The Postpartum Existence – Are You Caring for Everyone But YOU?

Mother and Baby in Autumn

Being a new mom can be a beautiful and rewarding time – marveling at your new bundle of joy, connecting with family and friends over this joyous occasion. However, most often it starts out as an exhausting and overwhelming period of time, in which nothing is as it once was. Nothing, especially not your body…

And no one really told you about everything that was to come.

How are you to have known what to expect?

How are you now to know what is normal, how you’ll get your body back, how and when to start

exercising again, whether you’ll ever get back to feeling the way you want to, and whom to turn to for these answers and accurate information?

To add to all of this, here you are, expected to be 100% dedicated to taking care of this new, precious, tender little being who is so dependent on you – AND now I’m asking you to also take care of yourself?!?

Yes, absolutely!

I know how you may be feeling about this…

I can assure you, acting on the information I am sharing here, should you choose to, or to share it with someone else who may benefit, is not an act of selfishness or vanity. There is no need to feel that you are “stealing time” or energy from your little one.

Quite the contrary – IF you want to be the best, healthiest, most available mom possible, now and in the future, it is in the best interest of your child, as well as, of course, yourself, to become as healthy and strong as possible.

So, having said that, as a pelvic PT, I would like to share some information that I have learned. I have gathered this information through my constant study and pursuit of higher professional knowledge, as well as years of experience with women who have been pregnant, given birth, and gone through the postpartum period in a variety of ways.

And when I say “postpartum,” this covers many months and even years after giving birth. Here I will be focusing most on the first few weeks and months postpartum, although much if this information still applies no matter how old your “child” is now!

As you may know, it is common in the first few weeks after giving birth, to experience aches and pains in a variety of places, as well as difficulty controlling your bladder, or even – dare we say it – gas or stool out of your anus. If you’ve had a vaginal delivery, and especially if there was a lot of tearing or an episiotomy, your pelvic floor – the muscles that control bladder, bowel and sexual function – have been through a trauma and need to heal. The same is true even if you have had a c-section, which is just as much of a trauma to your core muscles, as your lower abdominal muscles, which have been disrupted, are vital to all of the same above functions. Healing of these areas can take some time, and it is often helpful to enlist assistance and guidance from a trained professional. That is where a pelvic physical therapist comes in.

Many new moms choose to have a visit or two with a pelvic health specialist PT, just to understand where they stand in their recovery, and to get some guidelines about their path recovery. Some of these moms discover that they are on track and gain confidence this way as to what to expect and how to gradually get back to their normal activity level, bladder control, and normal sexual function as well. Some of these women discover that they will need guidance and professional hands-on care from a trained physical therapist, for a few more weeks as their body is going through various stages of recovery.

So, how is any new mom to know whether what she is experiencing is “normal” and will most likely get better with time, versus having an issue that requires professional help?

Here is a list of what to expect at certain time-points after delivery, and how to know when to seek further intervention:

0-8 weeks after delivery:

It is normal to:

• Feel like your bottom is “falling out” and to feel awkward about how you should sit or stand.

• Experience some pain in your back, hips, or pubic area.

• Have some difficulty controlling urine, gas, or stool.

• Have some soreness in your neck, arms, back and hips as you get used to lifting and working with the physical demands of caring for your baby.

During this period, be kind to your self, rest when you can, and take time to listen to your body!

8+ Weeks After Delivery:

• Your bleeding should have stopped, and any incisions or tears should have healed. Consult your doctor if you have concerns.

• You should no longer have pain in your back, hips, or pelvis.

• You should have full control of your bladder and bowel movements.

• You may now begin to gradually increase your activity level, and slowly return to exercise, beginning at a lower level than where you previously left off, and progressing even more gradually than you think you need to.

BUT, before you do begin exercising, be sure that you have cleared all of the items on the following checklist:

What is NOT normal:

• Ongoing back, pelvis, groin, or abdominal pain

• Leaking urine, gas, or stool with laughing, coughing, jumping, sneezing, lifting, walking, running, etc.

• Leaking urine or stool when you feel a strong urge to go

• A feeling of pressure or bulging down in your vagina or rectum

• Bulging or “doming” of your abdomen during any exercise, or when lifting one straight leg while lying flat on your back. (See picture below)

• Difficulty doing any of your everyday activities, because of pain, leakage of urine, gas or stool, feelings of pressure, or any other symptoms that concern you.

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If you have any of the above symptoms, please get advice from a skilled and experienced pelvic health physical therapist, as these symptoms usually do not go away on their own after this point, and are likely to cause other problems further down the road. In the meantime, do not do sit-ups, crunches, planks, or any other form of “core strengthening.” As much as you may feel weakness in your core, your deep abdominal muscles and pelvic floor muscles may need to be retrained to activate properly and in the correct sequence, before they can be strengthened safely.

So take heart, be good to yourself, and know that you CAN get your body back after having a baby. It takes a bit of time, and the right information and guidance for your particular circumstance.Feel free to be in touch with me any time with any questions or concerns, by paying a visit to www.pelvicwellnesspt.com

To Your Health!

#Postpartum