Early Postpartum Tips for Pelvic Floor
Women’s health expert Physiotherapist Jenny Devlin gives insight on what you might expect from your postpartum body and the best approach to begin exercise and optimise your recovery
WRITTEN BY JENNY DEVLIN, MSK PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SPECIALIST WOMEN’S HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPIST AT PHYSIO EFFECT
So, you’ve just had a baby… CONGRATULATIONS!!
The first days and weeks postpartum can be a blur and prioritizing pelvic floor exercises might not be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. There are some things you can do, however, throughout the day to start working on your pelvic floor while also enjoying sweet baby cuddles.
BREATHE
Something that we do every day but often don’t do well. Once we have had a baby our breathing is often altered as our baby has been taking up the space in our abdominal cavity and achieving a deep breath might have been tricky for the past few months. Remembering how to take deep breaths can help with the healing process. Our diaphragm and pelvic floor move together and as a result breathing deeply in can help relax and lengthen the pelvic floor muscles and conversely exhaling can help engage the same muscles.
Women’s health Physiotherapist, Mariam Kilpatrick, educating a patient on diaphragmatic breathing.
Getting the muscle pump of the pelvic floor working can aid pelvic congestion and help heal the tissues through lymphatic drainage.
Deep breathing can also help us enter into ‘rest and digest’ mode which can help us feel calm and decrease anxiety and enjoy being present with our baby.
You can practice breathing anywhere but it might be easiest sitting or in a semi-reclined position. Make sure you’re comfortable. Inhale slowly through the nose, feeling the air fill the lungs and the pelvic floor lengthen. Exhale gently through the mouth and feel the recoil of the tissues. Keep your shoulders and jaw relaxed. You can learn more about the structures that make up your abdominal cannister, including your pelvic floor in our recent Blog Post.
Posture
Throughout the day, check in with your posture while sitting, standing and moving around. Has your posture changed since having your baby? Can you find your way back to your previous position?
How we hold ourselves while feeding baby for many hours per day is important. Make sure baby is supported to come up to you, so that you don’t have to hunch over to feed. Try to maintain an upright posture for feeding as much as you can - it has an impact, not only on your back, neck and shoulders, but on your pelvic floor too! This NHS guide has ideas alternative breastfeeding positions from the commonly adopted ‘Cradle Hold.’
Image Credit: Shutterstock. Breastfeeding in a reclined position can ease the tension of a painful back and shoulders.
Have a think when you’re holding baby, are you always holding them on one side? Can you switch? Can you wear them for a while in a carrier instead of carrying them? Try placing your hands on your ribs and stacking them over your pelvis.
There are lots of little ways we can improve postures throughout the day to make our pelvic floor a little happier and function better too!
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Throughout the day try to practice a few pelvic floor muscle contractions. You may find it easier to do it lying down or in sitting. Check in with yourself and see what you can feel. You should be able to feel a gentle lift of the pelvic floor without your pelvis tilting and without your legs or bum muscles working hard. You should also be able to feel it relaxing. Try for some longer contractions and some short, fast ones too.
Women’s health Physiotherapist Mariam Kilpatrick demonstrating the ‘Butterfly’ Technique to connect with your pelvic floor.
Gentle Exercise
In the first days postpartum, take it easy. No matter how your baby was born, the body goes through a lot to bring your little one into the world. You might feel like you can do more exercise wise, but do you really need to? Give your body time to rest and recover and gradually build in your exercises. The first days or weeks might start out just thinking about pelvic floor, core and posture and progress from there. We are all about getting you back to doing the things you LOVE so let’s make sure you’re doing them sequentially in a way that’s right for your body and will allow you to continue doing them long term!
We offer ‘CryBaby Pilates’ classes in our Studio to women and their babies from 6 weeks postpartum.
See a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Pelvic floor symptoms are common, but they are not normal! We hear a lot of people normalizing pain or incontinence. Often ladies don’t know there is help out there but there is level 1, grade A evidence to show that pelvic floor assessment and treatment can improve pelvic floor function. Enjoy baby cuddles and gentle progressive exercises and anywhere from the 6 week mark, come and see us and have a pelvic floor evaluation so we can do an assessment, assist with any symptoms and help you work towards your goals, no matter what they are.
