![]() Attention ALL pregnant people! Have you visited a pelvic floor physiotherapist? I cannot stress enough how much misinformation is out there about pelvic floor health for all people and how much a pelvic floor physiotherapist will help you in preparing for birth and postpartum. Below are a short list of benefits of pelvic floor physiotherapy for the pregnant and postpartum person. I won't touch in this post about pelvic floor health for non-pregnant people, though I recommend it for all. Education Dr Juan Michelle Martin, PT and doula is an advocate for skilling up in information about pelvic floor health (Listen to her speak here). She attests that unfortunately, gynecologists and doctors often do not voluntarily offer information about pelvic floor health, forcing the client to initiate questions that can feel vulnerable and uncomfortable, especially when they pertain to sex or incontinence. This creates a widespread culture of uncertainty and shame for all people around asking questions about pelvic floor dysfunction. Speaking with a pelvic floor physiotherapist, you will likely have more questions asked and issues addressed than with a doctor who does not specialize in the field. Prolapse Prevention Out medical system is more reactive than preventative. This is why it is prevalent for doctors to often under stress the importance of pelvic preparation for birth, because they are comfortable supporting repair and reconstruction from perineal tears and pelvic prolapse. I have spoken with birthing people who tell me that their doctors say not to worry too much about tears because "we can fix that after". But, what if we worked to prevent injury as much as we do to repair it? Your pelvic floor physiotherapist will help with strategies to stretch the pelvic tissues, to prevent common injuries that occur with a pelvic floor that is either weak or too tight during birth. In her book The Fourth Trimester, Kimberly Johnson writes that, to many of her clients' surprise, more pelvic floor muscles she works with are overly tight than they are weak. The goal not always strength, the holistic goal is to create a responsive pelvic floor to cede to let baby through. The overprescription of pelvic floor squeezes (also commonly referred to as "kegel" exercises) is a lazy, sometimes harmful lapse in care when we are aiming for RESPONSIVENESS in the pelvic muscles, not strength. Reducing Back Pain Pelvic floor physiotherapists offer exercises to reduce and manage back and sacral pain during the third trimester. Additionally, physiotherapists will help with addressing back pain that can occur during breast/body feeding. This is because the musculature of the pelvic floor is closely linked to all of the lower parts of the body including the spine. Safe Strengthening and Recovery Postpartum pelvic PTs will know the level at which to work at to support a safe recovery of the core muscles. They may also be able to massage scar tissue from perineal injury or cesarean section. Pleasure Sexual pleasure and access to sexual pleasure is a basic human right. Let's throw out the idea that new parents shouldn't get to choose to have good sex when they are ready, please! Becoming a parent does NOT mean that your sex life is over, or that you will be wearing pads or feeling pain perineally for the rest of your life. Pelvic floor physiotherapy gives the postpartum body tools to strengthen and recover to feel pleasure and comfort again at the pace that the postpartum person wants and consents to. In summary, your pelvic floor health is not disposable and your comfort is important. So much of our medical model teaches pregnant people to see themselves as passive vessels for their baby's growth and health. There is no reason to allow for preventable injury just because it can be fixed afterwards. It is never too late in pregnancy or postpartum to visit a pelvic floor PT whether you are struggling or not, to support your comfort and well being! Looking for a pelvic floor physiotherapist in Toronto? Ask your care provider, or explore this list of providers linked here.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
|