Bottom line; we don’t know how birth will unfold. But by creating balance in your body (the pelvis, pelvic floor, psoas, and soft tissue), you're enhancing your baby’s chances of a smoother, more efficient birth!
Here are my favorite third trimester prep poses:

✨360 Breathing✨
360 breathing (also called diaphragmatic breathing), releases tension in the pelvic floor, opens the back and side ribs, releases the psoas, and helps reduce stress. All of these things can help your pelvis open for birth.

✨Rocking Cat / Cow ✨
Rocking cat / cow can release tension in the lower back and help maintain mobility of the spine and pelvis. Let’s not forget that belly-down poses can be beneficial for encouraging baby into a favorable birthing position!

✨Knees Together & Feet Apart ✨
I love that this pose gently stretches the piriformis (a deep rotator in the glutes), which is notoriously tight in pregnant bodies and can be one cause for SI issues and misalignment in the pelvis. Remember that when your muscles and pelvis are in better balance, that is helpful for your baby’s descent, rotation, and exit!

✨Squat & Rocking Squat✨
I am always game for a position that helps lengthen and release pelvic floor tension, and this pose does that beautifully!

I often add “rocking” squats into class when we are exploring laboring positions. As a doula, I have seen many people spontaneously drop down into a rocking squat as they follow their instincts to make more space in their pelvis for their baby. The rocking motion also tends to be rhythmic and relaxing.

✨The “Dangle” ✨
The “dangle” helps release tension in the psoas muscle.

The psoas plays a big role in how labor can progress. Since the psoas runs behind and cradles the uterus, tightness can cause an imbalance of the uterus and encourage pelvic misalignments. This would interfere with the baby’s position and descent, and could possibly lead to a longer and more challenging labor.

🧘‍♂️These are just a few of my favorite ways to prepare for birth. What are yours