Birth ball.

My desk chair is miserable. It was great for a while, and I spent a ridiculous amount of money on it, but now that I'm pregnant it is the most uncomfortable thing I've ever sat in. I makes my bum and back ache and I have a near constant stitch in my left side because of the way I have to sit in it. (Though the computer mouse gets some of the blame for that, too.)

I've heard recommendations from pregnant women, doctors, midwives and just about everyone else that an exercise ball (a.k.a. "birthing ball") was the way to go. As a chair, they encourage better posture and support your pelvic floor, and, maybe even more importantly, the double as a support device during active labor. When I went to the gym last week, I sampled (sat on) several of the exercise balls they had laying around. I. Was. Hooked.

I ordered this ball: the Gaiam Total Body Balance Ball Kit. It comes in 3 sizes - 55 cm, 65 cm, and 75 cm - and according to user reviews and the Gaiam recommendations, the 65 cm size is appropriate for someone my height (5'7"). The thing is, to get it to the proper size, you have to inflate it in stages. I was worried when I first inflated it because I my knees were slightly higher than my hips, and I felt like I was a kid sitting at the grown-ups table without a booster when I pulled it up to my desk. So I sat on it for a while, and it also felt slightly too squishy. So after about two hours, I pumped more air in.

That did the trick. It is now a proper height (my midwives recommended that my knees should be slightly lower than my hips), and I don't feel like I'm sinking into the ball when I sit on it. I think this would be true of any exercise ball, so my advice is: inflate, sit for an hour or so, re-inflate.

When I first sat on it, I made sure Allen was standing nearby to catch me if I fell off or if it burst. I am terrified of the ball bursting out from under me. I read some reviews of other balls that had burst and dumped people face-first onto the floor, and that was not a path I wanted to go down. One, because I am terrified of hitting my face on something and breaking bones or knocking out teeth (it's a vanity thing), and two, because I am pretty sure that falling when pregnant is a no-no. I would freak and probably call 911 if I fell off this thing.

Luckily, and this is part of the reason I picked Gaiam, there weren't any "this burst and dumped me on the floor!" reviews of this particular ball. It didn't hurt that it also retails on Amazon for about $20.

I've been sitting on it all morning and I've discovered a few things.

1. It's pretty fun to sit on. I find myself rolling around on it a bit, adjusting my position frequently and overall, not getting bored.
2. I'm doing more "work" than I realize. When I get up from the ball, my hamstrings and bum feel like they've been working out. In a good way.
3. My posture is much improved. It's not perfect, but I'm still learning. I think in time, this will be a fabulous posture resource. There is still a small temptation to slouch, but the dynamics of sitting on a ball make it difficult and uncomfortable to sustain a slouch for an extended period.
4. It's a cushy seat, but after a while my bum feels like I've been sitting on a hard chair. But not in the "omg I need to get off of this thing" kind of way. More in a "my bum is tired, I should stand up for a minute" kind of way. I don't know how to explain it better than that. But since sitting all day isn't great for you, having the urge to stand up and stretch can only be beneficial, right?

All in all, I am pretty sure I am going to love this thing. I will warn you, though, it's going to take some getting used to. It kind of feels like riding a bike. After a while, your sitting area gets a bit sore and tired, and I have a feeling that I will feel a bit sore tomorrow, but if I keep at it, the muscles will improve and it will be a comfortable seat.

There are a ton of brands out on the market, so if you are looking for one, read reviews and sample a few if you can. The Gaiam one feels pretty sturdy (and is rated to hold up to 300 pounds without bursting), made of a thick material, and as a bonus, is latex and phthalate free. They also make a version that has a rolling office chair base for the ball, so it sits a smidge higher and feels more like an office chair. I was thisclose to buying that one, but opted for the cheap trial version before shelling out $70+ for the fancy version. You can buy them online, obviously, at places like Amazon, but I'm pretty sure stores like Target, and probably sporting goods stores carry them as well. (If you'd prefer to look at them in person.) Sporting goods stores might have some inflated for you to see, too, if you don't have access to any at a gym.

So, I'll update in a week or so about how it's going, but overall I'd say go get one. Even if you aren't pregnant, they are pretty fun chairs. But remember, inflate twice!