Written by: Catherine Chagnon, PT

As you might imagine, being pregnant and having a baby significantly changes your body. Child birth can put a lot of strain on the pelvic floor muscles and the surrounding joints. Whether you have a vaginal or c- section birth, you could greatly benefit from seeing a Pelvic Health Physical therapist to assess how you are healing. A pelvic health PT can help you recover, prevent any issues you may be having from becoming chronic, manage pain, and get you back to the activities you love. With our team of pelvic health therapists, you can be sure to receive an individualized plan to meet your needs postpartum and beyond. 

 Below are a few questions to ask your pelvic health physical therapist at your first postpartum visit (which can be as soon as 2 weeks):

Question 1: Do I have Diastatis Recti? If so what can I do about it? What should I modify or avoid?

Answer: Your pelvic PT can assess your abdomen for diastasis recti and explain how this can affect your recovery. They can prescribe specific exercises to help you strengthen your core, protect your pelvic floor, and navigate your return to exercises and activities. 

Question 2: Is my pelvic floor weak or tight? Should I be doing kegels?

Answer: Your pelvic health PT is specialized in assessing your Pelvic floor muscles for optimal strength, coordination, and flexibility. During the evaluation, your therapist will perform a thorough orthopedic assessment and external or internal PF assessment to point you in the direction of breath work, kegels, core strengthening, hip stability, and more.

Question 3: I am experiencing dryness or pain around the vulvar and vaginal areas… Is this normal? I’m concerned about returning to intercourse. Can you help me?

Answer: Absolutely, your pelvic PT can help you address vaginal dryness and resuming sexual activity safely and without pain. There are a variety of internal treatment techniques including teaching you to use vaginal dilators or the pelvic wand. Your therapist will guide you toward using these tools and ensure you are able to use them independently. Collaborating with your doctor about topical hormone creams can also help.

Even if your question isn’t on the list, it’s worth chatting with your provider or a pelvic health therapist about what you are experiencing, why it’s bothering you, and what your goals are. You don’t have to let it be your “new normal.” Give our team a call today and learn what a pelvic floor rehab plan can look like for you!