Hi there! We’re back to talk about the pelvic floor again.
In part one, we talked all about understanding pelvic floor issues. You can read that article here. In this article, we’re going to jump into how to prevent pelvic floor issues during pregnancy and childbirth.
Birth is incredible. But pelvic floor dysfunction? Not so much. I’ve been there. It’s not fun.
Many women do experience pelvic floor weakness after childbirth. And some degree of pelvic floor weakness is normal.
After all, if you had a vaginal delivery, your body just delivered a whole little human. Take a second to let that sink in. As women, our pelvic muscles are designed to open to let a little person come out. So it’s normal that the pelvic floor muscles will need some time to come back together. If you’re freshly postpartum, give yourself time.
What’s not normal is experiencing pelvic floor weakness months or years after you’ve delivered a baby.
Let’s talk about things you can do before you give birth to help keep your pelvic floor healthy.
Focus on Healthy Weight Gain
Weight gain is different for everyone and even varies between pregnancies. Your doctor can help you decide what healthy weight gain looks like for you.
Excessively high weight gain during pregnancy puts even more pressure on the pelvic floor. Especially during pregnancy, the pelvic floor is already adapting quickly because of pregnancy weight. Focusing on healthy weight gain can help to prevent unnecessary pelvic floor stress.
Choose Exercises Wisely
If you love to work out, this might be a good tip for you. Working out is great, and you can (and should) continue to work out throughout pregnancy if you want to. However, don’t be afraid to focus on excercises that are gentle on your body. Pregnancy is a totally different season of life, and you will be able to get back to the exercises you’re used to.
Adding gentle stretches and core exercises to your routine can help you throughout birth and postpartum.
These YouTube exercises are what I’ve really been enjoying as I navigate postpartum fitness.
Avoid Heavy Lifting
This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point, but it’s worth repeating. Heavy lifting can put a lot of pressure on your pelvic floor muscles when you’re pregnant. As an emergency department nurse, I know a thing or two about heavy lifting in real life.
For women who are accustomed to heavy lifting, the general concensus is that you can maintain your normal level of activity. However, bear in mind that the extra weight from baby does put extra pressure on your pelvic floor while you’re lifting.
You probably won’t feel pelvic pain immediately after lifting (of course, if you do, that warrants a call to your doctor). However, repeated, excessive pressure on your pelvic floor can eventually cause weak muscles.
Prevent Constipation
Constipation happens more frequently during pregnancy, but focus on drinking plenty of water, exercising, and eating lots of fiber. Chronic constipation can cause pelvic floor weakness, especially in pregnant women.
Proper Baby Positioning
Women who have a sunny-side-up baby, or back labor, are more likely to experience pelvic floor issues after childbirth. Many of these same women find themselves pushing for much longer, which also contributes to pelvic floor dysfunction.
Of course, there’s only so much you can do about the way your baby decides to position himself or herself. But there are some things.
Regular chiropractic care, good posture, and excercises can help coax baby into a great birth position. Spinning Babies can be a great resource for helping your baby into the ideal position for birth.
Here’s a video from them that talks about easy things you can do at home to coax baby into a good birth position.
Choose Spontaneous Pushing
When possible, request spontaneous pushing during. That just means that mom pushes when she feels like it. Healthcare providers are not coaching in any way. (Think, “Hold your breath and push for 10 seconds!” That’s coaching).
Research (see this article) indicates that spontanous pushing actually puts less strain on the pelvic floor than when a woman is coached. You can read this post to learn more about spontaneous vs. directed pushing.
Wrapping It Up
And that’s it! I hope that was helpful to you as you prepare for birth.
Until next time,
Lynette
Photo by Hannah Barata on Pexels.com, Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels.com, Photo by Lum3n on Pexels.com