Birth Balls for Doulas!
“I know how to bounce on it but that’s about all..”
If I had a nickel for every time I have heard that from moms… and actually some doulas, too!
It’s fairly often that we receive a message that sounds something like this: “I just bought a birth ball…but I don’t really know how to use it!”
And that is from the Doulas!
I love teaching Doulas all about the birth ball because we know that it is evidence based for pregnancy and labor but it’s also a really fun activity for prenatal visits!
Before we get started, here are a few things that you should know about using your ball:
Help your client choose the right size ball for their body. Share this size guide and tell them to keep the receipt incase the ball doesn’t inflate properly.
Inflate the ball over 2-3 days. On day one, the ball only inflates to about 80% of its full size. Use this tip sheet to help with inflation.
Left: The model is seated on a ball that is too small for her. Her hips are lower than her knees. You can see that it makes it uncomfortable for her to put her feet down flat on the floor. Middle: This ball is correctly sized for her. Her hips are at the level of her knees or higher and allows her to sit upright on her sitz bones in Neutral Posture. Right: The ball is a good size for her but she is seated too close to the ball. There should be space between her calves and the ball for optimal balance and stability.
Here are a few ways for you to use the ball in your prenatal visits!
🟢 HIP CIRCLES
Now that your clients know how to correctly sit on the ball, teach them how and why circling their hips is so great for labor progression! Doing so will help shift the pelvis in such a ways that the different diameters of the pelvis open at different levels, or stations. Let the ball do the rocking and rolling for you! (If you want to learn more about Station of the Pelvis, check out this blog.)
🟢 HIP ROCKING:
This allow those hips to open side to side and front to back. This is superb for fetal engagement and movement through the stations of the pelvis
🟢 KNEELING:
Use the ball to support your upper body so that your arms don’t have to. Labor is physically taxing so let the ball do some of the support work for you! A wonderful way to release tension in the back and hips and also to use for pushing.
🟢SQUATTING:
Use the ball when you are squatting so that you don’t have to balance or try not to tip over. Let the ball do the balance work for you!
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Hands on learning in a Prep4Birth™ Instructor Training
Using the ball in labor can be a game changer! For these moves and so much more follow us on Instagram and become a certified Prep4Birth instructor!
Want to know more? Check out download on the 5 S’s of Birth Balls!