Benefits of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy during Pregnancy

Pregnancy and postpartum physical therapy is a specialized form of therapy aimed at addressing the unique musculoskeletal challenges that arise during and after pregnancy. It focuses on restoring strength, flexibility, and function to the pelvic floor and core muscles, helping to alleviate pain, improve mobility, and promote overall well-being during this transformative period. Going to PT during pregnancy is a great way to start to build strength as you prepare for your little one.

Logan also incorporates birth prep into her sessions preparing your body for labor and teaching you how to actually push out your baby!

• Sciatic nerve pain

• Pelvic pain, especially SI joint pain and pubic symphysis pain

• Pelvic floor pain or heaviness & pressure

• Incontinence

• Abdominal pain

• Round ligament pain

• Low back pain

• Breathing discomfort and rib pain

• If we haven’t listed your pain here, that doesn’t mean we couldn’t help. Contact us for a free phone call to discuss your symptoms and see if our care is right for you

The answer usually is, Yes!

Many times, exercise is actually how we manage a lot of musculoskeletal pain and discomfort during pregnancy.

The other considerations with exercise are whether or not you have medical considerations to care for, such as high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. Once medically stable, proper exercise can help you manage these conditions safely and even prevent them.

The session can look many way depending on a few things.

First, how far into postpartum you are. You are welcome to have a session during the first 6 weeks, especially if you feel like something just isn’t right and you want care. During the first 6 weeks postpartum, we do not perform any internal pelvic floor muscle evaluations due to the healing of the cervix and risk of infection.

After the 6 week mark, tissues have healed enough to prevent infection as readily and we are able to assess the internal pelvic floor muscles if necessary/and wanted

It’s important to note that not every session assesses those muscles and only if they’re necessary to the plan of care and your goals. Assessment of the pelvic floor is also 100% optional and completely up to your comfort.

If this is your first session, the session will include a long conversation gathering history and symptoms and then the determination of what we want to assess and treat based on your goals and preferences.

Then you’ll receive personalized instructions on what you should do at home between sessions to maximize your progress.

Absolutely!

The biggest thing to know is that diastasis recti’s happen in 100% of pregnancies. That is how the baby has room to grow, because otherwise where else would they go?

If you’re postpartum and you still have that separation, don’t despair. Once again, it’s a normal occurrence but sometimes does need help to heal. We can work on teaching you how to heal in any form of exercise you prefer.

The biggest myth around ab separation is that you can no longer do crunches, planks etc because that will make it worse. Exercise is all about proper form and managing our intra-abdominal pressure.

Not everyone's pelvic floor is weak, and your symptoms don't necessarily mean your pelvic floor is weak. Pelvic floor dysfunction is the inability to correctly relax, contract, and coordinate your pelvic floor muscles; primarily to urinate and when having a bowel movement. This can have a multitude of different symptoms.

Possible symptoms: constantly strain to pass bowel movements, pushing really hard to urinate, leaking urine with jumping, coughing, laughing, sneezing, lifting weights etc, feelings of pressure in vaginal area, discomfort in the lower abdomen, having an uncontrollable strong urge to urinate,