The Benefits of Physical Exercise on Optimal Labor

What is labor?

Labor represents the totality of symptoms preceding childbirth. From a statistical point of view regarding the entire duration of labor, for primiparas (mothers giving birth for the first time), it seems to fall within an average of 14 hours (it can be longer or shorter), while for mothers who have given birth before, the duration is approximately 8 hours. The symptoms of labor usually consist of contractions (some painful) or, conversely, it may not be accompanied by contractions and includes the breaking of the water.

We cannot know exactly how labor will unfold until it is triggered, but we can prepare both physically and mentally for this moment. One of the objectives of specialized gymnastic classes for pregnant women, whether it be Yoga, Pilates, Aquagym, or any other type of exercise applied in this situation, is preparation for labor and childbirth.

I once read that labor can be compared, in terms of the intensity of physical effort, to running a marathon. Knowing all this, what can we do?

Physical exercises for pregnant women

In the preparation of these physical exercises, I have always liked to work differentially, so that each pregnant woman present in the gymnastics class can identify and learn what is beneficial and suitable for her personality. Therefore, cardio exercises, given that they are light combinations of aerobic dance steps, fitball, and walking on the treadmill or stationary bike, prepare the body of the expectant mother to cope with prolonged hours of effort.

From my point of view, breathing exercises represent the most important element to remember from the physical preparation carried out for labor. Over time, I have reached the following conclusion: if we know how to breathe, both the intensity of effort and the intensity of pain decrease.

Breathing exercises

A very good example of such a breathing exercise is as follows: inhale through the nose, count to 3, exhale through the mouth, and count to 6. During labor, this exercise will help you focus your attention, disciplining your mind equally.

Kegel exercises

Another important range of preparatory exercises for labor are Kegel exercises. Through these exercises, we train the perineal muscles so that at the moment of childbirth, we know how to push and relax this muscle. We must take into account the following: the better control we have over this musculature, the more we avoid the risk of tearing.

In practice, these exercises develop proprioception (about sensations from the body – which inform about movements, balance, etc.) at the level of the perineal muscles. You can do sets of 5 contractions, holding for 5 seconds each. There are several variations of this exercise.

• Variant 1. Inhale, contract the perineal muscles, hold the contraction for 5 seconds, and then exhale.
• Variant 2. Inhale, contract the perineal muscles, and hold the contraction while exhaling.
• Variant 3. Inhale, contract the muscles, hold the contraction, and then focus on relaxing the muscles until achieving complete relaxation.

From experience, I can say that I like to practice Variant 3 with mothers who are over 36 weeks pregnant because this way, they can internalize the process of perineal relaxation much better.

And perhaps, the most important thing we can do for a peaceful labor is visualization exercises and deep understanding (mindfulness) exercises that train and prepare the mind.

An example of such an exercise is as follows: you can sit in a comfortable position with your back straight. Close your eyes and start by observing both your breathing and the sensations in your body. As you feel that your breathing is rhythmic and deep, and the internal sensation is calm, you can begin to visualize the moment of childbirth as you wish it to unfold.

Wishing you an easy childbirth!

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