baby your bottom

story by | brooke erstad

Thechanges a woman’s body experiences during pregnancy and after delivery can be amazing and overwhelming. I can say loud and clear, “I hear ya sista!” This empathy isn’t based solely on my background as a Pelvic Rehabilitation Physical Therapist, but I’m also anxiously anticipating the arrival of my first baby! Over the past months I have watched this wonderful [yet at times strange] transformation for myself and feel even more confident in my role helping women prepare their bodies for birth and restoring them to their pre-pregnancy status.

have you heard?

The information available to pregnant women is vast, helpful and readily available. However, the information on perineal or pelvic floor care during the prenatal and postnatal period is still limited, but the benefits are something every mommy-to-be needs to know about.

The pelvic floor, known collectively as the “bottom,” is a very important group of muscles that form a sling from the tailbone to the pubic bone and hold up all of your abdominal organs such as your bladder, uterus and intestines. During pregnancy, these muscles also help to support the added weight, while continuing to help maintain continence [bowel and bladder control]. With that said exercising your pelvic floor is as important as the cardio and strength training exercises you do for the rest of your body!

Having a strong pelvic floor will help with symptoms of incontinence, circulation and pelvic pressure that occur during lifting, sneezing, coughing, etc. Exercising your bottom will also prepare your body for effective pushing during labor and the control you gain of these muscles may also allow relaxation of the pelvic floor during childbirth which allows easier passage of the infant. Proper care of your bottom can be very helpful in limiting the amount of trauma sustained in childbirth, as well as speeding up the recovery process post-natal.

squeeze what?

Specialized Physical Therapists are the experts in helping women exercise their bottoms effectively. Using Kegels, which involve squeezing and relaxing the same muscles used during urination [more specifically, the muscles involved in stopping urine midstream] and learning to identify the muscles of your bottom can reduce straining and the incidences of trauma to your bottom pre- and postnatal. While you may have already tried this sort of exercise, research has shown that unless properly instructed, it is commonly performed incorrectly. Seeking proper supervision by a trained professional is recommended as they can also help you with perineal massage and stretching techniques. now what?

After birth, your “bottom” will need some recovery time before returning to your pre-pregnancy lifestyle. Gentle Kegel exercises should be started soon after childbirth to assist with healing of any tearing or episiotomy scarring, restoring pelvic floor function and assisting with lifting your new bundle of joy as you transition to motherhood. There are many postnatal exercise programs that help women get their waistlines back, but finding the right one for each individual’s needs is very important. A physical therapist is a great resource to consult with about a customized exercise program and add in some soothing bottom care.