i.
Hip Circles
Seated on the ball with feet planted, draw circles with your sit bones — clockwise, then counter-clockwise. Then figure eights, both directions. Open the pelvis. Loosen the lower back. Let the spine remember softness.
The Practice
Eight ways to move with it.
A daily practice for the body in motion — through pregnancy, into labor, and slowly back to center. Each of the eight silhouettes printed on the ball is a teacher: meet them here, then return to them on your own.
Begin here
Sizing & setup.
Inflate the ball until your hips and knees rest at 90 degrees when seated — not too low, not too high. The 65 cm size is designed for those 5'11" and under. Place it on a soft surface — a rug, a yoga mat, the carpet — and let it become part of the room.
ii.
Cat Cow
Seated on the ball: for cat, hug baby and tuck the tailbone under while rounding the spine. Then for cow, arch the lower back, lift the tailbone, and reach the arms above the head. A spine in dialogue with breath.
iii.
Hip Hikes
Rock the hips from side to side. Lift one hip and crunch the obliques laterally, then switch sides. The body finds its own rhythm. A wakening for the side body and the deep core.
iv.
Inlet · Outlet on All 4s
Begin resting the head on the ball in outlet position — knees hip-width apart, feet apart. Move to inlet position with feet together and knees apart. The pelvis opens and closes through the breath. A position that often becomes home in the late hours of labor.
v.
Supported Cat Cow
Knees on the ground, forearms on the ball. Arch the back and lift the chin to inhale (cat). Tuck the pelvis and round the back to exhale (cow). A gentler version of the seated practice — closer to the floor, closer to rest.
vi.
Lunge
Lay the head and arms on top of the ball with one leg in lunge position on one side. Move the hips forward and back through the lunge. Switch sides. A long, releasing stretch through the hip flexors — the place where labor often asks for opening first.
vii.
Supported Squat Sequence
Begin in a deep squat with hands on knees and head resting on the ball. Push off the feet to lift and roll back with the arms overhead. Return to start position and repeat. A full-body opening that calls on legs, breath, and spine together.
viii.
Welcher's Technique
Lay on top of the ball with the back arched. Reach one arm up to support the neck. Extend the leg on the same side and bend the other for support. Switch legs. A deep, slow opening through the side body — the kind of stretch that asks the body to give over to gravity with support.
The Tool
A quiet teacher within reach.
Each silhouette is printed directly on the ball. The instruction lives in your breath, your weight, the slow return to center.
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