Why Every Woman Should See A Pelvic Floor Therapist Before And After Pregnancy
When you're planning a pregnancy, it's natural to be excited. After all, you're planning on bringing new life into the world! While you're at it, however, you should also schedule a few visits with a pelvic floor therapist — both before and after your pregnancy. Here's why:
It may make getting pregnant easier.
You don't want to wait six months or a year down the line only to be frustrated with your inability to conceive. In many cases, pelvic health problems can interfere with a woman's ability to conceive and carry a baby to term. Old injuries from a car accident or sports can affect your pelvic alignment, but a pelvic floor therapist can often correct or reduce any problems.
It can make being pregnant less uncomfortable.
Skipping a prenatal visit to the pelvic floor therapist isn't just potentially risky to your reproductive health — it can also make pregnancy more difficult to endure. Your pelvic muscles have a lot of work ahead of them in the months following conception, and the weight of a growing baby can make pregnancy very uncomfortable. Many pregnant women suffer from bladder weakness during this time. Advance preparation can reduce the discomfort and inconvenience you're likely to face.
It's the best way to learn how to do Kegels.
Kegel exercises, which help strengthen and tighten the muscles in your pelvic floor, are often recommended during pregnancy. Strong pelvic floor muscles make delivering your baby easier. They also make recovery from that birth easier as well. Unfortunately, many women do Kegels incorrectly because reading about how to do them and actually doing them can be very different. Pelvic floor therapists can help you better understand how Kegels work and how to do them properly.
It can help stop incontinence and pain after delivery.
Many women find the phase just after pregnancy even more difficult to endure than pregnancy itself. After delivery, vaginal pain, pelvic discomfort, and incontinence can be troubling issues for a new mother. If you had any kind of tearing during delivery, even sexual activity may become painful. Simply doing Kegel exercises — which is the most common advice women are given — doesn't always make the problems disappear. Postpartum physiotherapy, though, can help you reduce your pain, regain bladder control, and get back to normal.
It will help you get rid of the "mummy tummy."
"Mummy tummy" refers to a condition called diastasis recti, which is a little abdominal pooch that is very distinctive on a lot of women who have given birth. It's highly frustrating to a lot of women because that pooch seldom goes away with traditional exercises. Postpartum physiotherapy with a pelvic floor therapist is the best way to get it under control.
Most women aren't aware of the benefits of prenatal and postpartum physiotherapy — so find out more today
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