Birthing Balls

Juicy_Tube

Hi All,

Would like to know if these are the same as the balls used at the gym?

What type of exercises prepare you for birth (if they can)?

Where do I buy one cheaply?

Did you find using one worthwhile?

TIA

JT x

Rikki

When I gave birth. I had two tennis balls in a sock. These were used to massage my lowerback in labour.

Jay-Jay_4

I got a Reebok gymball from Argos for about a tenner.

I used to sit on it for 10 minutes every night and circle my hips around. Sometimes I knelt on the floor, draped my arms over it and rocked back and forth to relieve backache. I used it when I was in labour and got to about 5-6 cm before I decided to re-locate to a dining room chair.

I found it very useful in labour and wouldn't hesitate to use it again (....but I'm not having any more babies ).


One thing.... if you get one you'll find that your husband can't stop himself from launching imself onto it at every available opportunity. In fact every person who comes to your house will either sit on it or dive on it at some point :rolleyes:

hex2

Mine was about £4 in Poundstretcher.

I thoroughly recommend a tens machine, but shop round. Boots/Mothercare most expensive.

purplepatch

I had the same one as Jay Jay from Argos. Didn't particularly find it helpful to be honest. Especially at the end of the pregnancy, used to get stuck on it like a beached whale :rotfl:

I hired a tens machine as well and found that totally irritating - took it off after a bit as it didn't seem to make any difference to the contractions, just got on my nerves.

I suppose it's really a case of trying these things, they seem to work for some people brilliantly and are a waste of time for others. If I have another baby I'll probably dig the gym ball out of the loft, but wouldn't bother with the tens machine.

Top tip for the gym ball is to make sure you have a decent pump - all we had at the time was a bicycle pump, poor DH was fit for nothing by the time he had it inflated!!

iwanttosave_2

i never used one during pregnancy but i spied one at the labour ward and i thought it was great, i stayed on it until about half an hour before giving birth, i think it may have helped i only had a 1hr 40min labour start to finish, it was either the birthing ball that did it, or the raspberry leaf tea. When i had a contraction i found it was great to circle my hips or roll forward and back, I would really recommend it as the gravity helps speed things up. I actually wish i had bought one while i was pregnant as i got s.p.d and it felt great whilst i was using it. apparently lidl or netto sometimes sell them cheap or there is poundstrecher(instore) they should do them cheap, or even ask yor midwife she may know of somewhere.

fesdufun

I got a free birthing ball with my birthing pool - seeing as I spent over £300 on the pool which I never got to use it was nice to get a freebie! It did come with a pump which is very good as they do take a lot of air. The ball on it's costs about £39.00

I also have a Special K gym ball which I got for 9.99 including a video.

The main difference between the two is the size - the birthing ball being a bit larger. I don't think this is a major issue unless you are quite tall.

I used the ball to sit on during the final weeks of my first pregnancy in the vain attempt to get my baby to move from being back to back.

However I didn't use it at all during my second labour and didn't really miss it.

My 3 year old loves playing with them now.

Personally I would use a cheap gym ball and just try it - it will work for some and not for others. And at least you will end up with a toy that will last for years.

Cath_S

I got mine from argos. I think it was about £7 for a reebok one. I used to go on it occasionally thorughout my pregnancy and then 5 days before my due date I went on it for 2 hours (much, much longer than I normally would) whilst searching for girls names on the net, convinced I was was having a boy. The next day I went into labour and had a little girl!

Bargainbabe_2

I was given a birthing ball whilst in labour by a midwife. I have to be brutally honest and say that I was in the most excruiating pain (and no, I've never forgotten it!) and the birthing ball was about as much use to me as a bike would be to a fish.
However, maybe it could of been of some benefit (?) perhaps when I was pregnant? Not sure how though. I reckon It would of been of more use in helping me getting back into shape after the birth!

Jay-Jay_4

Bargainbabe wrote:

I was given a birthing ball whilst in labour by a midwife. I have to be brutally honest and say that I was in the most excruiating pain (and no, I've never forgotten it!) and the birthing ball was about as much use to me as a bike would be to a fish.

I think that the positions you get into when you're in labour have to be positions which you've found yourself in by accident rather than positions that someone's suggested to you or ones that have been a conscious decision.

I moved onto my ball in the early stages and it suited me fine for a while, however, I wouldn't have felt comfy going back on it later on as I needed the support of a hard chair. The important part for me was that I found my own comfy positions all the way through.

Doozergirl

I bought this one. http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3023792.htm

However, it was pretty useless for me and I had much the same experience that purplepatch describes. Having given birth twice now without pain relief (certainly not intentional the first time), being in the bath was absolutely magical for pain relief. I had a home birth this time and after a false alarm a couple of days before, I was convinced that I'd set myself up to be embarrassed again and managed to stop the labour by getting in the bath. Every time I tried to get out though, the pain was terrible. It wasn't miraculous to end, unfortunately, but it did get me to 8cm before I started to lose it a bit!

I'd certainly give the ball a go though, £3.99 isn't a lot, especially if it helps you. £25 for a tens machine is a lot if it doesn't!