One thing I recommend to all my clients is pelvic floor physical therapy.  Whether you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or it’s been years since childbirth, I absolutely believe every woman can benefit from physical therapy.  In France, it is routine for a woman to have pelvic floor physical therapy after childbirth.  Yet, here in the U.S., it is an almost unheard practice in many areas!

The female body goes through a tremendous amount of physiological change in a short amount of time during pregnancy and childbirth. Unfortunately, this process does not happen as naturally as we might hope.  A physical therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor is an extremely useful member a woman’s healthcare team!

I met with a pelvic floor physical therapist for the first time when my second baby was 18 months old.  I wish I could go back in time and meet with one during my first pregnancy and postpartum period.  I wonder how my birth and postpartum experience might have been different had I seen one.  But, there’s no use dwelling on that now.  I want to tell you what my experience was and what you can expect.

I did get a referral during my annual exam with my OBGYN.  I was a little nervous to ask, especially since I didn’t think I had a good enough reason to go.  But, she didn’t ask any questions and just wrote the referral, for which I am so thankful!

I’ll be honest, I felt pretty good prior to seeing my physical therapist, Lynn.  I had been researching and learning about women’s health for a while and felt I was pretty in tune with my body.  I was, however, suspicious that despite my best efforts, my pelvic floor was still too tight.  I would often catch myself clenching it and unable to actually relax.

As I’ve talked about several times, tight is not good.  The pelvic floor is a muscle and like any muscle, when it’s too tight, it is not strong.  Imagine walking around all day with your bicep contracted. It would eventually fatigue and not work properly! Our pelvic floor is no different.

My appointment started out with a basic interview, as most appointments with a healthcare professional do.  I talked about how I really didn’t have any symptoms except for the fact that I felt my pelvic floor was tight.  I had actually noticed earlier that week that I felt on the verge of incontinence during a sprinting session.  I would’ve dismissed this as normal only a few months prior, but I knew now that it was a symptom of a problem.

Then we did the assessment.  Yes, the physical therapist will do an internal assessment.  She needs to in order to assess your pelvic floor.  I was not looking forward to this, as I have never had a good experience with any internal exams at my OBGYN (those cervix checks at the end of pregnancy? Ouch!).  This was absolutely nothing like that.  It was slightly uncomfortable at a few spots, mainly where I was tight, but that was it.

I know some women are wary about going to a physical therapist because of the internal exam.  I cannot emphasize enough that this is not something to fear.  It was not painful or awkward. 

She assessed me for a while and I practiced doing kegels.  I realized very quickly that I struggle to fully relax after the contraction.  She also found a few areas that were tight.  I tore with both of my births and I have some scar tissue that may contribute to the tightness and inability to completely connect with my pelvic floor.

After the internal exam, Lynn showed me some hip stretches that can also help with the tightness I am experiencing.  She gave me homework that included pelvic floor stretches, kegels, and hip stretches.  The entire appointment took an hour.

So, there you have it.  After the first appointment, we planned on two more to follow-up.  And I worked on my new strategies and exercises in between!

Are you ready to take the next step and see a pelvic floor physical therapist?

If you’re one of my local followers, you can set up an appointment with Lynn.

Or, check out this link to find one local to you!

If you’re still not so sure about going to an actual appointment, I strongly urge you to check out Julie Wiebe, PT.  She has an online course  that costs $50.  It will definitely give you a solid foundation for rehabbing your core and pelvic floor. Or, check out Dr. Sarah Duvall’s free mini course.

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Love,

Janelle