Giving birth is not a walk in the park. The medical field has normalized the aftereffects of childbirth such as pelvic pain and urinary incontinence, but is this normal? Before pregnancy, you didn’t have any issues and now you pee a little when you sneeze or jump, and sex is no longer enjoyable due to pain. Pooping is tough too and you find that you’re having to strain more to have a bowel movement. You are also sick of people asking when the baby is due when it has been 3 months, but that belly just won’t go away!
Is this the norm? It shouldn’t have to be!
Studies have shown that women who leak urine at three months postpartum continue to experience it a decade later! So just waiting for it to improve on its own isn’t generally the right answer, though is a common one that OB GYNs give new moms with this complaint. Injuries and trauma sustained during childbirth are real (your pelvic floor muscles stretch over 300% during delivery!). So why is it framed that the only important outcome of childbirth is the health of the baby and not of the mother???
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently updated its recommendations in 2018 that highlight the need for ongoing care postpartum. They discuss the importance of holistic, well-rounded care for new mothers in the first 12 weeks following childbirth, which has been called the “Fourth Trimester”. This is a dynamic period of physical, emotional, and lifestyle change. If you birth in a hospital you are discharged in 24-48 hours with practically no information. Your body and hormones are not regulated, and your body is trying to recover from birth for the next few months. It can take a year for a full recovery. Just because you are discharged does not mean you are “good to go”.
Pelvic Physical Therapists are experts in all the nerves, muscles, ligaments, and other structures that can be affected by childbirth. They are truly musculoskeletal experts that look at the “big picture” of things and can analyze what structures may be contributing to any pain or dysfunction you may be experiencing.
• Identifying and treating an abdominal separation or diastasis recti
• Addressing pain and discomfort you may be having during nursing or while lifting and
carrying your baby
• Return to running or your preferred exercise safely and effectively
• Addressing pelvic floor disorders (pain, weakness, pelvic organ prolapse, leakage)
• Learning what to expect physically as you recover postpartum
Any woman who has given birth (vaginally OR via cesarean section) would benefit from a wellness examination by a pelvic physical therapist during their pregnancy and also post-birth. That is why we are partnering with maternal health providers to make these appointments more accessible to you. You deserve to have your health and wellness be a priority too, not just your baby’s.
If you’d like to get started feeling your best after baby, give us a call at 937-949-1427 to get scheduled.
References:
Committee Opinion No. 666 Summary. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2016;127(6):1192-1193. doi:10.1097/aog.0000000000001481.
Macarthur C, Wilson D, Herbison P, et al. Urinary incontinence persisting after childbirth: extent, delivery history, and effects in a 12-year longitudinal cohort study. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 2015;123(6):1022-1029. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.13395.
Ashton-Miller, James A., and John OL DeLancey. “Mechanisms of pelvic floor trauma during vaginal delivery.” In Pelvic Floor Disorders, pp. 189-209. Springer, Cham, 2021.
