Childbirth is like a marathon, and requires preparing for it in order to live it in all serenity and security. Whether you already play a sport or not, the announcement of your pregnancy certainly raises a number of questions in you. Pregnancy, sport and nutrition form a winning trio to prepare for the baby’s birth.

For an easy, fast delivery, without tears and no episotomy, the perineum must be able to relax, and not stretch as one might think. In fact, the more it is stretched, the more it will contract. This therefore entails a risk of tearing and a possible episiotomy, not to mention a danger of elongation or straining during childbirth.

Imagine the perineum opening like a suspension bridge, or like a lock in front of the baby’s head which engages in the pelvic cavity of its mother to come into the world. To accelerate the birth and the exit of the placenta, the diaphragm (respiratory muscle) must go up, the transverses (deep muscles of the abdominals) tighten with power, and the perineum must open, that is to say relax, and not be stretched as we saw above.

Preparing the perineum for childbirth is therefore essential to learn how to contract it and thus know how to better release it. But also to be able to use its diaphragm to raise it, and allow a powerful abdominal contraction, with an opening of the perineum for the easy and fast expulsion of your baby during delivery.

For example when you sneeze or vomit, you experience this sensation of the diaphragm which rises sharply and violently pulls the viscera upwards, with a powerful contraction of the abdominal muscles, and a completely relaxed perineum.

Preparing the perineum for childbirth involves training yourself to repeat this phenomenon consciously in order to have the possibility of completely releasing your perineum when the baby passes through the pelvis. So a good preparation of the perineum for childbirth must be able to learn to “play” with its diaphragm and its perineum. That is, learning to raise your diaphragm to relax your perineum.

When your perineum is relaxed, you can contract it easily, and when it is stretched, you have more difficulty contracting it. The postures for working the perineum during childbirth must be different and allow relaxation of the perineum like the squatting posture with or without upper body suspension.

Kegel exercises will also be complementary to this work of preparation for the birth which it is advisable to start before becoming pregnant. I can only invite you to obtain the book * by Dr. Bernadette de Gasquet for this preparation of the perineum for childbirth.

The swimming pool to prepare for childbirth is ideal, and must be a great moment of relaxation. Swimming or aquagym lessons are excellent for preparing for childbirth with confidence. They allow good physical preparation, cardiovascular and cardio-respiratory work essential for a freer, easier and faster childbirth. So gentler on mom and baby.

Indeed in the 3rd trimester the pregnant woman feels heavy, and the water will abandon this feeling of heaviness. In addition, thanks to the water, the swimming pool activates blood circulation, massages the legs and creates lymphatic drainage which relieves heavy legs and edema.

By practicing aquatic activities, swimming, aquagym or aquaspinning, you will live your last trimester of child in good shape and relaxed, ready for a happy and harmonious childbirth. The swimming pool will help you release the anxiety, anxiety and stress of childbirth.

There are prenatal yoga childbirth preparation classes. From 7 and a half months of pregnancy, the preparation for the birth is focused on the end of pregnancy, by bringing a greater mobilization of the body (pelvis, spine) and the mind (more presence to oneself and to the baby). Yoga, and prenatal yoga will give you the best chance to live your childbirth more easily and freely.

Preparation for birth in prenatal yoga

Childbirth preparation mini-class (5 to 10 minutes)

• Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, legs straight, toes outward, eyes closed;
• Gently roll your head to the ground, bringing your face to the left and then to the right, going all the way slowly. Make several round trips;
• observe your breathing;
• then on a deep breath, raise your arms upwards, and while stretching, bring them behind the head to the ground;
• stretch from head to toe like a cat;
• then release the arms at your sides, and repeat the sequence with the rolling head 3 to 5 times.

Relaxation tip: Keep your pregnancy pillow next to you. To be more comfortable and relieve the lower back, you can place your pregnancy cushion under your thighs when relaxing, at the end of the sequence.

The swing of the pelvis on the swiss ball (big ball)

Here’s a great birth preparation exercise

This exercise will improve the general flexibility of your pelvis, and make it easier for baby to engage in it during childbirth. It softens the perineum, which will prevent tears or episiotomy.

• Sit on the ball with your back straight but not rigid, feet flat on the floor, and hands on your hips;
• imagine a wire at the top of your head pulling you upward throughout the exercise;
• release your tailbone downwards, and move your chest and shoulders away from the navel;
• make circles in one direction then in the other with your pelvis while rolling the ball under your buttocks;
• practice for as long as you want, this childbirth preparation exercise is very enjoyable.

Variations: bring the pelvis back and then forward (hips back and then forward). Inhale when the hips move forward, breathe out when they move backward.

For this childbirth preparation yoga class, the spine is always stretched with the chest and shoulders away from the navel. Consider breathing deeply.

Birth preparation classes can also be stretching sessions which you can find in the fitness rooms. Stretching allows a good preparation for the birth. Synchronizing the stretch with the breath allows for deep relaxation of body and mind, ideal for preparing for childbirth.

In addition to making the pelvis more flexible, learning to have the correct pelvic tilt for stretching, will help baby to descend into the pelvis and will facilitate childbirth. For your well-being and that of your baby, get into the habit of stretching. The birth will be smoother for you and your unborn baby.

Prepare for childbirth with 4-legged stretches

The cat that scratches its claws

• Sitting on your heels, knees apart, place your hands as far as possible in front of you;
• stand on all fours;
• put your elbows on the floor instead of your wrists;
• put yourself on your fingertips as if you were planting your claws in the ground like a cat;
• inhale and bring your buttocks back at the same time, and your wrists towards your fingers;
• you feel a stretch in the back between your buttocks and your wrists;
• breathe and relax while maintaining the stretch.

Advice for practicing stretching properly:

• Feel yourself pulled back, without ever falling forward;
• The lower back is not arched: you feel a stretch between the navel and the breasts, but not between the navel and the pubis (here the back would be too arched);
• Stay in the stretch 3 to 5 breathing cycles (inhale + exhale = 1 cycle)

The arrival of the baby is prepared beforehand physically and psychologically. Put the odds on your side to experience a serene, free, fast and happy childbirth. Thanks to a preparation for the birth through sport, you will be psychologically and physically ready on D-Day, like an athlete ready for his competition. These childbirth preparation classes will help you regain shape and energy quickly after the birth of your baby, to provide him with the best possible care, and to strengthen the mother / child bond.