The Role Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Plays in Prenatal Health Care
Part 1 – Treatment Planning
What does my role as a pelvic floor physiotherapist look like in a woman wanting to get pregnant, who is pregnant or has delivered one or multiple babies? Ideally, if I could shout out my suggestions and know that every woman would hear me, I would say “see a pelvic floor physiotherapist before, during, and after every pregnancy!” In a perfect situation the care of a childbearing women would involve the following treatment outline:
Visit #1: Pre-pregnancy – when you are considering getting pregnant or perhaps are only a few weeks into a pregnancy you should be assessed by a pelvic floor physiotherapist. The first appointment will likely be used to gather baseline information (See Part 2 – Prenatal Baseline Recommendations blog).
Visit #2: This could involve taking a prenatal yoga or exercise class series or seminar. It could also involve a 1:1 appointment. During this appointment, you would be provided guidance that addresses your specific exercise practices and also is provided specific exercises designed to prevent aches and pains that can often present during the 9 months of pregnancy.
Visit #3: This visit will occur around 34-36 weeks of pregnancy. During this session, it is recommended you bring your partner. If you choose to complete a prenatal yoga or exercise class series then this visit may be visit #2 and will mostly involve perineal stretching and determining what pushing strategy relaxes the pelvic floor the best.
Visit #4 – Visit #7 – 10: These visits will start after the baby is born and can begin as early as 4-6 weeks postpartum. The visits are often spread out over several months and some visits may be replaced by a postpartum yoga or exercise class.
I am hoping to offer moms prenatal knowledge that will empower them to find their inner strength to make the best out of their prenatal season of life.
If you have never included a pelvic floor physiotherapist in your healthcare team, it might be the next step to helping you recover.
Book Now to see Leona Ham BSc. P.T, Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist.
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