EXERCISES

DURING
PREGNANCY
AND
POSITION
DURING LABOR
 PERINEAL AND
ABDOMINAL EXERCISES
This is to strengthen the pelvic and abdominal
muscles and make these muscles stronger and more
supple. Supple perineal muscles allow for stretching
during birth, reduce discomfort, and help muscles
revert more quickly to their normal condition and
function more efficiently after childbirth.
1. TAILOR SITTING

 As she sits in this position, she should gently push on her knees
toward the floor until she feels her perineum stretch. It is good
to plan on sitting in this position at least 15 minutes every day.

Rationale:
It is done without occluding blood
supply to the lower legs.
TAILOR SITTING
2. SQUATTING

 A woman should also practice this position for about 15

minutes a day. For pelvic muscles to stretch, a woman should
keep her feet flat on the floor. Incorporating squatting into
daily activities such as picking up toys from the floor reduces
the amount of time a woman must devote to daily exercises.

Rationale:
Also stretches perineal muscles and can
be useful for second-stage of labor.
SQUATTING
3. PELVIC FLOOR CONTRACTIONS
(KEGEL EXERCISES)

 It can be done easily during daily activities. While sitting at

her desk or working around the house, a woman can tighten
the muscles of her perineum by doing Kegel exercises.

Rationale:
Such perineal muscles strengthening exercises are helpful in
the postpartum period to reduce pain and promote perineal
healing.
PELVIC FLOOR CONTRACTIONS
4. ABDOMINAL MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS

 It can be done in a standing or lying along with pelvic floor contractions.

A woman merely tightens her abdominal muscles, and then relaxes
them. She can repeat the exercise as often as she wishes during the day.

 Another way to do the same thing is to practice “blowing out a candle”.

A woman takes a fairly deep inspiration, and then exhales normally.
Holding her fingers about 6 in. in front of herself, as if it were a candle,
she the exhales forcibly, pushing out residual air from her lungs as if her
finger were a lit candle. She can feel her abdominal muscles contract as
she reaches the end of a forcible exhalation.

Rationale:
Helps strengthen abdominal muscles during pregnancy and
therefore may help prevent constipation as well as help restore
abdominal tone after pregnancy.
ABDOMINAL MUSCLE
COTRACTION
5. PELVIC ROCKING
 It can be done in a variety of positions: on hands and knees, lying
down, sitting or standing. A woman arches her back, trying to
lengthen or stretch her spine. She holds the position for 1 minute,
and then hallows her back. If a woman does this at the end of the
day about 5 times, it not only increases flexibility but also helps
relieve back pain and make her more comfortable for the night.

Rationale:
Helps relieve backache during pregnancy and early
labor by making the, lumbar spine more flexible.
5. PELVIC ROCKING
 It can be done in a variety of positions: on hands and knees, lying
down, sitting or standing. A woman arches her back, trying to
lengthen or stretch her spine. She holds the position for 1 minute,
and then hallows her back. If a woman does this at the end of the
day about 5 times, it not only increases flexibility but also helps
relieve back pain and make her more comfortable for the night.

Rationale:
Helps relieve backache during pregnancy and early
labor by making the, lumbar spine more flexible.
PELVIC ROCKING
POSITIONS OF
LABORING
WOMAN
Position affects the woman’s
anatomic and physiologic adoptions to
labor. Frequent changes in position
relieve fatigue, increase comfort, and
improve circulation.
1. Upright position (walking, sitting, kneeling, or squatting)
-offers a number of advantages.

Rationale:
Gravity can promote the descent of the fetus. Uterine contractions are generally
stronger and more efficient in effacing and dilating the cervix, resulting in shorter
labor.

2. All Fours Position

-may be used to relieve backache if the fetus in an occipitoposterior position and may
assist in anterior rotation of the fetus and in cases of shoulder dystocia.

4. Lateral Position
-can be used by the woman to help rotate a fetus that is in a posterior position. It also
can be used when there is a need for less force to be used during bearing down, such as
when there is a need to control speed of a precipitate birth.

3. Semirecumbent position
-needs adequate body support to push effectively because her weight will be on her
sacrum, moving the coccyx forward and causing a reduction in the pelvic outlet.