Whether your due date is just around the corner or has come and gone, you may be understandably eager to speed up the labor process. Problem is, most of the popular labor induction techniques — like drinking castor oil and eating a spicy meal — are more likely to induce heartburn than labor. That’s where exercises come in. Some moms-to-be swear that they went into labor after doing squats or lunges, while others credit the yoga or Pilates they did throughout their pregnancy.[1]
The truth is, though, no exercise can actually "induce labor" — only medications can do that[2], says Kristin Cohen, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, a certified nurse midwife in New Jersey and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
But general physical activity, like walking, as well as doing exercises like pelvic tilts or lunges “are terrific things to do to prep your body for labor and encourage proper positioning of the baby,” she says. “They can also help labor progress, especially in the early stages, when the contractions are irregular.”
Moms who have given birth agree.
"I swam/walked in the water," says What to Expect Community mom QuincysMama. "I went on daily morning walks for at least 30 minutes of walking … I also bounced on my birthing ball every day a few times a day.”
Here are some exercises to try at home — just be sure to get your practitioner’s okay first.
Lunges
Lunges — in which you step forward with one foot and lower your knees to 90-degree angle — can help open up your hips, encouraging baby to drop into the proper positioning for birth. It can also help labor along if you’re feeling contractions, says Cohen, but they won’t induce labor to begin.
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Hip circles
Like lunges, doing hip circles helps open up the hips, which can help coax the baby down into the pelvis. (What they won’t do is actually start labor, though.) You can try doing these on a birthing ball: Simply sit upright and gently rotate your hips in circles.
Pelvic tilts
If you aren’t doing pelvic tilts already, here’s a good reason to start: Not only can pelvic tilts help open up your hips, they can also strengthen your core, helping to ease the lower back pain that all too often accompanies pregnancy and postpartum. They can’t, however, trigger labor to actually start, she says.
Instead of doing pelvic tilts on the ground — “You don’t want to be lying directly on your back [in your third trimester of pregnancy],” says Cohen — try doing them against a wall. Stand up straight with your back against the wall and your feet planted hip-width apart. Next, push the small of your back against the wall for a few seconds, then return to the starting position.
Butterfly pose
Start on the floor with the soles of your feet pressed together, your legs bent outward toward the side. Put your hands on the knees and, if you’re able, press down on them gently. This should help tone your pelvic muscles, which can help with labor, says Cohen.
“A butterfly pose isn’t going to make you have contractions,” says Cohen, “but it can help tone the pelvic muscles,” which you’ll use during labor to push baby into the world. Bonus: This one feels good.
Warrior pose
A yoga classic, the warrior pose won’t help induce labor, but it can help open up your hips, which may help with baby’s positioning, says Cohen. In fact, doing prenatal yoga in general has been shown to help reduce labor pain once childbirth starts, according to some research.
To try it, start from a standing position and step forward with your right foot. Then bend your knee into a lunge and lift your arms and chin upward, toward the ceiling.
“Yoga and swimming have made the pain … more bearable and easier to manage day to day,” says What to Expect Community mom Sanguisugabae.
Cohen agrees that prenatal yoga is a great way to get yourself ready to give birth, and good for pregnancy health in general.
“I recommend prenatal yoga to all my pregnant clients,” Cohen says. “Yoga feels great both physically and mentally, and is low-impact, easy to do at home, easily modifiable, and requires no expensive equipment. The breath work is good practice for controlled labor breathing. There is so much to love about prenatal yoga!”
Squats
If you’ve researched anything about giving birth, you likely know that being in a squat position can help open the pelvis, allowing baby to slip through more easily. Doing squats before labor can do the same thing, although it won’t induce contractions to begin.
To a squat, stand with your feet slightly farther than hip-width apart. Then, lower your hips until your knees reach a 90-degree angle before pushing back up to the starting position.
"I was 40 weeks, so baby was likely on the way, but the squats might’ve sped it up!" says What to Expect Community mom dogs2baby111111.
Walking
While some exercises are off the table or just too tricky at this late stage of pregnancy, plain old walking is good for helping baby into the proper position.
“Walking is a gentle, low-impact way to continue physical movement.” says Cohen. “Any physical activity can be helpful prep for labor and birth because they’re such physical processes.”
One What to Expect Community mom says she relied heavily on walking and other exercises as delivery day neared.
"I did lots of walking and squats!!" Ksb9831 says.
Are any exercises dangerous during pregnancy?
In general, exercise is good for moms-to-be, but there are a few movements you want to avoid, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG):
- Advanced exercises, like burpees and bear crawls.
- Exercises that involve lying on your back for long periods of time. When you lie on your back, your uterus presses on a large vein that brings blood to the heart.
- Bouncy, high-impact movements that increase your risk of injury.
- Hot yoga or exercise in very hot weather, which can cause you to become overheated.
- Contact sports and other risky activities, such as surfing, skiing, gymnastics, horseback riding, and skydiving should also be avoided.
Even if you’re sticking to relatively safe exercises, though, you should still run your workout regimen past your practitioner, who can give you more specific advice (or recommend other modifications). Make sure you stay well-hydrated during all physical activity.
The bottom line? While you can only truly be induced by your practitioner, these exercises may help get you into shape for labor. Just be sure to talk to your doctor or midwife about any physical activity you’re doing during pregnancy to get the green light that it’s safe for you and your baby. With any luck, staying fit will mean a smoother delivery when the time comes.
- Exercise can’t induce labor (only medications can do that), but certain movements can help prime your body for labor and delivery, and may help labor progress once it starts.
- Exercises like the yoga warrior pose and squats can help open your pelvis, which may coax baby into position.
- Talk to your doctor or midwife about how to exercise safely to help prepare your body for labor.
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