Prenatal Visit Four: Peanut Ball For Medicated and Unmedicated Birth
Every body is different, and every birth is unique. But one thing is true for almost everyone: movement and positioning matter during labor.
At Melancentric, your fourth prenatal visit is all about physical support — and one of our favorite tools is the peanut ball. If you’re giving birth in a hospital (especially with an epidural), learning how to use this simple tool can help reduce labor time, improve positioning, and protect your pelvic floor.
And yes — this visit is fully covered by your Medi-Cal doula benefit.
What Is a Peanut Ball?
It’s exactly what it sounds like: a large inflatable ball shaped like a peanut, placed between the knees or ankles during labor — especially when you're lying down or have limited mobility (like with an epidural).
Peanut balls help:
Open the pelvis
Encourage baby’s descent
Reduce the chance of stalled labor
Support optimal fetal positioning
Shorten the second stage of labor
They’re especially helpful if you’re unable to walk or stand during labor.
What We Practice in This Visit:
This is a practical, hands-on visit. We walk you through:
How to use the peanut ball in side-lying, semi-sitting, and open-knee positions
What positions support dilation and baby rotation
How to reposition yourself safely with an epidural
How your nurse or doula can help adjust the ball during labor
Which positions to try in early labor, active labor, and pushing
We’ll also talk about birth balls (round yoga balls) and how to use them for gentle movement and balance before labor even starts.
Empowered, Not Dependent
We’re not just placing the ball for you, we’re teaching you and your partner how to use it so you feel confident and in control in the delivery room.
Your support team will know what to ask for and how to adjust positions to help labor progress without unnecessary intervention.
What’s Next?
In Visit Five, we’ll go deeper into breathwork for childbirth, where we teach you how to breathe through contractions, anchor yourself during labor, and stay calm when things get intense.
Want to prepare for labor with Melancentric?
