Best Exercise for Natural Birth (Video)

The best exercise, according to traditional cultures, for encouraging a fast, natural birth. This simple movement can be done in as little as 1-2 minutes per day and is also tremendously beneficial for a strong core (without excessive strain) for those who aren’t pregnant too!

I’ve been a fan of lots of outdoor activities all my life, enjoying a wide variety of sports on land, water, and snow. 

When I got pregnant for the first time in my mid-thirties, I suddenly and unexpectedly became very averse to anything that was at all strenuous.

I know a lot of women who run, lift weights, and otherwise do not change their exercise routine during pregnancy.

This was not for me. I honestly question whether this type of exercise is even good for you while pregnant!

I knew that I needed to keep fit while I was pregnant in order to give myself the best odds for a natural birth, however.  

My Mother had wisely told me that giving birth is like running a marathon (she had seven natural births herself!). As a result, you need to not only pace yourself but also have the endurance to make it past the finish line to avoid drugs or other medical intervention.

As a result, I figured out an exercise plan that kept me fit but still honored my desire for minimal athletics.

This fitness routine involved a lot of walking and gentle stretching in a class setting several times a week.

Low-impact exercise, such as walking and stretching, was all the exercise I attempted postpartum as well. Though it might seem like a wimpy fitness regimen compared with some gals, it was incredibly effective, as I lost all the pregnancy weight by the time each child turned two.  

This approach was certainly not the fastest way to take off the weight, but it was gradual, stress-free, and suited me just fine.

During the gentle prenatal exercise classes recommended by the nurse-midwife at my birth center, my instructor emphasized one particular stretch above all others as the best exercise for a natural birth.

That position is malasana – the Sanskrit word for squat – specifically a yogic or Asian squat. Mala in Sanskrit (with a short “a”, not a long “ah” sound) translates as impurities and relates to the pose’s encouragement of healthy digestion.

Indeed, squatting toilets are typical in Asian homes, which I observed on my travels in Asia in the 1980s. Even very old people are able to use them with little difficulty into advanced age.

This Asian practice has increased the popularity of squatty stools here in the United States in recent decades as well.

Besides helping digestion and preventing constipation, a yogic squat gently and effectively prepares the pelvic area for a natural birth with little risk of harm.  

As with any exercise, however, women need to be very careful, as the pregnancy hormone relaxin loosens ligaments, increasing the risk of injury.

1-2 Minutes Every Day

In the video below, I demonstrate a yogic squat, as I was encouraged to do every single day of my pregnancies by my instructor. Did the exercise do its job?  

I believe it did, as I was fortunate to experience three fairly brief and complication-free natural births.

As a basic movement performed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years by traditional cultures (and still vital to everyday life in Asia today), squatting is an exercise that can potentially benefit not only pregnant women but the general population as well.

If you can’t hold it for a full 1-2 minutes at first, work up to it slowly as your flexibility and fitness level permit.

Keep doing it every day, and it won’t be hard even once you are very top-heavy in the third trimester!

Then, once labor begins, you will be delighted at how well prepared you are to push that baby out 🙂

Remember that doing regular Asian squats is not just for pregnant women! It’s been over 20 years since my youngest was born, and I am happy to report that I still do this simple movement several times a week to maintain flexibility and core strength.