PREGNANCY AND LABOR PREP
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy For Pregnancy And Labor Prep
Welcoming a new life into the world is an incredible journey, but it comes with unique physical challenges that deserve expert care. Pregnancy is a transformative phase, and your body undergoes significant changes that can impact your comfort, mobility, and overall well-being.
At Refine PT, we specialize in treating the symptoms that come along with pregnancy and assist in preparing your body for labor and delivery.
How Can Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Be Beneficial During Pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a time of constant physical change, and physical therapy can help you navigate these shifts with greater comfort and readiness for childbirth throughout the evolution of each trimester. You will gain confidence in your birth plan as well as readiness for the physical and mental aspects involved in delivery of your baby.
Easing Pregnancy-Related Pain and Discomfort With Physical Therapy
As your body adapts to your growing baby, you may experience aches, pains, and new challenges. Physical therapy can help address:
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Pain in areas like the lower back, hips, and sacroiliac joints (SIJ), which often bear the brunt of pregnancy-related posture changes.
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Carpal tunnel syndrome in your hands, often caused by fluid retention.
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Plantar fasciitis in your feet, resulting from increased weight and pressure.
Even if you feel symptom-free, starting therapy early can promote a smoother pregnancy and minimize discomfort in later stages.
One of the major ways pelvic floor physical therapy is beneficial during pregnancy is that your pelvic floor physical therapist can develop an individualized total body strengthening program. This will help to build a solid foundation of strength and mobility that will prepare you for the marathon of labor and birthing your baby. Pelvic floor, hip strength, and mobility exercises are particularly important for training your body to bear down and push your baby out in the most effective way possible for your body. This training will help to reduce the risk of injury to your pelvic floor and the bones of the pelvis.
Even though the role of pelvic floor physical therapy focuses on labor preparation by addressing the pelvis, hips, and pelvic floor, this is a total body event, so the entire body should be considered. There are body parts and muscles that need to be assessed and trained for your individual needs in preparation for childbirth. All women are going to have specific areas of focus in assisting their bodies with getting the baby out safely. Our physical therapists work to assess how to reduce the risk of harm to you and the health of your pelvic floor. This can include an assessment of your rib cage, spinal mobility, as well as core and hip strength. These are examples of major areas of the body that need to be functioning and coordinating well together to help progress labor and assist your pelvic floor for effective pushing.
Evaluation and Preparation with Your Physical Therapist
Pelvic floor physical therapy plays a pivotal role in preparing your body for labor and delivery. Your evaluation is the first step in understanding how your body moves and functions, enabling your therapist to create a plan that supports your specific birth goals.
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At your evaluation, your pelvic floor physical therapist will internally assess your pelvic floor musculature and help to find the most optimal positioning of your body for pushing. This will be tailored specifically for your birth plan and your body, whether you plan for an epidural or an unmedicated birth. Various ways of utilizing your hips, core, rib cage, and breath can be assessed by your pelvic floor physical therapist in conjunction with the internal assessment. This way the lengthening of the pelvic floor musculature can be felt in each position with the breath work and bearing down that works the most effectively for you.
Learning To Balance Strength and Relaxation
Labor requires your pelvic floor to shift seamlessly between strength and relaxation:
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Strength: Helps guide your baby’s head through the birth canal and supports your body through each phase of labor.
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Relaxation: Reduces tension, promotes efficient pushing, and minimizes the risk of injury to the pelvic floor muscles.
By training these opposing yet complementary functions, your pelvic floor becomes more adaptable and prepared for the demands of childbirth. Your therapist will guide you through exercises to help you engage these functions at the right time, whether you're holding strength to support your baby or allowing your pelvic floor to stretch and lengthen for delivery.
During labor, your body will face significant pressure and discomfort, but knowing how to manage it through pelvic floor training can make a big difference. Your therapist will equip you with various tools and techniques - such as specific movements and breathwork - to help ease discomfort and make the pushing phase more efficient and less overwhelming.
This balanced approach to pelvic floor training allows your body to move with the natural flow of labor, giving you the confidence to trust your body's ability to navigate the experience with strength and ease.
Education and Support During Labor
Pelvic floor physical therapy (PT) provides valuable education and techniques to make your labor experience more comfortable and efficient. By understanding how your pelvic bones move during different phases of labor, you can incorporate targeted mobility activities to ease discomfort and support the progression of labor. Your therapist will guide you through exercises designed to keep you comfortable and help your body adapt to the natural rhythm of childbirth.
Additionally, learning how to calm your nervous system is a powerful tool. This approach helps reduce the intensity of pain and transforms it into manageable discomfort, making the labor process smoother and more focused. Techniques such as breathwork and relaxation exercises play a key role in helping you stay calm and centered during each phase of labor.
If you have a supportive partner, they can also be involved in your care. Your physical therapist can teach them specific techniques to help decrease pain and assist in the progression of labor, both during contractions and in between. This shared knowledge ensures that your partner is equipped to support you effectively, whether through counterpressure, breathing exercises, or offering emotional support. With this additional layer of support, your body will be able to move through labor more quickly and smoothly.
After the birth, whether you’ve had a medication-free delivery, epidural, or C-section, postpartum physical therapy plays a crucial role in your recovery. Therapy helps improve outcomes for getting back to your usual activities safely and efficiently. In the postpartum phase - also known as the "fourth trimester" - your body will undergo significant changes as it adjusts to life without pregnancy. Your postpartum physical therapist will help guide this transition, focusing on healing, strengthening, and supporting your body as it adapts to its new normal.
