Birthing ball... when and which?

[ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts]

Have seen and heard many people say it is good for baby and bump to bounce on a ball.

When should I start doing that? I'm 24+1. Is it supposed to encourage baby to go head down? If the baby is going to move head down when does it usually do it? It wasn't head down at my 20 week scan and I have no idea how to tell if it is now

And also, is any ball ok? I have a yoga/gym ball but was at labour ward for an anti-d on Friday and their birthing balls were much larger than mine. Don't want to go to the effort of pumping mine up if it is going to be crap

Sorry for sounding pretty thick This is my second pregnancy, you'd think I'd know something about this by now, but I feel I know less than ever!

I got a space hopper! The handles are v helpful as I tend to try and fall off and cause they are designed for outdoor use they are very durable. My DD (16mths) loves to join me on it during the day.

that's a fab idea. DD has her own mini one so we could match

I'd like to know when to safely use it too. I bought a ball and have mainly just been sitting on it. But I am cautious in case I'm not supposed to use it yet. I am 28 weeks btw.

Well DH came home from work for lunch and pumped up my gym ball but it is only 60cm and I'm 5ft 10 so I think it is a bit small!

Am I supposed to bounce or do something special with it or just sit?

watching with interest too

am 27 weeks, and i have a birthing ball upstairs but not inflated or used it yet. (NCT sale bargain!)
i know sitting back on sofa (as i do all day) does NOT encourage a good position, and baby might go back to back. Really dont want that to happen if sitting on a birthing ball can stop it!

also i can see the ball in the room being annoying when not in use so not desperate to pump it just yet!

I remember reading somewhere that the ball has to be 65-75cm and it's recommended that it's anti-burst so if it does pop it deflates slowly rather than "bang!" and you're on the floor (although I've never heard of a gum ball bursting if it's used within the right weight and inflation ranges).

I'm interested to see what's recommended too. I'm 27 weeks and really want to start using one, DS was OP and I'd like to try avoid back labour again.

Have been doing some googling and for my height (170cm+) I need a 75cm ball. There are quite a few sites that do them for very reasonable prices, only about £15. My gym ball is only 60cm and I have fallen off it already. I feel like I'm squatting so it is really hard to balance. Definitely need a bigger one.

Just need to find out from somewhere if I'm mean to bounce or do some kind of exercise on it.

Nannyl - Yes sitting on the sofa is getting increasingly difficult and uncomfortable. Not a good posture.

www.tens.co.uk/acatalog/Birth___Exercise_Balls_Plus_the_Handbook_of_Essential_Exercises.html

Glad you posted this - I'm in same position with wanting to get one. I've heard that bouncing on it is good for core stability and for positioning of baby - and good to do that asap in pregnancy (no risk). If you get one from somewhere like Birth-ease they come with instructions I think. Def need 75cm if 5'8" or taller as hips need to be higher than knees :)
Any recommendations of where to buy?? Tried Amazon but £25 incl p&p so wondered if cheaper elsewhere?

You can get a good gym ball from Argos for less than a tenner.

Having had a normal (not anti-burst) one deflate on me - they don't go bang balloon style, they just whistle very loudly while deflating slowly (I was not on it at the time, I'd kicked it next to the heater after I'd come off of it and was in the middle of a contraction so hadn't noticed until I heard the whistle). The safety regulations on all of them mean that a normal puncture won't send you instantly to the ground.

As long as you get one that you can sit stable on it and your hips are higher than your knees when you sit on it, it's safe at any time during pregnancy and any time regardless, they are great took for improving muscle tone and posture. Actually, they are physically better for you to be sitting on than most computer chairs!

a website called birth ease also reasonably priced

there was another thread on these a few weeks ago.

again: i got mine from tesco for less than a fiver. im 5'6'' and it was just a normal gym ball. physio reccommended that specific one for me and told me not to buy a specific 'pregnancy ball' as its just a scam! they all do the same thing so no point in wasting money.

i loved it, felt like i was sitting on a cloud!