Anybody used the Aniball?

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Has anybody used the Aniball or Epi-no to prepare there vagina for birth? I am naturally quite tight so panicking slightly that being extra tight will just add more pain to the labour! Would you recommend using one? What are your experiences?

@22questions06 I used to have to push it out whilst also using the muscles because, like you say, it didn't just pop out. I've had 2 children, the second of which was born in May and, particularly with him, this technique helped a lot. The midwife said she couldn't believe how I 'breathed him out'. When practicing at home, sometimes I'd 'push' so much with the pelvic floor muscles that I'd think I was about to wet myself but I never did. I guess the practice with the breathing and pelvic floors, along with gentle pushing, is the thing that makes the difference.

Good luck, I swear by the Aniball. My babies were 8lb1 then 9lb1 and I didn't need any stitches which I put all down to the Aniball.

@MrsBxxx wow! That’s amazing. Very impressive, I hope I will also manage to achieve this like you did. Thank you so much for your reply and reassurance! Really hoping to avoid any major fixes/stitches too.

It takes some practice! I’d take a look at some videos online for how to push out baby- the best advice I was given is to make a sort of hhhhh sound or a mooo sound. You sort of want to contract your upper muscles while relaxing the pelvic floor. If you’re struggling, I’d try doing some pelvic floor relaxation practice without the ball in place- see if you can make sure you’re finding the right muscles and relaxing the right bits before you try it with the ball. Drop the number of pumps down a bit if it’s not easy, once you’ve got the right muscles doing the right things, you can up the pumps then?

I used it and found it really reassuring to be familiar with the pushing/stretching sensation in the run up to birth. Also did perennial massage.

Sadly my birth ended up being very complicated and I needed interventions so can't say if it would have made a natural labour smoother, but the reassurance was enough of a benefit in an otherwise very anxious 3rd trimester!

@MrsH2020 thanks for your reply! I do manage to expel it just fine, it’s my second day and I have managed 7 pumps ok. I was just worried I am using it the wrong way, as the instructions say don’t push it out 🙈 I am using abdomen muscles to help the pelvic floor on exhale, “open up”/try to relax down there and I hold the pump in place so it comes out slowly and a bit further on each push…is that correct?

@Hayley0203 Thanks Hayley! Are you doing perineal massage alongside it? I’ve been doing it for 2 weeks now and now switched to aniball at week 36.

I know your first question isn't to me but someone advised me to "cough" when expelling it as the muscles that activate during coughing are apparently the right ones to be using. It helped me to try that!

I did do perineal massage alongside it, yes. If I ever got to a point that I felt achey or sensitive though I'd give myself a break down there.

Thanks @Hayley0203 😊
I got to 25cm today, super happy with my progress so far! :)

Hi all, I thought I'd share my experience after using Aniball as I read so many before purchasing it and they were so helpful! I've split into a summary and a more detailed version:

Summary:

• I used Aniball from 36-39 weeks (when I went into labour).
• I got to 22cm with the ball, my baby's head was 33cm.
• I exercised with the ball every other day, expelling it 3-4 times each time.
• This was my first baby and my labour lasted 9 hours from first contraction to birth.
• I had no intervention. I used gas and air, and water for pain relief.
• I had no perineal tears at all.
• I had a second degree labial tear (my baby came out in a 'superman' pose with his hand by his head which they think caused this).

Overall, it's obviously impossible to tell how much was the ball and how much was just my body, but I massively rate Aniball for increasing my confidence going into labour that I was in control and had the ability to do it!

Extended version:

Thought I'd go into a bit more detail about how I used Aniball as I found reading other people's accounts super helpful!

So I started using it at the beginning of 36 weeks and last used it the day before I went into labour at 39 weeks. To be honest, I found inserting it pretty difficult at first! I'd strongly recommend using the lube they sell with it. For me personally, I found the only way I could insert it was deflated. I would kind of fold it and then use my fingers to ease it in. Once in, I held the white plastic bit and inflated until it didn't squish down anymore when pressed. From there, I would count the pumps each time to gauge how big I'd inflated it.

My goal was always to just get familiar with the pelvic floor sensations and control pushing it out. I think this was so much more helpful than focussing on a specific size to get to. I only ever reached 22cm (with 3 weeks of exercising) and still had no perineal tear so I really do think it's more about the control than the stretching.

Each time I used it, I popped on some music and just made sure I was relaxed and wouldn't be disturbed. I found lying on my side on my bed the best position.

When the ball is about to be expelled, it will slip if you don't hold it! I always kept one hand on the end (the plastic bit) to ensure it didn't come out too quickly - the midwife does this with baby's head too during birth.

