Should I see a pelvic floor PT during my pregnancy?
By Dr. Julieann Berg, PT, DPT
Yes, yes, and YES!
As baby grows and your pregnancy progresses, your alignment and body mechanics change. Hormonal changes (increase in relaxin!) cause the ligaments throughout your body to become more lax. Ligaments hold bones in place, so when ligaments become more mobile, so do the joints, which creates joint instability.
Instability in the pelvis can create pain with everyday things like walking, standing up from a chair, rolling in bed, and lifting your toddler. This pain can come from the sacroiliac joints in the back of the pelvis or the pubic symphysis joint in the front of the pelvis. Pain is typically worse when standing on one leg or shifting weight from one leg to the other, like during walking or climbing stairs.
Ligamentous laxity and mobile joints are adaptations that are necessary to carry and eventually deliver baby, but they are not great when you are trying to go about your life before baby arrives- especially during late 2nd and 3rd trimester. Strengthening the muscles around the pelvis and low back (specifically core and glutes) can help provide stability to the body as baby grows. Learning to move more efficiently as your posture and body mechanics change is an important piece of the puzzle, as well.
Here at THRIVE, we recommend seeing a pelvic floor PT at 20, 30, 37 and 39 weeks of pregnancy to help navigate these changes.
At the 20 and 30 week appointments, our goal is to increase strength and stability in your body. Whether that be your “inside body” (pelvic floor, core) or “outside body” (glutes, leg muscles), we address it all! If there are specific physical activities you want to continue through your pregnancy, we will find ways to support you through them with an individualized exercise program for home. We work with women who continue to run, do pilates, weight lift, play volleyball, and do yoga throughout their pregnancy.
At the 37 and 39 week appointments, our focus is on pelvis and hip mobility and prepping your body for labor and delivery. We review your birth and postpartum plans and make recommendations for exercises to open the pelvic outlet, breathing during labor, and positions for pushing, just to name a few!
We also address issues like urinary incontinence, constipation, sciatica, low back pain, and rib pain that can pop up during pregnancy.
Seeing a pelvic floor PT during pregnancy makes postpartum recovery that much easier. You will feel more informed about and prepared for what’s to come. We are here for you!
