-Advice from Mumsnet user KitKatKit
When should you start using a birthing ball?
A birthing ball is great for exercising and providing comfort at any stage of pregnancy. But from around 32 weeks, it’s ideal for doing gentle exercises which can ease aches, pains and anxiety. Bouncing on a birthing ball can also help to prepare your body for labour and get your baby in the right position.
If you’re concerned about whether you’re using your birthing ball correctly or it’s causing any discomfort, speak to your midwife or GP.
How long should I bounce on a birthing ball?
There’s no set time limit for this. During pregnancy, a birthing ball can be used as a replacement chair when a sofa or office chair is no longer comfortable.
When bouncing to induce labour, the longer you do it the more pressure you will put on the cervix. You could try bouncing, rocking and exercising for up to an hour or, if that’s too much, you could do it for shorter intervals of around 15 minutes at a time.
Make sure that you’re comfortable when using your birthing ball and that your back is in line with your hips. You should take rests whenever you need them.
What size birthing ball is best?
Birthing balls tend to be either 65cm or 75cm. If you decide to use a yoga or Swiss ball, these can be smaller so do check that it will be big enough when inflated for you to sit correctly. When you sit on a birthing ball, your knees should be about 10cm lower than your hips.
Generally, if you’re 5’8” or shorter, you need a 65cm ball. If you are 5’9” or taller, then a 75cm ball is best. You can also buy peanut-shaped balls which aren’t as high but can help you get in a squatting position for labour.
Birthing balls should have an anti-burst core which means they slowly deflate rather than pop suddenly. They are built to take a lot of weight, sometimes up to 1000kg, but they will lose air over time so keep a pump handy for topping up. Be careful not to over-inflate though as this can make the ball hard to use.
How to use a birthing ball
During pregnancy, sitting on a birthing ball can help to reduce aches and pains as well as provide a more comfortable place to sit when you’re working or relaxing.
Bouncing and rocking is also a good way of exercising as it works your tummy and back muscles, which helps you to build up strength. It’s also a great aid for exercising your pelvic floor muscles.
Best birthing ball exercises for pregnancy
Before doing any exercise on a birthing ball, make sure you have a clear area around you and that you are confident using the ball.
In a sitting position, rock your pelvis from side to side, making sure to only move your waist and hips, not your shoulders.
Slowly tilt your pelvis forwards and hold for a few seconds, then slowly rock your pelvis back into a slumped position.
Gently rotate your pelvis in circles, first clockwise and then anti-clockwise.
Finally, lean over your ball in a kneeling position - you may want a pillow under you so you feel comfortable - and rock your hips from side to side and forward and back.
If your baby is in a posterior (back-to-back) position, getting on your hands and knees and leaning forward over your ball can help to encourage your baby to move positions.
Try to get confident using the ball before going into labour. Practice positions and work out which ones you find most comfortable.
Best birth ball positions for labour
You can try using these techniques when you’re in the first stage of labour:
Sit astride the ball and rock your pelvis from side to side or back and forth.
Lean on your birthing ball from a kneeling position.
Get into a hands-and-knees position by hugging your birthing ball and lift your bottom up from a kneeling position. You can then rock your pelvis from side to side.
Leaning over your ball from a standing position, with the ball on the bed or another surface.
When it’s time to start pushing, get into the leaning or hands-and-knees position so it takes the pressure off your bottom and gives your baby lots of room to come out.
Even after your baby is born, a birthing ball has lots of uses. If you’re sore from birth, a ball may be more comfortable to sit on and it can be used for breastfeeding too. Babies also find the bouncing soothing. Just make sure you’re comfortable and confident on it before sitting down with your baby.
Once you’re healed and ready to start exercising again, a birthing ball can then be used as part of your fitness routine too.
What is the best birthing ball?
Strong, colourful, and versatile, the BABYGO Birthing Ball is the best birthing ball to buy right now. It comes with a handy 100-page booklet providing useful information about nutrition, labour and postpartum recovery, as well as 35 exercises for each stage of pregnancy.
Made from hypoallergenic PVC, the ball is five times stronger than some gym balls so you can safely exercise on it during pregnancy and beyond.
How we chose our recommendations
Most of our recommendations for birthing balls came from Mumsnet users themselves. We searched the Mumsnet forums for posts about which birthing balls Mumsnetters really rated. We also researched various review sites to find out which birthing balls performed well across the board.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.
About the author
Writer and mum-of-two, Gemma Wilcock has over 15 years of experience writing for print and online publications covering issues surrounding parenting, health and lifestyle, as well as researching and writing in-depth product reviews for Mumsnet. She has worked for the Mumsnet Reviews team for many years.