The most common question that I always hear from my patients is, "Why has no one told us about pelvic PT and its importance during pregnancy?" and after getting better they admit that this treatment is not optional.

The answer is this is all TRUE, in France as they took faster steps than us here in North America, they made Pelvic PT mandatory for women during and after labor for many reason, Which proofs that all Pregnant woman has to see a pelvic Floor Physical therapist during and after pregnancy for the following reason:

1. Coordination:

During labor you need to know how to relax those muscles to reduce the pain, when to contract and to bear down to push the baby out. By examination of the Pelvic Floor Muscles (PFM), many women don't know when to contract and when to relax, and sometimes they don't know the difference between relaxation and contraction.

Those same patients suffer from chronic constipation and they don't know that it is because of discoordination of the pelvic Floor muscles.

2. Breathing:

We all talk about breathing and the importance of breathing during pregnancy and during labor, but unfortunately during labor deep breathing, especially diaphragmatic deep breathing is very hard because of the abdominal cavity getting filled by the growing baby, so the mom starts breathing more into the upper chest and neck muscles that cause more tightness into the PFM, so retraining has to be done to reverse all of those changes and gets the mom to correct the breathing to help with having enjoyable pregnancy, and safe labor.

3. Stable Pelvic, and stable PFM:

Do you know that all the symptoms that appear during pregnancy like leaking with coughing, sneezing, exercising , as well as SIJ Pain, back pain, and more problems are all due to unstable PFM, I want to share my own story that when I was pregnant with my twin boys, I experienced tailbone pain, that continued for many years after labor, SIJ pain that also continued for many many more years till I worked on PF stabilization exercises that took me years till I got the combination of exercises that really works for those conditions after many years of training and experience gained during my career.

What about after labor add to it that you will start bending to carry a baby that is rapidly growing, and his car seat, his changing bag, imagine how much of pressure you are putting on your organs without your main protecting mechanism working and engaging properly to prevent this pressure on your organs, this could end with increased pelvic pain to any level of pelvic prolapse, for sure the Pelvic Floor Physical therapist will help you to start on the right exercises to make sure that you are strong to match all your day to day activities.

4. Uterus healing:

What are the 1st 6 weeks period that is given to hold on all your activities till you get checked with your OBGYN or Midwife? Can you do any type of exercises before those 6 weeks what is allowed and what is not? many Questions need help and guidance, as every woman's body heals differently.

PFM contractions if taught during pregnancy can be started day 1, for neuromuscular reactivation , and by week 2 the mom can start gradual walking within her capacity to start retaining her Cardiovascular endurance. Many factors control those decisions starting the Pelvic Floor PT during pregnancy gets your Physical Therapist to know more about you and your level of activities, so she can guide you what to do after labor and follow up with you according to your type of labor if C-section or normal labor.

5. Strong staff and health care providers:

Last but not least, it is very important to surround yourself with all health care providers that can get you to enjoy your pregnancy time, and get you to have safe delivery. The staff starting with the OBGYN, Midwife, nurse practitioner, to pelvic floor physical therapist, Doulas, massage therapist, chiropractic.

All those people will help you with something during your journey during and after pregnancy.

Hoping that these information are helpful, opened your eyes to many situations that you already have experienced before that wondering how you should have acted at that time, so you can save yourself a lot next time, or you are already pregnant and don't want to have any of those problems and want to be PROACTIVE.

All the best, please reach me if you have any questions!

DinaSoliman@advancedpelvicsolutions.com

407-274-1234