Each time I exercised, I would just push it out without extra expansion first to remind my body what we were doing. And then I'd do the previous size I got to before thinking about expanding. I didn't always add extra width every time if I already felt maxed out.

For my actual birth, it was nothing like pushing Aniball out to be honest because your body just goes into primal pushing mode! However, I was familiar with the sensation of my perineum stretching and the baby kind of going back in and then out again with each contraction. I was also able to control my breathing throughout most of the birth, which I'd practiced a lot with Aniball.

So overall, I'd really recommend it provided you go into it with a relaxed mindset and just see how far you get. Happy to answer any questions in thread :)

@KatieeeD thank you for sharing your experience! That’s really great to hear, no tears etc that’s amazing!
I can comfortably now get to 27cm and expel the balloon and as you said, it’s the breathing and the sensation that I found most useful, I feel much more prepared, even if just mentally. Have you ever experienced any bleeding? I noticed a little bit of blood on the balloon when exercising, but it feels all ok down there and I had no pain, so not sure if I should be alarmed. Read that it’s normal, but just wondered what your experience was like in terms of any spotting? And did you do any “pushing” (not by holding the breath but down breathing and thinking of opening the muscles) for delivering your baby?
I’m 38 weeks now and really hoping for labour soon😂

@22questions06 yes I did experience a bit of blood on the ball here and there, it was a small amount and I never had any after using it so assume it was just a bit of irritation internally.

And yes I would say I did a bit of gentle pushing using my breathing, I never forced anything though and if I felt it move a bit I'd stop to avoid going too quick too fast if that makes sense.

Thanks @KatieeeD , sounds like what I’ve been doing, that’s really helpful! :)
congrats on your new arrival!

You're welcome, glad I could help! :) thank you very much, we're enjoying him a lot so far! Hope the rest of your pregnancy and beyond goes well!

@KatieeeD thanks for the details it is very useful. Unfortunately I’m having problems with pushing the ball out, it just happening to quickly, it pops out.
I started to use Aniball a week ago (38w4d) and developed to 21 cm but I can only hold the ball to come out quickly by using my hand and not my muscles.
Is it normal?
Otherwise it pops out, resulting some small bleeding and spotting..
(Sorry for my English, not my first language)

I’d just use your hand to stop it coming out too fast- I don’t think it changes the stretch you get, just slows it down a bit so you don’t get hurt. If you’re bleeding though, I’d be tempted to go smaller for a few days to build up to it.

I never got past 24cm this time (baby came a week early), and ended up with a mild 2nd degree tear (was technically into the muscle but only by a little, so was fairly quick to heal). For me, the pushing bit was completely involuntary - my contractions did it all for me really and I didn’t have time to consciously think about it.

@GingerP yeah I'd agree with above poster. Go smaller if it hurts or bleeds too much - mine never felt painful, just a bit uncomfortable during the stretch. I always held it firmly to avoid popping out because it's normal that it will but not ideal. During birth, your midwife will help guide the baby's head out which is the same thing.

I'm a second time aniball user after a great experience first time around. When the balloon is small you'll probably find you need to push a bit to expel it. When the balloon is large you must instead hold it to ensure it comes out slowly. This is just the same as when your baby is born, the midwife will stop the baby coming out fast. I've never had any bleeding using it and would stop and go back to a smaller size of inflation if I had that. I got to 30cm last time and delivered a 36cm head baby with minor labial tearing. I got to 32cm with aniball today. The labial tear was easy to heal from, I'm hoping to avoid any muscle injury again this time but aware each birth is a new roll of the dice.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions!
Today I started the exercise with 6 pumps again and the same small spotting happens at the first push out… it is not painful but not comfortable though, 2nd or 3rd time today with more pumps no bleeding happens.
It seems I have to start every day from zero level…
Anyway I try to start from zero level and build up again and hold the ball with my hand to ensure it comes out slowly. I hope it will help anyway even if I can’t develop much with the size.
Thank you for your ideas!

Hi ladies, I wonder if anyone can answer a stupid question for me - I started practicing today with the aniball and I wonder if I am inserting it too far up... I did the whole exercise (breathing it in and out, and eventually going for expelling) had a few difficulties so deflated the balloon smaller and was able to expel it eventually. But when I relooked at the instructions afterwards the diagram seems to suggest only the first part of the inflated balloon should go inside you and the other smaller bulge should remain outside the body. Is that right? What were you ladies doing when you practiced because I inserted it all the way up to the neck

I think it’s just the first round bit that goes in- it doesn’t need to go all the way inside as long as you’re inflating it far enough in that the round bit isn’t stretching you externally to start with. Not sure if that makes any sense? You’re essentially after the perineum stretch gradually from expelling it, and not from inflating it too low down if that helps?