In this blog post I’m going to talk about:

• The pelvic floor & what it does
• How the pelvic floor can be impacted by giving birth
• 3 Tips on how to reconnect with it
• Provide a pose to help offload the pelvic floor at the end of the day

What IS the Pelvic Floor and what does it do?:

The pelvis is made up of 2 big bones that attach at the back to the bottom of the spine – (also known as the sacrum) and at the front to create a joint called the public symphasis.

See image below of the 2 hip bones coming together at the back and at the front to complete the pelvic girdle.

In the centre of this bowl-type complex is the pelvic floor – and it’s made up of a combination of muscle, ligaments, nerves, and fasica (soft tissue). They are all connected and work together to create the floor of our torso (trunk). They also work to relax and contract to allow us to do things like:

• Go to the bathroom
• Not go to the bathroom before we are ready to do so…
• Have pleasurable sex
• Hold up our pelvic organs
• Create stability in the body
• Create strength for weight lifting, running, jumping and more!

The image below is looking down from within the body at the pelvic floor.

As you can see the pelvic floor is a critical component not only in bodily functions and day to day comfort, but it’s also a major contributor to overall strength and ability.

Unfortunately the pelvic floor doesn’t get it’s share of the spotlight and it is often overlooked even by healthcare professionals such as Physiotherapists but also by some doctors.

How can the Pelvic Floor be impacted by giving birth:

When everything is working well, we aren’t very aware of our pelvic floor – no pain, no pressure, no issue! We pee when we wanna pee, we can reach orgasm and we feel confident doing the things we wanna do without compromise.

But having a baby can put tremendous stress on the pelvic floor. It can be quite traumatic to the pelvic floor even if you end up having a C-section. This isn’t true for everyone. Some people recover very well from having a baby without putting a whole lot of thought into it. But from my experience as an orthopaedic and pelvic floor therapist, there are a lot of people out there who could use some support when it comes to their pelvic floor.

If you are experiencing anything that makes you feel upset, uncomfortable (both emotionally and physically) or are worried about your pelvic floor for whatever reason, shoot me a message so we can discuss whether having a Physiotherapy assessment could be the right move for you. I can also help to refer you on to someone who can help you if I feel like what you are dealing with is out of my scope of practice.

3 Tips for your Pelvic Floor:

In the meantime, here are 3 things you can take note of throughout your day to check in with your… pelvic floor!

• How do you feel after a long walk or a run? Is there any heaviness in your pelvis? Bulging? General discomfort? These could be a sign of prolapse or developing prolapse.
• Can you actively contract AND relax your pelvic floor? You need to be able to do both and if one is harder than the other, that’s what you should focus on practicing.
• Is sex painful? Is there discomfort with insertion? Does lube take care of that or no or is it sore the whole way through? If lube doesn’t help, it’s likely that you have some tightness in the muscles or maybe scar tissue or tissue sensitivity.

Many issues that women face postpartum are completely treatable and even avoidable! Sometimes it’s not complicated, it just needs a little attention.

Maternix Pregnancy & Postpartum courses teach people about their bodies, the way they move, the impact of pregnancy, how to recover postpartum and how to actively PREVENT common issues from becoming a problem – now and in the future.

Invest in yourself and take care of that beautiful wonderful body of yours! … it’s the only one you got! Recover Better with Maternix.

Read more at www.Maternix.ca or the About page and register for a course under Subscriptions page.

Pelvic Floor Relief Pose:

For those looking for some relief at the end of the day, the pose below helps to offload the pelvic floor and can help with circulation and lymphatic flow. It’s a great position for anyone but particularly if you’ve been on your feet all day or are just plane tired.

Give it a try and see how you feel!

Lay flat on your back with a pillow under your head and your hips. Place your calves on the seat of a chair and practice some calm slow breathing.

Lay here for at least 10 minutes.

If you found this post useful, share it with your friends, mom groups, family! Spread the Pelvic Floor Love!

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