Aniball

I used the Aniball every 2-3 days from 37 weeks of pregnancy. I believe that this, along with perineal massage, prevented me from having any tears (first baby) and could have even contributed to my short labour (5 hours from first contraction to delivery). I had some minor grazes but two weeks post partum and I feel more or less back to normal down there. Aniball may seem unconventional but I feel that it really worked for me!

Aniball is the best and most helpful birth tool by far. I invested in all kinds of things for baby number 1 and second time around knew this was all I needed. Practising with the Aniball teaches you exactly how a babies head will feel pushing out of you and trains your skin to stretch gently. I genuinely did breathe my babies out, first with only gas and air in 7 pushes and then with no pain medication at all in 4 pushes. My midwives were amazed. Why don't morr people know about it?!?!

The whole process of using the Anibal allowed me to become in tune with my pelvic floor, get familiar with the stretching sensation and feeling of where the head is in the vaginal canal, practice the breathing out technique and get instant feedback by feeling how this moved the Anibal down. I am an anaesthetist and had a good working epidural from the onset of labour (pain was not in my birth plan), during the 2 hrs of passive I sat up fully and loaded my epidural to make sure it was covering the perineum for active pushing, I could still feel all the usual pressure sensations that I got with the Anibal, but no pain - I pushed the baby out in a controlled way, slowly using the breathing that I had practiced. I only had a 1st degree tear, which I was extremely happy with. My babies head circumference was 34 cm

This is a great tool and I will recommend to any mum planning a vaginal birth. I am so glad I have religiously exercised with Aniball. My baby ended up being born on 42+1, was 3.8kg and had a really big head… I still managed to deliver her naturally and I do think it is thanks to Aniball that I was already used to the sensation of having something big to push out! I have still torn but it was very slight compared to what midwives expected given the size of my baby and they have told me that I have done super well. I do think that all of my exercise paid off and I am recovering quickly.

I can’t recommend Aniball highly enough! Used for both pregnancies. Gave me so much confidence and allowed me to control pushes. My two daughters were born at 7 lb 11oz and 9 lb 4oz (with a 99th percentile head size!) and I didn’t tear at all with either.