Pregnancy can place extra strain on your hips, lower back, pelvis, and joints as your body changes to support your growing baby. Carrying extra weight and fluid during pregnancy can leave many women feeling sore, tight, tired, and uncomfortable.^1,2

Gentle stretching during pregnancy may help relieve tension, reduce muscle soreness, improve flexibility, support mobility, and prepare your body for labor and birth.³ Hip-opening stretches, in particular, can help release tight muscles around the pelvis and encourage relaxation throughout pregnancy.

Before beginning any new exercise or stretching routine during pregnancy, check with your healthcare provider. Pregnancy hormones naturally loosen ligaments and joints to help prepare the body for childbirth, but this can also increase the risk of overstretching or injury.⁴ Move gently, avoid forcing your body deeper into stretches, and stop immediately if you feel pain, dizziness, or discomfort.

While stretching alone cannot guarantee an easier labor, many pregnant women find that it helps improve comfort and body awareness before birth.

6 Hip Opening Stretches for Pregnancy

These gentle stretches may help release tension in the hips and pelvis while supporting flexibility and mobility during pregnancy.

Avoid bouncing or forcing your body deeper into any stretch during pregnancy.

1. Butterfly Stretch (Tailor Pose)

This is an effective hip-opening stretch for the inner thighs, hips, and groin.^3,5,6 This pose helps widen your hips, but it also helps ease aches in your lower back.⁶ Here’s how to do it:

1. While sitting on the ground, bring the soles of your shoes or your feet together, allowing your knees to point out to the sides.
2. Grasping your feet or ankles, draw both heels in as close to your body as is comfortable.
3. Lean forward slightly and hold that position. Focus on taking big, deep belly breaths.
4. To gently deepen the stretch, press your thighs down with your hands or elbows to bring your knees closer to the ground. Hold the pose while focusing on slow, steady breathing.

Preparing for Birth? Start Here.

Short, practical lessons to help you feel more prepared, supported, and ready for birth.

Start Your Birth Prep

2. Squats (Garland Pose)

Squats help strengthen your thighs and open up your pelvis in preparation for childbirth.^7,8 Midwife Ina May Gaskin famously encouraged squatting during pregnancy to help support mobility and labor preparation.⁹ Follow these steps to do this pose:

1. Stand with your feet facing forward or slightly outward, shoulder-width or slightly wider than hip distance apart.
2. Bend your knees slowly and fluidly, and lower your body, extending your arms out in front for balance, if helpful.
3. Balance your weight on the balls of your heels and pause.
4. Breathe and slowly rise back up, and then repeat the action.

Related: The Best Pregnancy Stretches For Back Pain

3. Hip Flexor Stretch

The hip flexors are the muscles at the top of your thighs that allow you to lift your knees and bend at the waist.^10,11 Here’s how to do the hip flexor stretch:

1. Kneel on your right knee and put your left foot in front of you so your leg forms a right angle.
2. Put your left hand on your left thigh for balance, and put your right hand on your right hip or also on your left thigh.
3. While keeping your back straight, lean forward and shift your body weight to the forward leg. You will feel the stretch in the right thigh.
4. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.

4. Pigeon Pose

With the pigeon pose, you can use a yoga strap or yoga brick to help you ease into this hip stretch until your flexibility increases. To do this pose, follow these steps:

1. Sit on your mat with one leg extended behind you.
2. Bend your front leg to 90 degrees and, if sitting on a mat, walk your foot to the inside edge of your mat.
3. Inhale as you lay your knee down flat (at the opposite edge of the mat).
4. Hold for a few minutes and repeat on the other side.

Related: Exercises You Should Do Before Giving Birth

5. Figure 4 Stretch

This stretch is an excellent way to release the hips and tight glutes!¹² You’ll be amazed by how much easier you can move — and deeper you can squat! Here’s how you do it:

1. Start lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Lift your right leg and cross the right ankle over the knee.
3. Reach your hands around the left leg to meet under the thigh (as shown).
4. Draw your left thigh toward you while keeping your torso pressed against the floor.
5. Use your right elbow to gently press the right knee away from you as you draw your thigh in closer.
6. Hold for three to five breaths, deepening the stretch with every exhale, then switch sides.

6. Seated Straddle

Follow these steps to do the seated saddle stretch:

1. Extend both legs out wide with your feet flexed.
2. Press your pelvis and hamstrings into the floor to help straighten your spine.
3. Stay in this position if this is enough of a stretch for the backs of your legs, or walk your hands out in front of you.

Related: Safe Exercise During Pregnancy: Dos and Don’ts

Why Stretching During Pregnancy Matters

Remember, stretching during pregnancy helps protect your mobility and prevent muscle injury. It’s important to keep your muscles and joints strong and flexible to make labor easier. If you don’t stretch during your pregnancy:

• You could reduce your joint range of motion.¹⁹
• You could make your muscles short and tight so they function less efficiently.¹⁴
• It can lead to spinal misalignment, which can cause mild to severe back pain and lead specific muscle groups to tighten.²¹ Over time, spinal misalignment can distort the shapes of major muscle groups.

Benefits of Hip-Opening Stretches During Pregnancy

In addition to improving flexibility, regular stretching may support both physical comfort and mental relaxation during pregnancy.

Physical Benefits

• It helps bring oxygenated blood to your muscles, giving you more energy and flushing out toxins and lactic acid, which may help reduce muscle soreness.^10,13,17
• If done correctly with deep breathing, stretching also helps bring more oxygen to your baby, helping them grow.¹³
• Some hip-opening stretches may also help relax the pelvic floor during pregnancy.
• It keeps you flexible.^3,5
• Stretching before and after exercise might prevent injury and sore muscles (though there’s some debate about this).^14,15,16
• Stretching may ease both physical tightness and mental stress during pregnancy.^6,18
• It helps lengthen your muscles, enhancing your flexibility permanently.
• Stretching regularly helps lubricate your joints, so they move smoothly and without pain.^19,20
• Regular mobility work may help improve overall freedom of movement.¹⁶
• Stretching may help counterbalance some of pregnancy’s physical stresses on the body.

Mental & Emotional Benefits

• Regular stretching may encourage relaxation and help ease physical tension.³
• It can also help you cope with pregnancy’s psychological and emotional stress.
• It can get you into the habit of taking time out for yourself to rest and rejuvenate before the demands of parenting become overwhelming. Once your baby arrives, caring for yourself becomes just as important as caring for your little one.

Related: Prenatal Yoga: The Benefits and Poses to Practice

Gentle stretching during pregnancy can be a simple way to support mobility, relieve tension, and help your body feel more prepared for labor and birth. Even a few minutes of stretching each day may help you feel more relaxed, comfortable, and connected to your changing body.

As with any prenatal exercise routine, move slowly, listen to your body, and stop if anything feels painful or uncomfortable. If you have questions about stretching safely during pregnancy, talk with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.