PELVIC FLOOR BENEFITS

What is the pelvic floor?

Your pelvic floor makes up the bottom of your pelvis. It is responsible for supporting your organs, (bladder, bowel, and uterus) and when pregnant, support your growing baby. Insufficiencies related to the pelvic floor can result in pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, low back pain, hip pain, or incontinence. Improving your pelvic floor does not always mean performing kegels. Did you know, that not everyone knows how to perform a kegel?

Why is the pelvic floor important?

Your pelvic floor supports you during pregnancy. Your body is changing every day and your baby is growing which is putting more pressure and strain on your pelvic floor. If your pelvic floor is not able to accommodate these changes then you will have pain and/or incontinence such as peeing when you sneeze, cough, or jump. This is not normal, pain is not normal. Yes, even if you are pregnant, pain is not normal.

While your pelvic floor needs to be strong during pregnancy, you need to understand how to relax your pelvic floor during labor to give birth. This includes understanding how to BREATHE through your contractions and when you push. Holding your breath and bearing down is not an efficient way to push and can increase the time you need to push.

What can I do?

Understanding the role your pelvic floor plays during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum can help prevent pain, leaking, or peeing, improve the birth experience, decrease trauma, and allow you to be intimate with your partner without fear or pain following birth. Follow along with my courses, weekly newsletter, and tips to help provide yourself with improved knowledge and understanding for improved quality of life.