You may be familiar with birth balls, but many parents are surprised to learn about peanut balls. A peanut ball is a labor support tool commonly used in hospitals, birth centers, and home births to help with positioning and comfort during labor.

I first learned about peanut balls while supporting a doula client during labor, and I’ve seen how helpful they can be in certain situations. In this guide, I’ll explain what a peanut ball is, how it’s used during labor, its potential benefits, and how to choose the right size.

What Is a Peanut Ball?

A peanut ball is an oblong exercise or therapy ball designed to support positioning and pelvic opening during labor. Shaped like a peanut, it is larger on each end and slightly narrower in the middle. While peanut balls are also used in physical therapy and strength training, they have become increasingly popular in labor and birth settings for comfort and positioning support.

How to Use a Peanut Ball During Labor

Peanut balls can be used in many labor positions, especially when a laboring parent is resting in bed or using pain management. They are suitable for every type of birth and can be used at hospital births, birth center births, and home births. There are always points in labor when a woman wants or needs to sit or lie down, whether she has pain medication or not. She may be tired, feel more comfortable in bed, or be preparing for an epidural. These are all ideal times to use a peanut ball.

Here are the two typical ways that peanut balls are used during labor:

1. The laboring mother is in a semi-reclined position, with one leg over the ball and the other leg to the side of the ball. The doula, nurse, or other support person pushes the ball as close to the mother’s hips as she tolerates. Many feel this position promotes cervix dilation and descent with a well-positioned baby.

2. While the mother is in a side-lying or semi-prone position, the peanut ball lifts the upper leg and opens the pelvic outlet. Many believe this position helps rotate a baby from a less favorable posterior position to a more favorable position for delivery.

Both of these are great positions for women who have an epidural. I recommend using a peanut at every birth, but I especially recommend them to women who want an epidural. Again, this is something you can do to help your labor progress and the descent of your baby into your pelvis.

There are 19 different positions that you can do with a peanut ball to help you during labor. Pretty amazing! Here are two peanut ball charts, each showing pictures of these positions and their corresponding names. These charts are perfect for sharing with your doula, childbirth educator, midwife, care provider, or labor and delivery nurse. You may even teach them a thing or two!

Additionally, here are some great videos that can help. They show you exactly how to use a peanut ball and explain how to get the right size.

Peanut Ball Positions for Home Births and Birth Centers

Are you planning to have your baby outside the hospital and curious about the positions you can try with your peanut ball?

There are some great things that you can do with a peanut ball to help progress your labor when you’re at home. If you’re having your baby at home or in a birth center, this chart includes 10 different positions and information on which position to use when your baby is above the inlet, at mid-pelvis, or at the outlet. These will be helpful if your baby is in an unfavorable position or has difficulty getting lower in your pelvis.

Related: Birth Plan Template and Checklist

Benefits of Using a Peanut Ball During Labor

Research suggests several potential benefits for women who use a peanut ball during labor, particularly among those who receive epidural anesthesia:

Shorter labors

According to a 2011 study, women who used a peanut ball during labor experienced a shorter first stage of labor compared to those who did not use one. The researchers found that the use of a peanut ball among patients with epidurals was associated with a reduced length of labor without adverse neonatal outcomes.¹

Shorter pushing phase

The same 2011 study also found that women who used a peanut ball spent an average of 23 fewer minutes in the pushing phase compared to those who did not.¹

Fewer C-Sections

A study was conducted to examine the effect of nurse-driven intervention using a peanut ball with position changes on the length of labor and incidence of cesarean birth among women who receive epidural anesthesia. The study found that women who used a peanut ball had a lower likelihood of cesarean delivery compared to those who did not.² Another study similarly found an association between peanut ball use and lower cesarean rates.³

This is a major benefit, as many hospitals are trying to reduce c-section rates, as c-section deliveries typically take longer to recover from and have more potential for complications.⁴ They also cost more, so there is potential to save money for patients and hospitals.

These associations were especially pronounced in women who had an epidural. However, using a peanut ball would be effective for any woman who needed to lie down on her side during labor.

Where Can I Get One and What Size Should I Choose?

Peanut balls are available in four different sizes. Not every peanut ball is suitable for every mama. It’s not a “one size fits all” type of deal. To make sure that you have the right size, see the recommendations below:

• 40cm — Recommended for women who are under 5’3″
• 50cm — Recommended for women who are 5’3″ to 5’6″ (The most common size)
• 60cm — Recommended for women who are 5’7″ or taller or obese women
• 70cm — ONLY to sit on and straddle

As for purchasing a peanut ball, you could buy one from Amazon. However, ensure they are rated for use during pregnancy. Therefore, we again recommend purchasing one that is specifically rated for use during pregnancy.

Peanut balls are one of many tools that may help support comfort and positioning during labor. Learning how and when to use options like a peanut ball can help you feel more informed as you prepare for birth.