I couldn't believe these words were some I had never heard before, especially when they are so important in order to be educated about my own postpartum body! Read below for a list of words that I will be using a lot... and that we should just know and not be scared of.
Pelvic Floor
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles in your pelvis that stretch from the pelvic bone, in the front, to the tail bone, in the back. They work together with your abdominal muscles as well as your back muscles to help stabilize your core. Many issues women, and men, may have with their back or hips could actually be a pelvic floor muscle issue.
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist (PFPT)
Who knew this was a thing?! Not me! Well it is and it is so important to have access to one postpartum! In review, the pelvic floor is a group of muscles that basically prevent all your insides from falling out of your vagina. When you have a baby, they go through a pretty traumatic event! A pelvic floor physical therapist has specialized or is working on specializing in pelvic floor therapy. Much like therapy is needed when coming back from surgery or something else traumatic to your body, for example.. when you have a baby, your pelvic muscles also need therapy to return back to full function. Not everybody is going to need multiple visits, but it will always be a good idea to check in with one after you have had a baby just to make sure there aren't any huge problems you will need to watch out for. I'm not totally sure why doctors don't normally suggest this (future post??) but they don't. So you may need to ask for a recommendation or do some research on your own. You can also click HERE to find one near you.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions
The next couple of words may sound scary at first, but they are so important to know and understand that life is not over if you have them! You might have experienced them or know someone that has and just need to understand them better, then this is the place for you! Below are VERY brief definitions for now, but I will be doing more in depth blogging and posting about them in the near future as you know they are common and manageable!
*Diastasis Recti - The separation of your ab muscles. This happens to 100% of women that become pregnant because the baby gets bigger and expands your stomach! After you have given birth you may still have a gap between your abs for a little bit, but there is SO much more to it than a gap between your ab muscles! Our really awesome doctors and physical therapists dedicated to DR are learning new things about this dysfunction all the time!
*Pelvic Organ Prolapse - This happens when your pelvic organs (bladder, uterus, colon) start descending down through your pelvic muscles. There are many degrees to this which we will go over in future posts. Some feel pain or discomfort, others feel nothing! I am so excited to share the fantastic resources I have found to help manage this dysfunction!
*Incontinence - Uncontrolled peeing (no fancy definitions here!) This can happen for a lot of reasons and there are different types, but uncomfortable for anyone the experiences the feeling. This is probably the most commonly talked about and accepted as 'just part of giving birth' but it is NOT a normal thing and CAN be addressed and managed!
Overwhelmed? Sound Familiar? Scary words? Validated? Your postpartum 'issues' are not just you, and definitely don't define you, but happen to a lot of women. Some of these things can happen without having kids too! I want to show you it's possible to jump on a trampoline with your kids and not have to wear a pad for the rest of your life! In the next blog I will start show you what to do with these dysfunctions if you or someone you know has experienced them.
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