Hello, mom-to-be—congratulations on your pregnancy!
This is an exciting and joyful time, but it can also feel overwhelming as you sift through all the information available online. Let’s take one thing off your plate and focus on what truly matters from a musculoskeletal standpoint. At Pacer Physical Therapy, our physical therapists specialize in guiding you through movement strategies to keep you physically active and comfortable throughout your pregnancy.
Here are four key things to try:
4 Key Physical Therapy Strategies for a Strong & Pain-Free Pregnancy
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing
As your pregnancy progresses, you may notice it becomes harder to take deep breaths. You might feel your shoulders rising and falling or find yourself breathing more into your ribs. While there’s no “wrong” way to breathe, diaphragmatic breathing—also known as deep belly breathing—can better support you during labor and delivery compared to rib cage or belly breathing.
With deep 360 breathing to your stomach, rib cage and back- each inhale gently stretches your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor, creating more space for your baby. On the exhale, your core muscles engage, helping to generate power supporting your body during exercise.
As your due date approaches, practice diaphragmatic breathing in each position you plan to labor or deliver in. Pelvic floor therapy can also help you optimize your breathing and core engagement to prepare for childbirth.
2. Relaxing the Pelvic Floor Muscles
If you’re planning for a vaginal birth, learning to relax your pelvic floor muscles is key—especially in the third trimester. When these muscles relax, they lengthen and open, creating more space around the vaginal canal. During labor and delivery, the pelvic floor’s main role is to get out of the way so your baby can pass through the birth canal as smoothly as possible. Training your body to relax these muscles can make a big difference in your birthing experience.
For most people, a deep squat is the most effective position to encourage pelvic floor muscle relaxation, but it’s important to practice this in all the positions you hope to deliver in. Pelvic floor therapy can help you fine-tune this relaxation response, ensuring your body is prepared for childbirth. We usually will do support you in session with internal feedback and external cues to aid in your body’s understanding about lengthening these muscles. Our clients say this is the best part of labor and delivery prep with us, learning how to push and breathe during labor to (hopefully!) achieve the birth they are hoping for.
3. Full-Body Strengthening
A well-balanced strengthening routine is essential throughout pregnancy, targeting your core, lower body, and overall stability. Your core naturally weakens as pregnancy progresses due to the stretching of abdominal tissues and reduced nerve input to the pelvic floor muscles. To counteract this, incorporate core strengthening exercises in standing, side-lying, or hands-and-knees positions.
Additionally, as your body produces more relaxin—a hormone that increases joint and ligament mobility—your hips will naturally become more flexible to prepare for birth. To maintain balance, it’s crucial to match this increased mobility with stability-focused strengthening exercises. Stronger lower body muscles will also support you with daily movements, such as getting up and down from the floor, carrying a car seat, or bending over the bassinet to lift your newborn. Upper body strengthening becomes equally as important to support all of the carrying and lifting you will be doing once baby is here.
At Pacer Physical Therapy, our expert physical therapists can guide you through a safe and effective prenatal strengthening plan to keep you active and pain-free. We tailor these programs to your individualized needs and help to push you to stay strong throughout your entire pregnancy.
From our blog
Your VBAC Guide: Empowering You with Knowledge and Confidence
Early C-Section Recovery: 6 Helpful Tips
Returning to Exercise After a C-Section: The 4 Step Approach
Urine Control: Tackling Leaking Postpartum
5 Ways to Maximize Your Return to Jumping Postpartum
4. Abdominal Mobility: Creating Space for Baby & Comfort for You
No one likes feeling cramped—including your baby! Ensuring they have enough space to move and settle into the best position (ideally head down and back-facing if you’re planning for a vaginal birth) is essential. One effective way to create this space is by improving abdominal muscle mobility and we have the knowledge from spinning babies to support you in optimizing flexibility to your torso to promote room for baby to move. Here are some ways to do just that:
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- Diaphragmatic breathing to promote deep core engagement
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- Gentle massage using your hands over the belly, sides, ribs, and lower back
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- Stretching exercises such as cat-cow, side leans, open books, and child’s pose (we make these individualized to you)
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- Myofascial silicone cupping (tool-assisted massage) to release tension in the belly, sides, ribs, and lower back
Bonus: Meet with a pelvic floor therapy specialist!
Why see a Pelvic Physical Therapist?
Pelvic floor therapy isn’t just for postpartum recovery. Many expecting parents benefit from working with a pelvic health physical therapist during pregnancy to manage pain, build a strengthening plan, and prepare for labor and delivery. Every pregnancy journey is unique, and getting expert guidance can make a big difference in your comfort and confidence.
At Pacer Physical Therapy, our team of expert physical therapists is here to support you at every stage of your perinatal journey. Want to learn more? Book a complimentary discovery call today!