Antenatal Pilates Classes at Physio Effect
Some exciting news! We have a NEW Antenatal Pilates class running in our studio within our Northside clinic at Borron Street. This physio-led Clinical Pilates class aims to prevent pregnancy related issues such as pelvic girdle pain (PGP), symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), posture related pain as well as a full body programme to prepare you for the birth of your child. During the class, you will be guided through an individualised programme relevant to your stage of pregnancy and any other issues discussed during your initial physiotherapy appointment.
WHEN: Wednesday evenings at 7PM from 21st October
**CLASS NOW FULLY BOOKED**
Please contact us below if you would like to be placed on our waiting list or if you wish to attend any of our other Clinical Pilates classes which will be a mixed group, but you will still be able to do an antenatal programme due to the bespoke nature of the class.
WHEN CAN I START?
As long as you have an uncomplicated pregnancy and your midwife/ doctor approves, you can begin from any time in your second trimester if you have no Pilates experience. If you have previous Pilates experience, you may begin earlier.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
You will be required to have a 1:1 session with one of our physiotherapists before joining a class for the first time. During this appointment, your physiotherapist will be able to plan a bespoke Pilates programme for you based on your goals, requirements and stage of pregnancy. You will be introduced to the various Pilates props and equipment used during a class including the Pilates Reformer machine.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Antenatal Physiotherapy Appointment: £49
Single class rate: £25
6 classes: £120 (£20 per class)
12 classes: £220 (£18.3 per class)
You have flexibility to use the class blocks within the following time period:
● 10 weeks on a 6-class block
● 4 months on an 12-class block
WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE MY BABY BEFORE I USE UP ALL MY CLASSES?
You may use any remaining class credit towards our Crybaby Pilates Classes. This is our specialist Postnatal Pilates class which you may begin once you are at least 6 weeks postpartum after a non-complicated vaginal delivery or 8 weeks if you have had a C-section/assisted delivery with any complications.
CryBaby (Postnatal) Pilates Class
Restore your core after pregnancy: A safe return to exercise
Returning to exercise after having a baby can be daunting & difficult. It is possible to cause yourself more harm than good if you return too soon or to the wrong type of exercise. This blog looks at the evidence and guidelines for returning safely to post-natal exercise and the specific benefits of Post-natal Pilates in restoring your Pelvic Floor muscle function, reducing Diastasis Recti and rebuilding your core strength and function. A FREE 30 minute Post-natal Pilates class is linked for you to try.
Written by Mariam Kilpatrick - Physio, Clinical Pilates Instructor, Ultra-marathon runner & Awesome mum
After 9 long months, finally, your cute little bundle of joy has arrived! Goodbye to feeling like a bloated whale and goodbye heartburn. Say hello to sleeping on your tummy and to eating stinky cheese & sushi again. You’re keen to get back to exercise, get that endorphin rush and reclaim your pre-pregnancy body! You’ve had your 6 week check-up and your doctor has given you the all clear to exercise. Yay! BUT…yes there is a but. You can sometimes do more harm than good if you push your body beyond what it is ready for. Here we review the guidelines for returning safely to postnatal exercise and look at the specific benefits of Postnatal Pilates which include improved Pelvic Floor function and reduced Diastasis Recti (abdominal separation). Read on for more….
As the saying goes, you shouldn’t build a house on a weak foundation.
For many women, it has become a common thing to accept “a little bit of wee escaping” with a sneeze or running for the bus, just because you’ve had a baby. But no matter what age your baby is, either 6 weeks or 6 years, this should not be the perceived norm. Some women may feel embarrassed to raise their concerns around continence and other intimate issues but this should never be the case. Please seek professional advice early, as with the right help and guidance, these issues can and should be addressed.
The Pelvic Floor Muscles
Your Pelvic Floor is a hugely important part of your body. It is made up of layers of muscle and connective tissue. These layers stretch like a hammock from the tailbone at the back, to the pubic bone in the front. They support your pelvic organs and control your bladder and bowel movements. The front passage (pee hole), the vagina and the back passage (poo hole) all pass through the pelvic floor muscles. Throughout your pregnancy, your pelvic floor has carried the weight of your baby, the placenta and a 50% increase in blood volume! As such, this will greatly affect its ability to do its job properly compared to pre-pregnancy function. It is therefore vital to work on these muscles after having a baby, regardless of the type of birth you had (whether vaginal or C-section).
Let’s practice how to correctly engage your pelvic floor…
Take a deep breath in, fill your lungs completely and allow your pelvic floor to relax.
