"Having a baby is no simple feat. In fact, it can be incredibly intimidating—especially for first-time moms. Not only is there a grocery list of foods and products to avoid during pregnancy, but there’s a lot to think about when it comes to labor and delivery. Much like running a marathon, climbing Everest, or swimming from Cuba to Florida, giving birth is an awe-inspiring achievement—and one you can prep for.
There are endless resources for having a healthy pregnancy and taking care of a newborn. But this article is about what happens in between those two phases—giving birth. So, if you’re researching childbirth prep and planning for your upcoming labor and delivery, keep reading for everything to know about the push prep method—a way to connect with your body during birth and potentially decrease your risk of tearing.
Whether you’re hearing about the push prep method for the first time or it’s already popped up on your social media algorithm, we thought it was time to take a deep dive with the help of an expert: Rebekah Mustaleski, Certified Professional Midwife and Motif Compression Director. With her expert insights, we cover what the push prep method is, how to practice it, some must-have resources for success, and more. Read on for the 411 of the push prep method. Of course, we also always recommend seeking the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider.
Rebekah Mustaleski
As a Certified Professional Midwife and Motif Compression Director, Rebekah provides evidence-based maternity care for families seeking an out of hospital delivery with Roots & Wings Midwifery in Knoxville, TN.
What is the Push Prep Method?
Mustaleski defined the push prep for birth as a way to create a mind-body connection with your pelvic floor during the prenatal phase. She shared, “Most of us don’t spend time thinking about our pelvic floor muscles and if they are contracted or relaxed—but being able to relax those muscles becomes very important when you’re pushing out a baby!”
Other sources further define the method as a form of childbirth prep that eases the labor and delivery process. Essentially, it offers a means of training your body for pushing during childbirth—a process that can be traumatic for many moms, both physically and mentally.
The push prep method aims to combat common occurrences that take place during birth. Things like pelvic floor injuries, birth trauma, and tearing are proactively addressed before even heading into the delivery room.
The Benefits of the Push Prep Method
One major benefit of the push prep method is the reduction of tearing during birth. Mustaleski explains that the practice helps moms feel what’s going on in that part of the body—something that’s normally overlooked. When you know what feels right and what doesn’t, you’re better able to get to the point of relaxation that’s necessary for pushing.
During push prep, ideally, moms will learn how to relax their pelvic floor muscles. According to Mustaleski, if you’re able to keep them relaxed during labor, the risk of tearing is reduced. On the contrary, tight, contracted tissues are more likely to tear.
Another huge win with push prep is reducing the risk of pelvic organ prolapse—or one or more pelvic organs dropping from their ideal position. Pushing a baby out through tight pelvic floor muscles can cause muscle damage and reduce their functions postpartum, according to Mustaleski.
How Can You Prepare to Push a Baby Out?
Mustaleski highlighted several key ways a woman can prepare to push a baby out. The great news is, many can be done at home!
3-Dimensional Breathing
Mustaleski pointed out the concept of 3-dimensional breathing. Often practiced in yoga and Pilates, the concept, put simply, refers to a “complete breath.” When we so often take shallow breaths without even thinking, 3-dimensional breathing challenges this. We can think of this technique as a “three-part breath.” The three parts are the abdomen, diaphragm, and chest. First, we can completely fill our lungs, then breathe deeply into our abdomen, ribcage, and upper chest. Following this, we want to exhale completely, all while staying slow and controlled. The practice is excellent for getting into a parasympathetic state where we’re better able to relax. This relaxation, as we know, aids in pushing.
Deep Squats
Next, Mustaleski recommended practicing deep squats to aid in push prep. Deep squats are beneficial because they tilt the uterus and pelvis into proper alignment for delivery—a position you may consider for delivery later on. Like everything else, they may also encourage relaxation in the pelvic floor. You may also notice increased strength and lower back and pelvic stability.
To practice deep squats, keep your spine straight while your ankles, knees, and hips bend in unison and you lower as if sitting in a chair. Specifically, your hips will be lower than the height of your knees during a deep squat. If you’re familiar with common yoga practices, you may recognize this as a “goddess squat.” You can practice with or without yoga blocks to “sit” on during the movement.
“Happy Baby” Pose
Make welcoming a baby easier by practicing the “happy baby” yoga pose! Another recommendation by Mustaleski, here you’ll further engage in the mind-body concept that’s pivotal to the push prep method. This gentle pose has you lying on your back with your feet up in the air—much like a sweet baby being playful. During the pose, you can cradle your feet and rock back and forth on your back for a gentle spinal massage. Pro tip: practice your 3-dimensional breathing while in the pose to further increase relaxation.
Stay Active
As hard as it may be sometimes, Mustaleski stressed the importance of staying active while pregnant. She shared, “Staying active throughout pregnancy is my number one tip to have a less painful postpartum recovery.” Explaining that labor and birth are physically demanding, exercising throughout pregnancy ensures the body is used to producing lactic acid that the muscles produce while being active and leads to less soreness postpartum.
“Staying active throughout pregnancy is my number one tip to have a less painful postpartum recovery.“
She went on to share that first time moms will likely experience some soreness regardless—it’s simply a new experience for your body! But remaining active during pregnancy can still be highly beneficial. On top of that, she suggests having ice packs on hand to use on your perineum after birth, as well as compression garments.
How Can You Push Without Tearing?
One thing Mustaleski pointed out is that even though there are some techniques that fall under the push prep umbrella, childbirth prep is an individual experience. Everyone should find what works best for them and makes them the most relaxed, comfortable, and confident.
With that in mind, she was able to highlight common positions women use while pushing during childbirth. She shared that the best position is the one that will “enable you to feel and relax your pelvic floor the most.” A few of the most common positions to practice are side lying, sitting on the toilet, or being on hands and knees.
Her biggest advice? “If you do push prep practice, I recommend doing it in all of the positions so that you can know what it feels like in each of them. This will make pushing during birth easier, no matter which position you are in for the actual delivery.”
More Push Prep Resources
According to Mustaleski, many women can practice push prep at home as long as they have a healthy tone to their pelvic floor. However, many of us hold a lot of stress in our pelvic floor, which can lead to us not having the ability to fully relax the pelvic floor. In this case, she highly recommends seeking individualized care from a pelvic floor physical therapist. They can tell us what our bodies need and potentially send us home with exercises to practice.
In addition to seeking out a physical therapist, consider these programs:
Body Ready Method
Recommended by Mustaleski, the Body Ready Method is a prenatal prep program. It helps develop balance and space in the body, which leads to a better birthing experience and easier postpartum recovery. Coined an exercise program for pregnant women and so much more, the program was created by an exercise physiologist and doula, as well as a movement specialist.
Push Prep Crash Course by The Down There Doc
Dr. Mary Crouch has grown quite the following on social media for sharing tips on reducing vaginal and pelvic floor tearing and trauma during the birthing experience. She is a pelvic floor physical therapist and has put together a push prep course for expecting mothers. The course provides insights on reducing tearing while pushing, at-home exercises and stretches, advice on what questions to ask your doctor, and much more.
Brett Nicole Hayden, Assistant Editor
As the Assistant Editor, Brett works with the editors of The Everymom on the content creation process by updating stories, sourcing images and graphics, and pitching and contributing her own articles. Her favorite topics to write about are culture, relationships, and living. She’s also The Everymom’s resident baby names and family movies expert!