Not THOSE balls, you filthy bunch (although they are pretty important too) I’m talking about tennis balls!
Sounds random I know but bear with me…
Those later weeks of pregnancy can be hard, everything can feel heavy and sore and lower back can be a real pain in the, well, back! Want to know a handy way to relieve back aches and pains? BALLS!
- Pop 2 tennis balls inside one leg of old tights and tie a knot to keep them secure (they’ll look a bit like a peanut).
- Place the tennis balls against a wall and stand in front, keeping your knees slightly bent. The tennis balls should be parallel to your waist and centred just above your lower back. Each tennis ball should be in contact with the muscle tissue on each side of your spine (the bony bits that stick out of your back, should be between the tennis balls).
- Adjust yourself until you feel balanced and comfortable, and then gently move up and down and side to side, pressing the balls into your back in a way that you can feel, but is still comfortable.
You can also use them as a foot massager for aching feet- pop one ball under each foot (while sitting) and press your foot down firmly, rolling the ball backwards and forwards as you go-bliss!! Do this for 2-4 mins each foot.
But-balls can also be fab in labour too! Massage in labour is amazing (amazeballs?) and can be soooo good for relaxation, to boost oxytocin and get those mega endorphins flowing. One wonderful way to receive massage during labour (and especially during surges) is for your birth partner to use the heel of their hand to apply firm pressure to your lower back, around your sacral area, which can be so soothing and really help counter the intensity of a surge. It can be quite hard on the old hands though after a while-the solution? BALLS! A tennis ball popped in an old pair of tights is a brilliant little tool for counter pressure, it really works wonders, so you might want to pop one in your hospital bag.
So there you go, balls are pretty useful for pregnancy in more ways than you might think! Give it a go and let me know how it goes! Charlotte x
