The Benefits of Pelvic floor Physical Therapy For Birth: Why You Need It

Birth is a biomechanical process that puts tremendous stress on a woman’s body, especially her core, pelvis, & pelvic floor muscles. These muscles & structures support the baby and the growing uterus during pregnancy and childbirth. Unfortunately, they can also be stressed or even damaged during the birth process.

That’s where pelvic floor physical therapy comes in. Pelvic PT for birth can help prepare these muscles for birth and repair any damage that has been done in the postpartum phase. It can also help prevent further damage and improve your overall health.

There are many benefits of physical therapy for birth. Physical therapy can help improve your pelvic floor muscle tone, improve your biomechanics during labor and delivery, and reduce your risk of incontinence and prolapse after childbirth. Therapy can also help teach you how to properly breath and push the baby out without any extra stress on the pelvic floor muscles. It can also help you recover from the physical stress of childbirth more quickly.

If you are planning a pregnancy or are already pregnant, search for your local pelvic floor physical therapist to set up an appointment. It could be the best decision you ever make for your health and the health of your baby.

What is pelvic floor physical therapy?

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a type of rehab that uses physical interventions to help patients prevent and/or recover from injury, illness, or pain. Physical therapy includes a wide range of treatments, including massages, exercises, stretches, and manipulation of body tissues. When it comes to childbirth, physical therapists can help women discover their pelvic floor muscles and restore muscle tone to the area to help prevent discomfort and complications during labor and delivery. Physical therapists specialize in restoring, maintaining, and promoting optimal health and well-being through rehabilitative and preventative interventions. Physical therapists can also help improve your posture and core strength, which are important for proper laboring.

How can physical therapy help with birth?

Pelvic floor physical therapy can help women prepare for the physical demands of labor and delivery. By recognizing what the pelvic floor muscles do during birth, physical therapists can help women reduce their risk of birth trauma, perineal tearing, incontinence, and prolapse after childbirth. For example, during the early laboring phase, the pelvic floor needs to be passively lengthened using diaphragmatic breathing. During the pushing phase, the pelvic floor needs to get out of the way. Pelvic rehab can also help you learn the difference between closed glottis and open glottis pushing. These 2 have different effects on the body and the pelvic floor muscles and core muscles. Physical therapists can also help women improve their biomechanics of hip positioning, which is important to reduce stress on the pelvic floor muscles during childbirth and give the baby more room to move down the birth canal. They can also help women learn how to properly align their spine and hips when in labor positions, which can reduce the risk of problems such as back pain. Physical therapy can also help women better understand how their posture and body mechanics can affect their labor and delivery. By improving their biomechanics and understanding the importance of good posture in labor and delivery, women can be better prepared for birth and reduce their risk of complications.

What are the benefits of physical therapy after birth?

After delivery, pelvic floor physical therapy can help reduce the risk of incontinence and prolapse and improve recovery from the physical stress of childbirth. Most importantly, physical therapy can help you recover more quickly from the physical effects of childbirth so you can enjoy your newborn with minimal discomfort.

How do I find a pelvic floor physical therapist for birth?

If you’re looking for a physical therapist for birth, the best place to start is by searching for your local pelvic floor physical therapist. Your doctor can refer you to a physical therapist who specializes in pre-and post-natal care. Once you’ve chosen a physical therapist, they can help you create a personalized plan based on your health goals. Your physical therapist can also help you strengthen your core and pelvic floor muscles, improve your posture, and learn proper alignment for labor positions.