During childbirth, your baby has to descend down the birth canal, moving through all three levels of your pelvis: pelvic inlet, midpelvis, and pelvic outlet. Let’s discuss the baby’s journey through birth canal and how to open each level of your pelvis to prepare for childbirth.

Baby’s Journey Down Birth Canal

There are three levels to your pelvis that baby has to pass through: the pelvic inlet, midpelvis, and pelvic outlet. Your baby engages into the pelvic inlet often a few weeks before delivery.

Once baby’s head is engaged it begins its descent down the birth canal during labor. Then, as the baby descends, it usually flexes its head to adapt to the shape of the birth canal to align with the smallest part of your pelvis: the pelvic outlet.

Your baby’s head will probably rotate to adjust to the shape of the pelvic outlet for smoother passage. Next, your baby’s head will start to crown followed by the baby’s head emerging. Delivery of its shoulders will happen one at a time and lastly, birth of the body will occur. 


Alright, now that you understand that process, you can see why it’s important to have a flexible pelvis and pelvic floor for delivery. 

How to Open the Pelvic Inlet

To open the pelvic inlet, you need to position your hips in external rotation and the pelvis in a posterior pelvic tilt. In simpler terms, any exercise that requires wide knees!

  • For example: squats and child’s pose

How to Open the Midpelvis

This is the level of the pelvis baby has to rotate through. To open your midpelvis, perform asymmetrical rotational movements.

  • For example: lateral lunges or lateral step-ups

How to Open the Pelvic Outlet

You’ll want to perform movements that open the pelvic outlet and posterior pelvic floor. As the baby enters the pelvic outlet, you’ll start to push.This is the final part of your baby’s journey down the birth canal. Movements to open the pelvic outlet and the posterior pelvic floor include hinging at the hips.

  • For example: staggered stance RDLs or deadlifts

Summary

Preparing for birth can become overwhelming. So, aim to perform a variety of movements everyday leading up to birth and you’ll set yourself up for a confident birth experience!

pregnancylabor and delivery Guest User