3 Tips For Healing Your Pelvic Floor After Giving Birth
After you’ve given birth, your pelvic floor muscles are going to be weak and you will probably experience some degree of incontinence (leakage of urine). It is important to start relearning your body along with retraining & strengthening your pelvic floor muscles along with your core after giving birth. This will help you heal quickly and reduce the risk of developing problems such as prolapse in the future.
There are several things you can do to help heal your pelvic floor muscles after giving birth. One of the most important things you can do is to start to learn how your pelvic floor muscles and core work together with breathing. Along with this, this is also a great time to work on posture training and thoracic mobility. These exercises help to heal your body after baby.
Keep reading to learn more about 3 tips for healing your pelvic floor after giving birth!
1. Practice good posture.
Your posture can have a huge impact on the health of your pelvic floor. When you slouch or hunch over, you put extra pressure on your pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to weakened muscles and problems like prolapse and/or urinary leakage. Instead of slouching, focus on sitting and standing up straight, with your shoulders back and your spine in a neutrally aligned position.
2. Avoid excessive heavy lifting.
In the weeks after giving birth, avoid any heavy lifting. Lifting heavy objects puts extra pressure on your pelvic floor muscles, which can slow down your healing process. Instead, enlist the help of others for tasks that require heavy lifting, or break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Now, if you're a mom of multiple, it's hard to NOT lift your toddler or other kids. This is a great time to ask for help from your partner, family or friends with lifting in the first few initial weeks.
3. Seek a pelvic floor physical therapist.
If you're struggling to do kegel exercises correctly, or you want to take your pelvic floor strengthening to the next level, consider seeking a pelvic floor physical therapist. These therapists can help you identify and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and core muscles more effectively. Many women find pelvic floor physical therapy to be extremely helpful in their post-partum recovery. In these visits, your PT will help you learn about your pelvic floor and core, but also work on posture, lifting mechanics and other stretching goals you have for your postpartum recovery.
In conclusion, taking care of your pelvic floor and core after giving birth is incredibly important for your long-term health and well-being. By practicing good posture, avoiding heavy lifting, and seeking help from your local pelvic floor physical therapist, you can quickly heal your pelvic floor and reduce your risk of future problems.