regular exercise and stretching for pregnant women is extremely beneficial for the health of mom and baby. Staying active and stretching can help relieve aches and pains that may appear in the hips, back or legs.  Stretching the hips allows gentle and safe movement along with preparation for birth. Women who stay active during pregnancy are known to experience less pain during labor.

Benefits of stretching during pregnancy: 

• Improves blood circulation

• Reduces inflammation

• Improves digestion

• Prevents depression

• Rids fatigue

• Quiets the mind

• Eases and prevents muscle tension

• Reduces pelvic and leg cramps

• Eases ligament pain

• Assists with sciatica pain

Precautions During Exercising

It is extremely important to talk to your health care provider before working out to see what restrictions they may have for you. Avoid exercises that make you uncomfortable or cause pain. Also, make sure you have good form! Form is extremely important in preventing injury. Try your best to follow directions and not to push yourself past your limits. Remember to be gentle with yourself. 

Relaxin is a hormone secreted by the placenta that causes the cervix to dilate and prepares the uterus for the action of oxytocin during labor. During pregnancy, the hormone relaxes muscles, ligaments, joints and bones to prepare for birth. It is important to not over do it when you are stretching because you may be more flexible than before, which leaves room for injury. Pace yourself and know your limits while performing these exercises.

Things to avoid: 

• Bouncing exercises

• Overheating

• Extreme abdominal exercise (crunches, deep twists, etc.)

• Lying on your back for extended periods of time

• Pushing yourself past your limits

Since your body is constantly changing and your center of gravity is different, be aware when performing balance exercises. If you do perform them, be sure to do them up against the wall or a chair. 

 Hip Stretches

Butterfly stretch

1. Sit on the floor with the hips open and soles of the feet together.

2. Sit up tall and inhale while holding the ankles to bring your feet toward your pelvis.

3. Lean forward and take deep breaths. Press into the thighs and exhale to increase the stretch.

4. Be careful not to overstretch in this position.

Figure 4 stretch/Piriformis

1. Sit in a chair while sitting up straight.

2. Place the right ankle over the left knee. You should feel a stretch in the right hip/ buttocks.

3. To increase the stretch, you can lean forward with a straight back, or press on to the right thigh.

4. Hold for 30 seconds. Perform twice on each side.

Hip flexor stretch

1. Place a pillow under your knee.

2. In a lunge position, with the right knee on the pillow, lean forward and stretch the hip flexor muscle.

3. Take your time and lean into the stretch

4. Hold for 30 seconds. Perform twice on each side.

Cat/cow

1. Start on all fours with shoulders above hands and hips above knees.

2. Breathe in while you ease into the cat position by dropping your belly and arching your back.

3. Then, drawing a line with the nose, exhale while moving into the cow position by rounding the back and upper neck.

4. Repeat for 3 minutes.

Deep/ Yoga Squat

1. Begin with your feet wider than hip width apart with the feet slightly facing outward.

2. Next, slowly bend your knees and hips into a deep squat position.

3. Use a chair with your hands in front of you if balancing is too hard on your own.

4. Balance your weight on your heels and hold this position while taking deep breaths.

5. Breathe and slowly rise back up and then repeat the action.