Empowering Expectant Mothers: The Benefits of Pelvic Floor PT During Pregnancy

If you’re reading this and you are currently pregnant, congratulations! Whether you are expecting your first baby or you’ve done this before, navigating pregnancy and the birthing experience can be very challenging. Guidance from a pelvic floor physical therapist throughout your pregnancy can provide you with the support that you didn’t know you needed! In this article, let’s dive into how pelvic floor physical therapy during your pregnancy can be beneficial for you.

Image used with permission from Pelvic Guru®, LLC www.pelvicglobal.com”

 

Reduce Pregnancy Related Aches and Pains

 During pregnancy, your body rapidly goes through many changes which impose extra demand on your pelvic floor, low back and hips. Furthermore, your posture, center of gravity, walking patterns and overall body mechanics also change over time. Sometimes, these changes can result in physical discomforts such as pubic bone pain, groin pain and low back pain– all things that women often “tolerate” because they view it as just a part of “pregnancy pains”. A pelvic floor physical therapist can help you understand all the changes that are taking place in your body, identify any impairments and manage the symptoms in order to optimize your pregnancy experience.  You don’t have to “tolerate” pain in pregnancy!

 

Strengthen Pelvic Your Pelvic Floor and Core

As your baby grows, your abdominal wall inevitably has to stretch and lengthen– which can sometimes manifest as issues with pressure control and abdominal weakening. One goal of pelvic floor physical therapy is to provide you with exercises that help maintain your abdominal and pelvic floor strength as well as coordination so that you can support the increased pressure and demands that pregnancy places on your pelvic floor. This will reduce the severity of diastasis recti (normal abdominal separation that happens in pregnancy) and reduce the risk of developing pelvic organ prolapse.

 

Pelvic Floor Relaxation  and Manual Release

As pregnancy progresses, the demand on the pelvic floor increases, often creating tension and trigger points within the pelvic floor. In pelvic floor physical therapy, manual releasing of the pelvic floor muscles through internal treatment reduces overall tension and improves blood flow and oxygenation to the pelvic floor tissues. This can assist with maintaining pelvic floor function as muscles that are chronically tight can become weak over time. Furthermore, the ability to relax your pelvic floor muscles will assist with the birthing process.

Pelvic floor PT can help you before the the baby is born and after the baby is born.  Read more about the post partum journey here. If you want to return to climbing, running, or going to the park to make memories with your children, then pelvic floor PT is there to help you reach your goals!