Hi all, I thought I'd share my birth experience after using Aniball as I read so many before purchasing it and they were so helpful! I've split into a summary and a more detailed version:
Summary:
- I used Aniball from 36-39 weeks (when I went into labour).
- I got to 22cm with the ball, my baby's head was 33cm.
- I exercised with the ball every other day, expelling it 3-4 times each time.
- This was my first baby and my labour lasted 9 hours from first contraction to birth.
- I had no intervention. I used gas and air, and water for pain relief.
- I had no perineal tears at all.
- I had a second degree labial tear (my baby came out in superman position with his hand by his face which they think is what caused this!)
Overall, it's obviously impossible to tell how much was the ball and how much was just my body, but I massively rate Aniball for increasing my confidence going into labour that I was in control and had the ability to do it!
Extended version:
Thought I'd go into a bit more detail about how I used Aniball as I found reading other people's accounts super helpful!
So I started using it at the beginning of 36 weeks and last used it the day before I went into labour at 39 weeks. To be honest, I found inserting it pretty difficult at first! I'd strongly recommend using the lube they sell with it. For me personally, I found the only way I could insert it was deflated. I would kind of fold it and then use my fingers to ease it in. Once in, I held the white plastic bit and inflated until it didn't squish down anymore when pressed. From there, I would count the pumps each time to gauge how big I'd inflated it.
My goal was always to just get familiar with the pelvic floor sensations and control pushing it out. I think this was so much more helpful than focussing on a specific size to get to. I only ever reached 22cm (with 3 weeks of exercising) and still had no perineal tear so I really do think it's more about the control than the stretching.
Each time I used it, I popped on some music and just made sure I was relaxed and wouldn't be disturbed. I found lying on my side on my bed the best position.
When the ball is about to be expelled, it will slip if you don't hold it! I always kept one hand on the end (the plastic bit) to ensure it didn't come out too quickly - the midwife does this with baby's head too during birth.
Each time I exercised, I would just push it out without extra expansion first to remind my body what we were doing. And then I'd do the previous size I got to before thinking about expanding. I didn't always add extra width every time if I already felt maxed out.
For my actual birth, it was nothing like pushing Aniball out to be honest because your body just goes into primal pushing mode! However, I was familiar with the sensation of my perineum stretching and the baby kind of going back in and then out again with each contraction. I was also able to control my breathing throughout most of the birth, which I'd practiced a lot with Aniball.
So overall, I'd really recommend it provided you go into it with a relaxed mindset and just see how far you get. Happy to answer any questions in thread :)
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