Are you starting your birth preparation with Aniball and wondering how to use it correctly? It is not about performance or how large you can inflate the balloon. Aniball helps you become familiar with the sensation of pressure, work with your breathing and learn how to consciously relax your pelvic floor.
I have prepared 5 practical tips to help you better understand how to use Aniball correctly, along with the most common mistakes to avoid.
How to Use Aniball Correctly: 5 Practical Tips
1. Start no earlier than 37+0 weeks of pregnancy
Start your birth preparation with Aniball no earlier than 37+0 weeks of pregnancy, and always follow the current Instructions for Use.
Before your first session, take the time to read the Instructions for Use carefully and familiarise yourself with the contraindications. If you are unsure whether using Aniball is suitable for you, consult your doctor or midwife.
2. Start gently – balloon size is not the goal
Find a quiet environment and a position in which you feel comfortable. Before use, check that the balloon is undamaged and use a suitable water-based lubricant to make insertion easier.
Once inserted, gently inflate the balloon. Just 1–2 pumps may be enough to begin with. Pay attention to how your body responds. You should feel pressure or a mild stretching sensation, but never pain.
10 pumps is not a goal, but a limit that should never be exceeded when using Aniball.
Aniball is not designed to mechanically stretch the birth canal or to achieve a specific balloon circumference. What matters is not “how large a balloon you can manage”, but what you can learn through using Aniball.
3. Notice the pressure and observe how your body responds
The balloon creates a sensation of pressure that can help you become more aware of your pelvic floor and notice how your body responds to this unfamiliar sensation.
Do not try to overcome the pressure by force. Instead, give yourself time, breathe calmly and notice whether you instinctively tense your pelvic floor, buttocks or abdomen in response to the pressure.
The aim is to gradually learn to respond to pressure with calmness, breathing and conscious relaxation.
4. Use your breath to relax the pelvic floor
Focus on calm, unrestricted breathing. As you inhale, allow your abdomen and pelvic floor to relax.
There is no need to count breaths or aim for a specific number of repetitions. It is much more important to notice the connection between your breathing, the pressure created by the balloon and the response of your pelvic floor.
This experience can help you become more familiar with your own body and understand how, when you feel pressure, you can consciously relax instead of automatically tensing.
5. Do not push the balloon out – allow it to glide out as you inhale
The final part of the exercise is not about active pushing.
Focus only on inhaling and relaxing your pelvic floor, and allow the balloon to gradually glide out. Do not try to force it out and never hold your breath.
If the balloon begins to glide out too quickly, you can gently support it with your hand. There is no need to rush. The purpose of this part of the exercise is to become familiar with the sensation of pressure and practise responding to it without unnecessary pushing.
For more information, see our complete guide on how to use Aniball correctly.
5 Most Common Mistakes When Using Aniball
1. Starting too early
Start using Aniball no earlier than 37+0 weeks of pregnancy, as stated in the Instructions for Use.
Starting earlier does not mean better preparation. There is no need to “train” for as many days as possible – understanding your body and developing confidence in its abilities are more important.
2. Trying to inflate the balloon as much as possible
More does not mean better.
Aniball is not a dilator, and the aim is not to achieve the largest possible balloon circumference. The balloon allows you to experience pressure and learn how to respond to it through breathing and pelvic floor relaxation.
Do not compare the number of pumps or the size of your balloon with other women.
3. Treating it as a performance
You do not need to complete a certain number of breaths, pumps or minutes of exercise.
If you do not feel well on a particular day, you are tired or the exercise feels uncomfortable, do not force yourself to continue. Using Aniball is not a competition or a test of what your body can “manage”.
Be kind to yourself. Respect your body and its limits. There is no need to rush.
4. Trying to push the balloon out
One of the common mistakes is trying to actively push the balloon out.
The aim is the opposite: when you feel pressure, practise staying calm, breathing freely and using your breath and chosen position to relax your pelvic floor. Do not push the balloon out – allow it to gradually glide out as you inhale and relax.
5. Exercising through pain or ignoring your body’s signals
Using Aniball should not be painful. Pressure or a mild stretching sensation may be part of the experience, but pain is not the goal and should not be pushed through.
If you experience pain, bleeding, infection, rupture of membranes or any other situation listed among the contraindications in the Instructions for Use, stop using Aniball and follow the current Instructions for Use.
If you have any concerns, consult your doctor or midwife.
It’s Not About Centimetres. It’s About What You Learn.
When using Aniball, do not focus on numbers, balloon size or performance.
Aniball gradually teaches you to recognise pressure, work with your breathing and relax your pelvic floor. Learning to remain calm during an intense sensation and consciously relax instead of automatically tensing is an experience you can take with you into birth.
Every woman is different, and every birth is different. Give yourself time, respect your body and avoid comparing yourself with others.
Want to make sure you are using Aniball correctly? Visit our How to Use Aniball page, where you will find the current Instructions for Use, audio guides and instructional videos.
