Let’s Be Frank About: Birth Prep & Prenatal Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Ah, pregnancy! That magical time when your body is growing another human, and you suddenly have a craving for pickles and ice cream at 3 AM. As your due date approaches, it's time to think about preparing for the big day. One increasingly popular and effective method is working with a pelvic floor physiotherapist. Here's how this specialized approach can help make a significant difference in your birth experience.
What is the Pelvic Floor, Anyway?
Picture your pelvic floor as a hammock of muscles and tissues holding up your bladder, bowel, and uterus. During pregnancy, this hammock is working overtime, kind of like when you tried to carry all your groceries in one trip - but do that for 9 months. A well-toned pelvic floor, i.e one that can contract, have good endurance AND RELAX is your secret weapon for an easier delivery and a quicker postpartum recovery.
What Do Pelvic Floor Physiotherapists Do During Pregnancy?
A pelvic floor physiotherapist is a trained physiotherapist who specializes in the assessment and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. I would argue that a LOT of our job is to educate people about this part of our body that as a society we rarely speak of. During pregnancy, a pelvic floor physio can help with:
Strengthen and stretch the pelvic floor muscles.
Teach proper breathing techniques
Educate on optimal birthing positions.
Provide personalized exercises to relieve pain and prepare for labor and delivery.
Educate about different interventions you may be offered and their risks & benefits.
How hip position can help during different stages of labour.
Pushing tips!
How to speak up and stand up for your wants and desires during labour.
What are the Benefits of Prenatal Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy?
Reduced Risk of Severe Tearing: Learning how to strengthen and relax the pelvic floor can help minimize the risk of perineal tearing during delivery. We can’t let someone out if don’t know how to relax those muscles under pressure or while in pain now can we?
Less Overwhelm from Better Understanding: Birth is full of completely new, and potentially overwhelming sensations. Having prepped and learned about what to expect, how to help yourself, and how to navigate pain and its many stages can truly make such a difference in how you interpret birth.
Pain Management: Physios have many tricks up their sleeves to help you manage pain during labour as well as during pregnancy.
Postpartum Recovery: There is a huge misconception that once the baby’s out, everything goes back to normal. As physios, we understand that recovering from birth is just like recovering from any muscle strain or injury — except in your … vagina… or belly. Understanding how to navigate those first early weeks postpartum can set you up for long term success and help reduce / prevent issues like incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
Frank’s Birth Prep Manual
This document contains educational information specific to preventing severe pelvic floor and core issues during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
You’ll find early postpartum suggestions to help care for yourself whether you’ve had a vaginal or caesarian delivery.
Good luck!
Click the image to download!
What to Expect During Pelvic Floor Physio Sessions
Your first session with a pelvic floor physiotherapist typically involves a thorough assessment. This includes discussing your medical history, current symptoms, and any concerns. The physiotherapist will then tailor a program specific to your needs, which may include:
Exercises: Tailored routines to strengthen and relax the pelvic floor.
Breathing Techniques: Strategies to use during labor to manage pain and support muscle function.
Education: Information on how to care for your pelvic floor during pregnancy and postpartum.
Internal (or external) pelvic floor assessment: yes this is vaginal - no it is never mandatory but can be very insightful!
When to Start
It's beneficial to begin pelvic floor physiotherapy early in your pregnancy, but it's never too late to start. Regular sessions throughout your pregnancy can help you build and maintain general muscle strength, and help address your changing needs throughout pregnancy. At the very least. meeting with a pelvic floor physio at 33 weeks is an excellent time to start working on birth prep.
Here are a few hip stretches to begin in your third trimester to help you create space in all the parts of your pelvis while sneaking in a lil education of when to use em!
Conclusion
Preparing for birth with a pelvic floor physiotherapist offers numerous benefits that can lead to a smoother pregnancy and delivery. Plus, it’s one more way to feel confident and prepared as you head into the wild ride of childbirth. So why not add a pelvic floor physio to your prenatal care team? Your future self (and your pelvic floor) will thank you!
By Rachelle Bonneville
