Birth Preparation with a Pelvic Floor Therapist

Preparing for childbirth is an exciting and transformative journey for expectant parents. It can be filled with many emotions for a mother as her body undergoes significant changes throughout pregnancy and delivery.  Pelvic floor therapists are becoming more mainstream in typical prenatal care, but there's a growing recognition of the significance a pelvic floor therapy can play in optimizing birth outcomes and postpartum recovery.

Pelvic floor therapists have a unique skill set different from other healthcare and wellness professionals that puts that them I an ideal place to help women prepare for labor and delivery. In this blog, we will explore the numerous benefits of preparing for birth with a pelvic floor therapist, highlighting how it can help women navigate the birthing process with confidence and enhance their overall well-being as they approach and experience delivery.

1.     Promoting Optimal Pelvic Mobility & Alignment:

A crucial component of delivery is the ability for the pelvis to open and expand, allowing the baby to descent through the birth canal. Pelvic floor physical therapists can assess and address any imbalances or misalignments in the pelvis that may limit this from happening. Through manual techniques and guided stretches, therapists help optimize alignment and the movement at the pelvic gridle. Proper mobility at the pelvis can create more space for the baby to descend, potentially reducing the risk of prolonged labor or the need for interventions such as cesarean sections.

2.     Enhancing Body Awareness and Breathing Techniques:

Pelvic floor therapists teach expectant mothers valuable techniques to improve body awareness and optimize their breathing patterns during labor. Specific breathing techniques can help women improve the relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles – the action that needs to happen during delivery. Through specific exercises and education, women learn how to relax their pelvic floor muscles, control their breath, and establish a mind-body connection. These techniques contribute to a calmer and more confident birthing experience.

3.     Learning Efficient Pushing Mechanics:

While the pelvic floor itself does NOT push the baby out, it must move out of the way when the uterus pushes the baby out to minimize the stress placed on the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor must have mobility and flexibility to move effectively out of the way, which will NOT happen from doing kegels. Pelvic floor therapists are experts in training women to push properly so that the pelvic floor can be as minimally affected as possible. There are different types of pushing and pros and cons to each type. Proper pushing mechanics can result in less of a risk of perineal tearing during delivery.

4.     Prevention of Pelvic Floor Conditions:

Birth preparation with a pelvic floor therapist can help prevent or minimize the risk of pelvic floor disorders that may arise after childbirth. Women often deal with postpartum symptoms such as urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic pain due to the stress placed on the pelvic floor during delivery. Therapists contribute to the prevention and management of conditions by educating women in a variety of factors to contribute to a healthy birth and healthy pelvic floor. They also help women improve awareness, strength and coordination of the core stability muscles that play an impact on postpartum pelvic floor conditions.

5.     Improving Awareness for Postpartum Recovery:

Birth preparation with a pelvic floor therapist goes beyond the labor process. Therapists provide education and exercises to support postpartum recovery. They guide individuals in how to ease back into exercise, manage any potential postpartum symptoms, and assist in regaining pelvic floor strength and function. By preparing the body DURING pregnancy, the postpartum recovery can be much more pleasant.

Birth preparation with pelvic floor therapy offers expectant mothers a preventative and empowering approach to navigate the childbirth journey. By preparing for birth with a pelvic floor therapist, individuals can experience a smoother labor, reduce the need for interventions, minimize stress to the pelvic floor and support their long-term pelvic health.

The therapists at Pelvic Wellness offer two ways to prepare for birth:

• One-on-one visits with a Doctor of Physical Therapy:

  These are individualized sessions where you can receive thorough education and individualized treatment for your specific symptoms and body to prepare for delivery. We encouraged at minimum 3 sessions to receive all of the birth preparation material. Learn more and schedule here.

• Small Group Birth Prep with a Doctor of Physical Therapy:

  These sessions are 2.5 hours long, where women can join a small group of others who are also pregnant and wanting to prepare for delivery and recovery. This small group format still allows participants to receive individualized feedback and confirmation of techniques from the Pelvic Floor Therapist. Learn more about this option here.

Consider incorporating pelvic floor physical therapy into your birth preparation to optimize your birthing experience and embark on motherhood with confidence and well-being. If you need assistance finding a Pelvic Floor Therapist in your area, refer to our previous blog.