COULD IT BE DYSLEXIA?

scar massage

• Women may feel as if tissue is tearing with insertion into vagina

• Gently rub the scars with pressure enough to blanch the skin, using a natural lubricant or vitamin E, for five to ten minutes every day kegel exercises

• This should feel as though you are “holding back gas” or “stopping your pee” and you should not feel any squeeze in your buttocks, abdomen, or inner thighs

• These are safe to begin immediately postpartum

• 30-50 repetitions of holding five to ten seconds and resting five to ten seconds in between

• The rest time is very important to combat the “burning ring of fire” feeling when returning to intercourse resources:

Yes, Postpartum Dyspareunia is very common, but it isn’t something you have to live with long term. Your body is meant to heal, but if you continue to have problems, or just have questions about your changing body, talk to your trusted physician or visit a professional trained in women’s health and specifically pelvic-floor rehabilitation.

Wife to Bryan, mom to a 2 ½ -year-old son, Blake, and 14-month-old daughter, Brogen, and co-owner of Apex Physical Therapy & Wellness Center in West Fargo, Brook has a passion for women’s health. She is a Board Certified Women’s Health Specialist [WCS] through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists [ABPTS], which is the highest mark achieved in the field of Women's Health Physical Therapy. Brooke is one of two providers in North Dakota with this distinction [the other is in Bismarck, ND]. To earn her WCS certification, Brooke had to demonstrate proficiency in evaluating and treating a variety of women's health diagnoses, including: incontinence, pelvic-floor pain, prenatal and postpartum care, breast and gynecological cancer care, lymphedema, and considerations of treating the female athlete.

1. Nusbaum MR, Gamble G, Skinner B, Heiman J. The high prevalence of sexual concerns among women seeking routine gynecological care. J Fam Pract 2000;49(3):229-32.

Lace Up for Lend A Hand!

2. Richardson AC, Lyon JB, Graham EE, Williams NL. Decreasing postpartum sexual abstinence time. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1976;126(4):416-7.

3. Hicks TL, Goodall SF, Quattrone EM, Lydon-Rochelle MT. Postpartum sexual functioning and method of delivery: summary of the evidence. J Midwifery Women’s Health 2004;49(5):430.

4. Buhling KJ, Schmidt S, Robinson JN, Klapp C, Siebert G, Dudenhausen JW. Rate of dyspareunia after delivery in primiparae according to mode of delivery. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2006;124(1):42-6.

5. Signorello LB, Harlow BL, Chekos AK, Repke JT. Postpartum sexual functioning and its relationship to perineal trauma: a retrospective cohort study of primiparous women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;184(5):881-8; discussion 888-90.

6. Connolly A, Thorp J, Pahel L. Effects of pregnancy and childbirth on postpartum sexual function: a longitudinal prospective study. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 2005 16(4):263-7.

7. Barrett G, Peacock J, Victor CR, Mayonda. Cesarean section and postnatal sexual health. Birth 2005;32(4):306-11.

8. Von Sydow K, Ulmeyer M, Happ N. Sexual activity during pregnancy and after childbirth: results from the Sexual Preferences Questionnaire. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2001;22(1):29-40.

9. Von Sydow K. Sexuality during pregnancy and after childbirth: a metacontent analysis of 59 studies. J Psychosom Res 1999;47(1):27-49.

10. Reamy KJ, White SE. Sexuality in the puerperium: a review. Arch Sex Behav 1987;16(2):165-86.

11. Kayner CE, Zagar JA. Breast-feeding and sexual response. J Fam Pract 1983;17(1):69-73.

12. Elia G, Bergman A. Pelvic muscle exercises: when do they work? Obstet Gynecol 1993;81(2):283-6.

Born and raised in Crookston, Minnesota, but a graduate of Fargo North High School, Mike is the youngest of three kids, a sister who lives in Naples, Florida, and a brother with Down syndrome, who lives in a group home in Crookston Mike attended the University of North Dakota, where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Public Administration, followed by a law degree He practiced for four years in San Francisco, California, and the Bay area before returning to Fargo to open his own firm, a practice exclusively devoted to family law The firm represents husbands, wives, moms, dads, grandparents, and, by court appointment, children, in all family law courts in North Dakota and Minnesota Mike and Sara, wife of 17 years, are parents to Emma [15], Noah [14], and Sophie [13] Mike is active in his church and considers himself a ‘foodie ’ He loves to garden and cook, and enjoys food projects like canning and sausage making on road trips i listen to… my best habit… is that I am on a never-ending self-improvement program. I love the phrase, “what you are is God’s gift to you. What you make of yourself is your gift to God.” you would never catch me… without a plan for the day. i’m not embarrassed to admit… that, technically, I cheated, five years ago, when I raced my son around the skating rink at Longfellow Elementary…if its “cheating” to throw your kid into a snow bank before you yell “go!” age 54, fargo .nd the most surprising thing i’ve learned about myself… though I still try, I can’t do it all myself. Leaning on and trusting others is not only okay, but usually leads to a better result and a more enjoyable journey. when i was younger, i wanted to be… as far from here as possible. I chased happiness to other parts of the U.S., only to learn that Fargo was hard to beat. the thing i got rid of but never missed… was that Chevy Nova I drove back in college. Zero to 60 in a minute or so. my idea of a good dinner… has nothing to do with food and drink and everything to do with whom it’s shared. something my kids may not know about me… is that I used to be a teenager, too, and everything they feel and worry about, I once felt and worried about, too…only to better music. my personality can be summed up as… hilarious. I just do such a great job of concealing it that I’m the only one who knows. i offer advice to clients daily, but the best advice i give is… “be nice.” When this advice is followed, it may not always make things better, but never makes things worse. the most challenging part of being a dad to teenagers… is maintaining a relevant presence amidst the competition of friends, school, activities, and their growing need for independence. our family rule is… every day ends with a real hug and an “I love you.” No faking. the phrase i’ve said more than any other at home… it’s a tie between: “play the piano, please”; “is your homework done yet?”; and “it’s only funny when I do that.” They don’t laugh either. i can always count on a laugh from… my work colleagues. Yeah, they’re really smart and all, but that’s not enough. If we can’t laugh with each other, we shouldn’t spend five days a week together. getting older, i’ve come to appreciate… that “winning” has very little to do with victory and defeat. my profession gives me… almost limitless opportunities to help others through trying times. i’m a big believer in… doing your best and being kind to dogs. my wife makes me a better dad/husband/man… every single day. Sara is beautiful, inside and out. She doesn’t compromise her values. She is wise and insightful. I respect her, am blessed every day I am with her, and know that I’m the one who married “up.” i can always do better with/at… searching out opportunities to “give back.” Can’t we all?

This American Life, Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, and TED Radio Hour. I know it’s nerdy but, hey, public radio rocks!

My dad raises food from biotech seeds. We can trust the farmers to grow safe and nutritious food source while preserving our future with conservation practices that will protect our environment.