The Benefit of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy during Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a transformative journey filled with excitement, anticipation, and its fair share of challenges. As a mom-to-be, you're navigating a multitude of changes in your body and one area that deserves special attention is your pelvic floor. You should not have to be googling “is this normal” during your pregnancy or feel unprepared for your birth or postpartum recovery. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help guide you throughout your pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey. In this blog post, we'll explore six reasons why you should consider seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist during pregnancy.
1. Support for the changing pelvic floor: Your body undergoes incredible changes during pregnancy, and this includes changes to your pelvic floor. As your posture and center of gravity changes to pull you more forward, this increases pressure and the demand of the pelvic floor as well as commonly leads to increased low back pain. As baby grows, the increased weight can place added pressure on the pelvic floor and one may experience incontinence, pelvic pressure and/or constipation if pelvic floor is not functioning optimally. A pelvic floor physical therapist can provide guidance on how to support these changes, ensuring your pelvic floor remains healthy and functional throughout your pregnancy.
2. Alleviation of pelvic pain: It is estimated that over 50% of pregnant women will experience low back and/or pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy – but this is treatable. Pelvic floor physical therapists are experts in diagnosing and addressing the root causes of low back, hip and pelvic pain. They can design a personalized treatment plan that includes exercises and techniques to relieve discomfort, helping you enjoy your pregnancy journey to the fullest as well as staying active and strong which is essential when it comes to postpartum recovery. One of my biggest pet peeves is pregnant women being told “pain is just a part of pregnancy” and to not do anything about it until after childbirth, which could not be further from the truth.
3. Prevention of pelvic floor dysfunction: It is common to experience increased urinary incontinence during pregnancy, feel pelvic heaviness and pressure, and struggle with constipation or hemorrhoids. These are all signs of pelvic floor dysfunction that can and should be addressed during pregnancy to prevent the issue from getting worse and get to the root cause. A skilled pelvic floor physical therapist can teach you exercises improve strength and coordination of your pelvic floor muscles and surrounding areas, reducing the likelihood of pelvic floor dysfunction during pregnancy and after childbirth.
4. Preparation for labor and birth: One of my favorite things to work on with moms during pregnancy is labor and birth preparation. Incorporating body balancing exercises to help create a smoother path for baby to navigate the birth canal, having a yielding and well-coordinated pelvic floor, understanding how to effectively push, and reviewing various laboring positions can make a significant difference in birth and recovery. A pelvic floor physical therapist can guide you in all these aspects of birth and help prepare your pelvic floor for the demands of labor, potentially making the process smoother and more manageable. No matter if you are planning a vaginal birth or scheduled cesarean, pelvic floor PT during pregnancy can help with your birth and recovery.
5. Postpartum recovery: Your postpartum journey is hard enough and you shouldn’t have to navigate it alone. A pelvic floor physical therapist can support your postpartum recovery by providing you with a home program tailored to your recovery based off off your birth experience, symptoms you may be having, and addressing your concerns. Support can begin within those first few weeks postpartum and may look like education on proper rest, nourishment, gentle movement, bowel and bladder health as well as core and pelvic floor restorative exercises. Beginning rehab for your body prior to the typical 6 week OB release, and having a plan to safely return to exercise, intimacy, among other things is vital before returning to exercise (especially impact exercise) after childbirth.
6. Education + Emotional and Mental Well-Being: Pregnancy can bring about a rollercoaster of emotions, with the first few days postpartum being the largest hormone shift in a womens lifespan. Physical discomfort or birth injury can add to the stress. One study found that “prenatal pelvic floor education plays an important role in not only reducing the likelihood of [birth injury] severity and occurrence, but psychological distress if it does occur” (Johnson, et al). A pelvic floor physical therapist can offer prenatal education on how to cope with a birth injury or help you prepare for both a vaginal and/or cesarean recovery. Pelvic PT’s understand that healing takes a collaborative approach and often have the resources to help you establish your care team (ie: mental health, lactation consultant, doulas, OB/midwife/Urogynocologist) for optimal support. This holistic approach can positively impact your mental well-being throughout your pregnancy journey and decrease postpartum mood disorders.
Seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist during pregnancy is a proactive step that can benefit your overall well-being. From supporting your changing pelvic floor and alleviating pain to preparing for labor, postpartum recovery, and offering important education, pelvic floor PT’s play a crucial role in enhancing your pregnancy experience. If you are local to Northwest Arkansas, or want to work with me 1:1 virtually, contact us today to learn more about how our team can support you during pregnancy. If access is a barrier to you, my Smoother Pregnancy and Birth Guide is an affordable and informative option to help you prepare for birth.
In health,
Dr. Danielle Khoury, DPT