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Pelvic Health and Pregnancy
The prenatal period is a time in any birthing parent’s life that is full of ups, downs, and unexpected twists. It can be a time where we have our noses in dozens of parenting books, learning about everything from sleep strategies to what’s the best baby wrap for your sweet little bundle. But did you know it’s also the perfect time to see a pelvic health physio?
As new parents we often first hear about pelvic health physiotherapy AFTER delivering our baby, when we’ve already gone through half of the perinatal journey. Here are some reasons it can be quite beneficial to have a pelvic health assessment while you’re still pregnant:
- Determining a baseline. In your prenatal pelvic health assessment, we can check the function of your pelvic floor, and ensure you have good coordination of this muscle group. This gives us a chance to determine if there’s any underlying pelvic floor tension of other concerns that could make labour and delivery tricky. If we find it before you’re in the delivery room, we have time to come up with a plan to improve your pelvic floor muscle function and set you up for success.
- Addressing pregnancy related pelvic girdle pain. Sure, pregnancy can come with its fair share of aches and pains, but you don’t have to suffer through this time in your life. Because of the rapid changes your body goes through while you’re growing your little peanut, and the location of the uterus (HINT: it’s in the pelvis!) the pelvic floor can often contribute to this pain. We can also address the muscles OUTSIDE of the pelvis as well and ensure they are all in good balance and pulling their weight equally.
- Improving motor control and awareness BEFORE you need to rehabilitate. It’s far easier to rehabilitate your pelvic floor postpartum when you have already connected with this mystical group of muscles. We can work on how to properly relax your pelvic floor (helpful with postpartum toileting) and how to do a proper kegel, so that you know when you start strengthening after baby, you’re using proper technique.
- Labour and Delivery Prep. With all of my soon-to-be parents, we go over strategies for the main event. This can be discussing everything from mobility exercises and positions to progress early labour, to pushing positions and technique. And because the pelvic floor is our bread and butter, we talk about all of these things with the perspective of best options for the function and health of the pelvic floor. The goal is to arm you with strategies so that you feel prepared for both labour and delivery, as well as the early postnatal period.
If you’re curious and want to learn more about our prenatal pelvic health physiotherapy services, we offer free 10 minute consultations, where you can speak with a pelvic health physiotherapist and determine if booking an assessment could be right for you. Much like your pelvic floor, we’re here to support you!
