A prenatal stretch to prepare your body for birth

Small, regular movements can go a long way when it comes to birth and postpartum

By Hannah McKimm | Sep 23, 2024

A prenatal stretch to prepare your body for birth

Keeping active during pregnancy can be challenging. Energy levels can be low and exercise is often the first thing to go when you’re not feeling 100%.

However, a little regular movement can make a big difference to how you feel during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period (aka fourth trimester).

Pilates is ideal during pregnancy as it focuses on all the areas you need to keep strong and flexible to help your body adjust to the changes that are occurring.

As your body grows, your posture changes, your centre of gravity moves, your ligaments become more flexible and the load on your muscles and joints increases quite significantly. Pilates is a way to help you feel strong and confident and to avoid the aches and pains that are commonly experienced through pregnancy.

Consistency is key when it comes to exercise, especially during pregnancy. Aim to roll out your mat at least 3 times per week, even if it is just for 10 minutes, and you will notice a big difference to how your body feels. On the days when you feel exhausted, opt for a quick, gentle stretch and then on the days where you have some more energy, you can choose a higher intensity or strengthening class.

Towards the later stages of pregnancy, it is important to start to prepare your body for birth and your postnatal recovery. This program is appropriate for both vaginal delivery and c-section. If you are planning for a vaginal delivery, you will need to start to focus on relaxing your pelvic floor and lengthening the muscles that connect to your pelvis. This will help to create space and allow for your pelvic outlet to widen more easily during birth.

Regardless of your birth plan, you also want to keep your legs nice and strong. You’ll need these muscles to assist your recovery and to help get you on and off the ground once your little one arrives.

Han, who is a physiotherapist and a mother, has created the program below based on her own experience and knowledge to help you prepare your body for birth and your postnatal recovery. Move gently and mindfully in and out of each move, stopping when you start to feel the stretch or resistance. Aim for 60 seconds in each exercise, breathing throughout and repeat the whole set twice. These exercises should be comfortable so if anything doesn’t feel right for you, please stop and move onto the next exercise.

Physiotherapist-approved stretches for pregnancy

Wide leg side stretch/rock back

Lengthen your inner thigh muscles

1. From a kneeling position, extend one leg out to the side
2. Lengthen your spine the slide your hand down the outside of your leg as far as you can comfortably reach
3. Straighten back up, then reach forward and sit your hips back until you feel a stretch
4. Alternate between the side stretch and the rock back x 10
5. Repeat on the other side

Yogi squat

Stretch your groin

1. Start with your feet as wide as your mat and toes turned outwards
2. Sink your hips down towards the mat into the deepest squat you can manage
3. Press your elbows outwards against your inner thighs and lift your chest up tall
4. Rock from side to side feeling a stretch through your groin
5. Hold for 60 seconds

Pigeon

Stretch your deep gluteal muscles

1. From a 4 point kneeling position place your right ankle behind your left wrist and let your knee rest behind right wrist
2. Slowly stretch your back leg out straight and your lower your hips towards the mat
3. Keep your elbows straight and your chest lifted to begin with, if comfortable, lower down to rest your elbows on the mat
4. Feel a deep stretch in your buttock area, hold for 60 seconds
5. Repeat on the other side

Finger/toe taps

Maintain your core strength

1. Start in 4 point kneeling and find your neutral spine position
2. Draw you ribs towards your hips gently and feel your stomach muscles engage
3. Stretch your opposite arm and leg, keeping your core connected
4. Keeping your arm and leg long, tap the mat gently with your fingers and toes, aiming to keep your body still throughout
5. Repeat x 10 taps, then repeat on the other side

Wide squats with pulses

Strengthen your glutes and inner thighs

1. Start in standing with your legs wide and toes turned outwards
2. Keeping your chest open and your spine tall, sink your hips down into a squat
3. As you sit your hips back, reach your arms forward
4. At the bottom of your squat, pulse slowly up and down about 5cm x 3
5. Stand back up tall and open your arms wide
6. Repeat x 20 – 30

Squat + calf raise

Strengthen your thighs and calves

1. Start in standing with your feet shoulder width apart and pointing straight forward
2. Stretch your arms forward as you side back into a squat, imagining there is a chair behind you that you can’t quite reach
3. Press through your heels to stand tall, pressing your arms back behind you and squeezing your shoulder blades
4. Once standing tall, raise your heels off the ground as high as you can manage
5. Lower your heels back down and repeat your squat
6. Repeat x 20 – 30

Hip flexor/monkey

Lengthen your hip flexors and hamstring muscles

1. Start in a split kneeling position with both knees at 90 degrees
2. Raise your hands to the ceiling, tucking your pubic bone up towards your navel to feel a stretch down the front of your hip
3. Hold this stretch for 2 breaths
4. Slowly sit your hips back towards your heel, straightening out your front knee (may not be completely straight) to feel a stretch down the back of your leg
5. Either reach your arms back behind you or rest your fingertips on the mat as you hold this stretch for 2 breaths
6. Repeat each stretch x 5, then repeat on the other side

Puppy

Open your chest and pelvis

1. Start in a 4 point kneeling position, with your knees wider than your hips
2. Walk your hands to the top of your mat
3. Slowly sit your hips backwards and upwards, like you are reaching your tailbone towards the ceiling
4. Let your chest sink down between your shoulders and allow your forehead to rest on the mat
5. Think of widening your sit bones and hold this stretch for 5 breaths
6. Come forwards onto your hands, then sit back again
7. Repeat x 3 – 5

If you’re looking for physiotherapist-led, online Pilates, Hannah (along with her business partner, Brooke Hogan) has created Our Pilates, which has a whole library of prenatal Pilates classes to see you all the way from week 6-40 of your pregnancy. Choose from 6 brand new programs or select whichever class you feel like on the day. Our goal is for our members to feel strong, confident, educated and empowered through pregnancy and beyond. Sign up today with a 7 day free trial!