Pelvic Powerhouse: Navigating Pregnancy and Labor with a Strong Foundation

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized / By Becca | Pelvic Floor Momma

The pelvic floor is often not discussed much during pregnancy and it plays a vital role throughout pregnancy, labor and birth. A lot of women are not even sure where or what their pelvic floor is and the role it plays. So let’s dive in….

Pelvic Floor Model

The pelvic floor is essentially the floor of the pelvis responsible for supporting your organs (bladder, bowels and uterus) and when pregnant, supports your growing baby. Insufficiency of the pelvic floor can result in low back or deep hip pain, pain with intercourse, incontinence or leaking with any activity including coughing or sneezing, constipation and pelvic pain.

So why is this important for pregnancy? 

During pregnancy it’s important for your pelvic floor to be strong in order to support your organs and now growing baby. If you are having leaking/incontinence or pain in pregnancy this can be addressed with pelvic floor exercises. 

Yes, having a pain free pregnancy where you don’t pee your pants is a real thing! You have been told wrong, if you believe pain is normal because you are pregnant. This is true even if you had pain before your pregnancy. 

Did you know strengthening your pelvic floor can also help you sleep better at night? You heard that right,. You can get better sleep by adding in a few exercises a day! 

So now that you understand the pelvic floor role during pregnancy, lets discuss the role during labor and birth. It’s different! During labor you need to understand how to relax your pelvic floor, which seems simple enough, however, many women have no idea how to do this. 

Understanding positioning and which positions can help relax your pelvic floor can ease and decrease the time you labor or push for. Knowing how to push before you are in active labor can decrease the time you are pushing and you will be more efficient in your pushes with decreased tearing. 

Now is the time to add some exercises to your daily routine to help support your pregnancy and prepare you for labor. Not sure where to start? Sign up for my newsletter to receive more information and follow Pelvic Floor Momma on instagram. https://www.instagram.com/pelvicfloormomma/