Pregnancy Ball
What is a pregnancy ball?
A pregnancy ball is a standard physiotherapy ball generally used by pregnant women. It is a large vinyl ball about 65cm or 75cm in height when inflated with air. Some pregnancy balls are made of non-slip surface so that they won’t slide on the floor easily. They are also made of special non-burst material that deflates slowly when punctured rather than rapturing suddenly.
The pregnant woman’s height must be considered in choosing for the pregnancy exercise ball size. The most ideal is the knee should be lower than the hips when sitting on the ball. There is no worry about the weight as pregnancy balls should be able to support no matter what the pregnant woman’s size is. Good quality pregnancy balls are tested to stand up to 300kgs.
How to use the pregnancy ball during pregnancy:
Pregnant women using this ball may need a support person to keep them steady while sitting. This is mostly advised to those using the ball for the first time. Use the ball on a carpet rather than a smooth floor surface to give more stability. It is better to go barefoot rather than wear shoes or socks. Or you can choose non-slip ones instead.
Your feet must be flat on the floor and about 60cm apart to get good balance. Place one hand on the ball first and then slowly lower yourself to sit on it.
Once you are comfortable, you can try to rock your pelvis side to side and back to front. You can add a little bounce once you feel more secure. Always hold on to whoever or whichever is near you if you feel unsteady while you slowly sway and bounce.
Benefits of Pregnancy Ball:
Pregnancy ball is considered very useful during pregnancy, labor, and birth. As pregnancy progress, sitting comfortably is almost impossible to attain. As the belly grows, back pain usually follows. The normal chairs or even comfortable couches don’t seem to provide comfort anymore. The pregnancy ball however molds to the pregnant woman’s ever changing shape, thus it provides comfort and at the same time it is firm enough to provide support.
Other benefits of pregnancy ball include:
- Maintaining good posture during pregnancy.
- Strengthens abdominal muscles and lower back.
- It helps increase blood flow to the uterus, placenta and the growing baby.
- Increases pelvic diameter thus helps the baby find a great position for birth.
Pregnancy Ball Photo
If you are interested to get one, you can buy it from this link: Buy Pregnancy ball