Birthing / Gym Balls

[bessie84]

What do these actually do?

help position baby?

can they help you into labour?

planned section - UNLESS i labour on my own before. (hasnt happened in previous pregnancies, so doubt it will this time either, id just like to give anything a try really)

[Heirhelp]

Helps the baby get onto position, gravity helps engagement and rocking back and forth allows the baby's head to push against your cervix to encourage it to dilated. They are also comfy and have helped me with lower back pain.

I have read that they can be good to sit on post labour to relieve the pressure on sore bits.

[murphyslaws]

In the last few weeks it was the only thing I could sit on. It really helped

[RatOnnaStick]

They're good to rock around on when you're getting uncomfortable in late pregnancy, leaning forward over it works too. But the best use I (and DH) found for it was for settling newborns with wind/colic/newbornitis. Sitting on it with baby over your shoulder bouncing up and down regularly was guaranteed to quiet them nicely.

[KnitsBakesAndReads]

Really comfy to sit on in late pregnancy when normal chairs / sofas can sometimes hurt your back.

I used mine regularly from about 34 weeks and I went into labour a few days early. I was actually bouncing on the ball when my waters broke but that could of course just be coincidence.

[bessie84]

Thanks ladies, going to invest in one, purely for comfort reasons if you say they help, i sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up - all cos i cant get comfy n get back ache. if it helps anything else, then bonus.

[malvinandhobbes]

I am sitting on one right now in my office. I am evangelical about the ball.

I am early in the third trimester, and my baby is a kicky little one. When I sit in a chair and lean forward she objects by kicking me in the pelvis and distracting me from work. When I slouch, my back hurts. With the ball, I can sit comfortably and make more room for her. I think it is partly because I sit with my legs so far apart and my back straight. I can also fidget, and it seems to have helped with numbness in my hands and feet I get if I sit for too long in a chair. I feel more energetic and can concentrate for longer.

The downside is that I don't look terribly professional bouncing at my desk. I sometimes move back to the chair if I need to be taken seriously :) .

Like Rat, bouncing DC1 on the ball was the only thing that helped his colic. We'd bounce him for hours.