6 reasons why it’s so important to seek care of a pelvic physical therapist after giving birth.
Bringing a new life into the world is an incredible achievement, but it can also take a super annoying and sometimes even debilitating toll on a mother’s body. Pregnancy and childbirth can lead to many physical changes, particularly in the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. If you’ve had a baby, you don’t need a healthcare professional to tell you that. You know exactly what I’m talking about.
Self Care is Health Care!
It’s common for new moms to prioritize their baby’s health. We want you to know that it’s equally important to prioritize your own well-being. It’s a put-your-mask-on-first type of deal. You can’t put all of your energy into baby if your body isn’t totally functioning. This is where postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy comes into play.
Let’s explore the 6 reasons why every mom should consider pelvic floor therapy for a smoother recovery and a healthier future.
1. Understanding your Pelvic Floor
Before diving into the benefits of pelvic physical therapy, it’s crucial to grasp the significance of the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles form a hammock-like structure supporting the bladder, rectum, and uterus.
During pregnancy and childbirth, the muscles and organs undergo significant strain and excessive tension. This can lead to overcompensation and weakened pelvic floor muscles. The potential for urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and organ prolapse becomes imminent. It is important to get evaluated by a skilled pelvic floor therapist who can help you determine where you need to start.
2. Restoring Strength and Function
Pelvic floor physical therapy is specifically designed to address the unique needs of each postpartum individual. By working with a skilled therapist, you can regain strength, flexibility, and control over your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles.
As pelvic therapists, we utilize targeted exercises, stretches, and manual techniques to promote healing, alleviate pain, and enhance overall pelvic floor function. This will help you get back to doing the things you love quickly. We’ll help you to improve any lingering abdominal separation, strengthen your core and glutes, increase mobility, and revitalize your sex life. Can I get a YES, PLEASE?
3. Managing Urinary Incontinence
One of the most common challenges postpartum women face is urinary incontinence, which can significantly impact their quality of life.
Pelvic floor physical therapy offers a range of strategies to retrain the bladder and improve control. This includes lengthening and strengthening exercises and internal manual techniques.
By partnering with a therapist, moms can regain their confidence and enjoy a leak-free lifestyle, for life! You’ll learn info and skills that will stick with you for good, gearing you up for whatever life goals you have next.
4. Addressing Pelvic Pain and Discomfort
Childbirth can result in pelvic pain and discomfort, which persists long after delivery if not treated. Whether due to scarring (from tears, c-sections, episiotomies), nerve damage, or increased sensitivity, pelvic floor therapy provides effective pain management.
We use our skilled and intuitive hands to provide manual therapy, relaxation exercises, and other modalities to relieve tension and reduce pain.
It doesn’t stop at pelvic pain. Pelvic PTs are trained in assessing and treating all regions of the body. If your back or hips have been acting up since pregnancy, pelvic pt’s can get to the root cause and help you tackle those lingering issues.
All of this promotes a better overall quality of life.
5. Enhancing Sexual Well-being
It can be majorly discouraging when you are never in the mood for sex because of trauma from birth. It’s not unusual to experience changes in sexual function and satisfaction following childbirth. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help address these concerns by decreasing scar tissue and focusing on restoring pelvic floor muscle quality by improving blood flow to the pelvic region.
Retraining your brain and nervous system to respond positively to perineal sensations will change the game in terms of pleasure. Your pelvic PT will help you with this and make sure you are comfortable discussing these sensitive concerns in a professional, and appropriate manner.
Having a trusted, non-judgmental source to talk to about this, can help enhance intimacy and sexual well-being.
6. Preventing Long-Term Complications
Postpartum pelvic floor therapy not only aids in recovery but also plays a crucial role in preventing long-term complications. By addressing pelvic floor issues early on, women can reduce their risk of developing conditions like pelvic organ prolapse or further worsening existing symptoms.
You won’t be a grandma someday who’s always wearing pads or needs to take frequent bathroom breaks. You’ll feel your best in the long term and really get back to feeling more like yourself.
Motherhood is an incredible journey! It’s fun, emotional, and the biggest challenge of our lives.
Taking care of ourselves is equally important as caring for our kids.
Postpartum pelvic floor physical therapy provides an opportunity for moms to heal, regain strength, and improve their overall quality of life. It can be loads of fun too as you add more activity into your daily routine.
You’ll feel like a better mom because you’re a better version of yourself. Your little one will never have to know the toll they took on your body, because you’re taking care of it the way it deserves to be taken care of.
So say yes. Take the time, challenge yourself, seek out professional help, and rehab your body from birth with a pelvic floor physical therapist. You really deserve it!
If you are interested in working with our Longmont pelvic therapists, book a free 20-minute discovery visit and discuss your concerns with us. We also have a postpartum fitness trainer on staff to help you get stronger faster.