Are you confused with ALL the info online about your pelvic floor in pregnancy plus how to prepare for birth?
Have you heard to do 100s of kegels a day or maybe perineal massage? (Massage my wha?!😳)
Wondering if you’re doing Kegels right or what they even are?🙋🏻♀️
You’re not alone, most of my pregnant physio clients say they were told about Kegels but no one explained what are they and is there a point in doing them 🤷🏻♀️
Here’s 5 steps that can help you prepare your pelvic floor for birth that I go through with my prenatal physio clients & in my Bump to Birth online course:
1️⃣ Understand where your pelvic floor muscles are, how they work & what they do plus that you don’t need to be clenching them all the time.
2️⃣ Connect your pelvic floor & core with your breath which goes beyond traditional Kegels. Learning how to contract AND relax these muscles is key. Bringing this connection into movement can help with comfort or symptoms in pregnancy plus prepare you how to relax these muscles during labour.
3️⃣ Learn strategies for your mind, body & pelvic floor for labour. Various labour positions & breathing strategies can help you cope but having strategies to keep you mentally focused is just as important. Plus your partner can learn ways to support you during labour.
4️⃣ Support you & your pelvic floor during pushing. Perineal massage in pregnancy can help reduce the risk of severe tears and episiotomy but during birth, know different pushing positions, panting when baby is crowning and a warm compress on your perineum can help decrease risk of tearing. Learning about different pushing techniques can also be a big help.
5️⃣ Prepare for postpartum during pregnancy. Learning how to connect to your pelvic floor in pregnancy can be key to getting a head start on your recovery. Learn about rehab exercise for those first 6 weeks postpartum and how to gradually add in movement vs going from 0-100 at 6 weeks postpartum.
Check out: @holistichealthphysio for more
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