Print this flyer out to your friends. Please click here for our Women's Health Flyer
Dear Mom and Family,
Planning to have a baby? Let's talk about healthy lifestyles before the baby.
Pregnant? We can discuss and treat your pain, muscle tightness, fatigue, and new body awareness.
Want to get BACK IN SHAPE and MORE ENERGY after DELIVERY?
Consult your Pelvic Experts for Strengthening, Conditioning, and Abdominal, Back, and Pelvic Floor treatment
Preparing for a new pregnancy:
- Learn how to prepare yourself for a new pregnancy.
- Learn relaxation and stress reduction techniques to help get your life in balance
While Pregnant:
- Pregnancy on BEDREST: We teach you exercise techniques while on bedrest to help you stay conditioned
- Pregnancy Exercises: We instruct exercises and injury prevention during pregnancy
- We can recommend special lift or support belt for your belly or back strain
- Recommend shoes and wrist/knee supports as needed
Pregnancy and After Delivery:
C Section healing, Abdominal massage, Episiotomy massage, spasms reduction
Herniation Prevention
- Prevent abdominal muscle herniation- at midline or sometimes on the sides of the trunk.
- During pregnancy, the abdominal area expands to accommodate the fetus' growth. Hormonal changes also allow the woman's connective tissues to further expand. These factors may result in weaknesses and overstretching. After delivery, hormonal levels return to pre-pregnancy with time. During this healing period, if the tissues do not return to pre-pregnancy size, or if the woman must start doing more strenuous work before she sufficiently heals, such as taking care of an older sibling, house chores, or work routine, her muscles might not heal to the correct levels of tension.
- Thus, the connective tissues may not return back to "normal". The layers of abdominal muscles, especially in midline, or at the groin, or in the pelvic floor (see prolapses) may stay loose or overstretched, causing areas of herniation or weakness. This is not the same as "getting fat".
- It is vital to understand the risk and how to prevent herniation during pregnancy and after giving birth. If you already have an "outie" belly button, you could also be prone to more protrusion or weakness in this area after delivery.
- Consult us for advisement.
EXERCISE and RECONDITIONING-
- Toning and strengthening spinal muscles, abdominals, core stabilization
- Overall Body shaping and strengthening
- Correct technique to prevent herniation or prolapse
Leaking urine- Stress Incontinence – this happens to at least 50% of women
Upper Back, Low Back pain, Tightness in chest and shoulder muscles, pain in hips
- During pregnancy and after delivery
- Changes in posture from carrying a growing fetus
- Changes in work and life routines around pregnancy
- Straining in the neck and shoulders
- Changes in pelvis and hips due to joint dilation, widening of hips
- Recovery/ rebound of ligaments and joints after delivery- stresses on joints and muscles as the body attempts to get to "new normal"
Pain with intercourse (also called Dysparunia happens to even to several years after delivery)
- Understanding intercourse while you are pregnant
- Painful intercourse related to vaginal tears or episiotomy
- Painful intercourse due to other preexisting factors
- Low tone or stretched vaginal and pelvic floor muscles
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Muscle and Ligament laxity (dilation of joints and muscle connective tissue)
- From pressure of carrying baby during pregnancy
- Pressure during pushing/ delivery
- Involves the bladder, uterus, rectum – protrusion into vagina, or into anal area.
- Worse cases during pushing from voiding
- Pressure from prolonged sitting
- Pressure from weight gain
***Please see link to the American Family Physician for information on Prolapse and Pessaries***
Importance of Correct postures and body mechanics
- Household and work chores while pregnant
- Work related tasks: Lifting, carrying, reaching, squatting, bending
- Baby care tasks: feeding of infant and growing newborn, lifting other children, or both
Importance of Pelvic Health
- Initially cautious re intercourse if pain persists – DO NOT PUT UP WITH PAIN
- Pain will make things worse. Learn techniques to have intercourse without pain
- Proper return to intercourse with guidance from our Pelvic Floor Expert
- Strengthening pelvic floor exercises
- Kegels is frequently misunderstood- You must seek correct instructions to use the right muscles, otherwise, Kegels is not Kegels!!!
Avoiding Valsalva maneuvers:
- During coughing or sneezing
- During bowel movements and urination
- During work, home, or baby related tasks such as bending, lifting, reaching, squatting, etc.
Ergonomics: Learn how to use correct body mechanics, set up your life routine to fit your body shape and size
Driving Ergonomics:
- Did you know that driving also places a lot of stresses on your joints and muscles, and the pelvic floor – after all, you are sitting on it!
- Consult us for car, mirror, seating set up, etc. see Driving Link
Workplace Ergonomics:
- How are you setting up your desk, computer, chairs?
- Are you standing and walking on good shoes and good floor surfaces?
- How's the temperature and lighting around the workplace?
- Your vision and how far or close you must use your eyes contribute to head, neck, jaw fatigue, plus the rest of the body fatigue!
Homeplace ergonomics:
- How much time do you stand or walk, or sit.
- How do you take care of your children or work at home?
- How do you read or watch TV at night?
- How are you preparing meals?
- How are you bathing and changing diapers?
Don't forget a balanced diet and nutrition, sleep and rest patterns also helps your brain, memory, and energy level
Reducing stress factors and balancing your life in general contribute to good healing after delivery.
All of these factors contribute to a healthy pregnancy and post delivery and healthy lifestyle.
Call our Pelvic Experts for any concerns or questions: 813-631-9700
