Prenatal Fitness for Optimal Foetal Positioning (OFP) and Relief of Pelvic Pressure

#diaryofatoddlermomwithabump

Following up on my sister's blogpost on Pelvic pressure, we have rounded up a few soothing poses to help relieve some of the common pregnancy ailments – from tight hips to sore lower backs- and at the same time, encourage optimal foetal position of baby! With these “oh-ahhh” inducing postures that helped me, especially in my 3rd trimester, I hope these will help you too! Most importantly, do check with your doctor before engaging in any workout routines.

Listed below are the various poses that I would be covering in this blogpost:

• Rocking Side to Side (With Birth Ball)​
• Hip Circles (With Birth Ball)
• Child Pose, Supported with Bolster
• Puppy Pose
• Hips from Side to Side
• Figure 8s
• Circles
• Cat Cow Yoga Poses
• Downward Dog against Wall, Facing Down

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​Poses with Birth Ball

Some of these poses would require a birth ball, or otherwise known as a large exercise ball. There are many benefits that come with using it, which includes opening and creating space in the pelvis, allowing your baby to drop down.

1. Rocking Side to Side

Sitting on the ball with your legs spread wide, slowly rock your hips from right to left. ​​

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2. Hip Circles

My favourite! Sitting on the ball with your legs apart, begin to circle your hips to the left  clockwise few times, then switch directions by circling your hips to the right .

Poses that use All-Fours

1. Child Pose, Supported with Bolster

Benefits:
- Conducive to Optimal Foetal Positioning
- Releases pressure and relieving belly weight

Instructions:

1. Position bolster or pillow infront of you. Kneel on the ground, butt on heels, top of feet against the floor, big toes touching, and knees wider than hip-width apart.
2. ​Slowly bring chest to the mat, allowing your body and belly to come between legs, resting your head and chest on the bolster.
3. With your top part of body elevated, it allows space for belly. Belly should not be touching the floor.
4. ​Extend arms overhead or lay arms alongside body with palms facing up if that feels more comfortable.

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2. Puppy Pose

Benefits:
- Works to promote Optimal Foetal Positioning
-Helps take pressure off the pelvic floor and relieve pressure of haemorrhoids
- Stretching the spine and opening the shoulders

Instructions:

1. Come to all fours (Tabletop position) with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, knees under your hips (a bit wider than hip distance to accommodate belly is okay,too), and the tops of your feet relaxed down on the mat.
2. Slowly begin to walk your hands out in front of you, lowering your chest down toward the ground. Keep your hips high and over your knees, your arms shoulder distance apart, and gently release your forehead down to the ground.
3. Activate your arms by pressing into the palms of your hands and lifting your elbows and forearms away from the ground. Draw your shoulder blades onto your back and reach your hips up high toward the ceiling.
4. Relax your neck and breathe into your back, lengthening your spine in both directions.
5. Remain in the pose anywhere from 5 to 10 breaths, then gently lift your forehead and walk your palms back toward your body to press up to all fours.

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3. Hips from Side to Side

Benefits: 
- Works to promote Optimal Foetal Positioning
- Frees up the hips and lower back

 Instructions:

1. Come to all fours (Tabletop position) with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, knees under your hips (a bit wider than hip distance to accommodate belly is okay,too), and the tops of your feet relaxed down on the mat.
2. Start to move your hips from side to side
3. ​Make the movements as big or as small as you feel comfortable, 30-60 secs or as long as you like.

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4. Figure 8s

Benefits: 
- Works to promote Optimal Foetal Positioning
- Frees up the hips and lower back
- This can be done in a standing position or seated on the birth ball too.

 Instructions:

1. Come to all fours (Tabletop position) with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, knees under your hips (a bit wider than hip distance to accommodate belly is okay,too), and the tops of your feet relaxed down on the mat.
2. Start to move your hips around imagining you were drawing a figure of 8 with your hips. 
3. ​Make the movements as big or as small as you feel comfortable, 30-60 secs or as long as you like.

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5. Circles

Benefits:
- Works to promote Optimal Foetal Positioning
- Frees up the hips and lower back
- This can be done in a standing position or seated on the birth ball too.

 Instructions: 

1. Come to all fours (Tabletop position) with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, knees under your hips (a bit wider than hip distance to accommodate belly is okay,too), and the tops of your feet relaxed down on the mat.
2. ​Starting with your spine lifted comfortable, begin to move the hip in a clockwise direction. If you are standing, the knees can be softly bent and you can make your circles large or small.
3. Try to do about six circles in one direction and then coming to a center point, pause briefly and reverse the direction of your circle. These are wonderful for helping to release tension from the hip and the lower back. 
4. ​They even are good as you approach labor letting the baby move down into the pelvic canal. Keep your breathing even and smooth. And after your sixth cycle, gently wind your hips coming back to center and thats how we release the hips and the lower back with hip circles.

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6. Cat Cow Yoga Poses

Benefits:
- Works to promote Optimal Foetal Positioning
- Relieve belly weight
- Encourage mobility in a stiff spine
- Lessen lower back pain and hip pain

 Instructions:

1. Come to all fours (Tabletop position) with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, knees under your hips (a bit wider than hip distance to accommodate belly is okay,too), and the toes tucked in.
2. ​Inhale and look up between your eyebrows, raising your head gently. Allowing back to bend naturally (without placing emphasis on the low spine).
3. As you exhale, round spine, tuck rear, and curl inward, looking down and toward navel. Hands are pressed into the floor.
4. ​Continue to move through both poses as you inhale and exhale. Don't worry about pushing too far into a deep back bend in this variation. Just focus on moving easily with your breath.

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7. Downward Dog against Wall, Facing Down

Benefits: 
- Works to promote Optimal Foetal Positioning
- Relieve belly weight
- Releasing any lower back pain
- Stretches out the arms and back of the legs, and alleviates any tension in the neck and shoulders
 
Instructions:

1. Place your hands on a wall out in front of you and walking your feet back so that your body creates an “L” shape.  Your hands are on the wall anywhere between shoulder and elbow height. (You would want shoulder height if you want to decrease the stretch in the hamstrings and elbow height if you’re more flexible.)
2. Actively press the finger pads and palms of your hands like you’re rooting to the wall.
3. ​Dynamically elongate the line from the crown of the head to the wall and the hips directly behind you, guiding them in opposite directions so you could create space in each vertebra.
4. Stay here for five full deep breaths.
5. ​Slowly come up when you’re ready.

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Lynn Tham, is a blogger, speaker, prenatal and post-natal fitness advocate, a mother of 2 girls aged 3years old and 4 months, owner and co-founder of The Fierce-Hearted, a company that promotes and is centered on the recognition, wellbeing and a voice for mothers. She endeavours to be open to whatever the universe throws in her way and practices her yoga off her mat, most times with her baby. As a teacher, she strives to share information of health and fitness to what most mothers are deprived of. Through her classes, she makes fitness accessible and possible, encouraging each mom to tap into their own strength so as to grow both physically and mentally.  Come join her, the lovely community of moms and their adorable babies in these sessions!

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I'LL LOVE TO JOIN IN!

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