As you breathe OUT, close your back passage as if you were holding in a fart, then pull upwards and inwards towards your front passage to close it, as if you were holding in a pee.
Visualise trying to "squish" your anus (poo hole) to your urethra (pee hole) towards your pubic bone.
Do this without clenching your butt cheeks, your jaw or tensing your neck and shoulders (tricky, huh?)
Let everything relax again as you breathe in.
Repeat x 10Now try and engage your pelvic floor as above in 10 x quick flicks on and off.
*Practice turning your pelvic floor on in both sitting and standing positions
**Practice turning your pelvic floor on when doing things at the same time like picking your baby up from his/her cot or picking a toy up from the floor.
Why do I still look pregnant months after giving birth?
In the latter stages of pregnancy, the connective tissue or fascia between your outermost abdominal wall (your six-pack muscles) can thin out/stretch to allow for a growing baby bump. After giving birth, you can be left with a gap between the two sides and sometimes it can look like you are still pregnant i.e. the dreaded “mum-tum”. This is called a Diastasis Recti or abdominal separation, a common condition that causes a lot of grief for many mums. However, like any muscle in the body, these can be addressed and worked on with specific corrective exercises - all hope is not lost! The key is to target the deep layer of abdominal muscles. This may mean avoiding certain traditional core stability exercises initially (e.g. sit ups and planks). Your deep abdominal muscles have functional connections to - guess what - the pelvic floor…so it’s a win-win situation all round!
Postnatal Pilates
Pilates is a great form of exercise to target the working relationships of your pelvic floor and core muscles (abdominals and diaphragm) especially in the first few months after having your baby. The benefits of Pilates include:
Strengthening your Pelvic Floor
Targeting your deep abdominal muscles to help heal Diastasis Recti
Addressing muscle imbalances that may be contributing to lower back pain or pelvic girdle pain
Targeting postural muscles of the back, neck and shoulder girdle
Postnatal Pilates Class at Physio Effect
Here is a short taster video of a postnatal Pilates workout:
We Want To Help You Get Your Body Back On Track
Physio Effect specialises in helping mums recover their health, fitness and confidence after having a baby. Our Cry-Baby Pilates classes where new mums attend with their babies has been a great success and very popular. We are working hard to bring this content to full digital online form so that all mums everywhere can enjoy and benefit from this safe, structured and fun specialist postnatal program. For advanced notice of when this course is available and for special early-bird promotional rates please register for your free sample class below and we will keep you informed.
Want to read some REVIEWS about our classes from other mums? Click the links & read below: Yell.Com Reviews or Facebook Reviews
The cry baby Pilates classes led by Mariam were an absolute highlight of my maternity leave. They offered important rehab for all the changes to my body left by pregnancy and a c-section and the strengthening work got me back safely running sooner than I expected - yay! The classes were warm, friendly and supportive and my baby Helena loved meeting the other babies too (as well as getting cheeky cuddles from Mariam). Couldn’t recommend more highly to new mums!
Katherine C via Facebook reviews
I’ve recently completed 2 blocks of Crybaby Pilates with Mariam & would highly recommend it for postnatal recovery. Mariam was great at making you feel relaxed, gradually building up the intensity of the exercises over the weeks so it wasn’t too daunting in the beginning. I liked how the exercises also allowed you to interact with your baby. The classes are small enough that you get the opportunity to get to know the other mums & babies, which helps you feel completely at ease in the class too. I now feel back to my pre-baby self & body, ready to start running & hitting the gym! Thank you!
Keri. L.K via Facebook reviews
Would you like a FREE 30 minute Specialist Postnatal Pilates class to try?
Please Click the following link to register & we will send you a video link to enjoy
Returning to Exercise - What do the guidelines say?
In the first six weeks after giving birth and when you feel you are able, you may commence your pelvic floor and abdominal exercises, functional bodyweight movements, as well as low impact cardiovascular exercise such as walking.
From six weeks onwards (or a little longer if you’ve had a C-section), you may commence light resistance exercise such as Pilates and light weights training.
The earliest you should start high impact exercise such as Running/HIIT/Bootcamp is between 3-6 months after having your baby. This of course may differ from person to person depending on the type of birth you had. A recent study for guidance in returning to running post pregnancy by some expert pelvic health physiotherapists can be found here
Seek Help & Advice Sooner Rather Than Later
As with everything in life, there isn’t a one size fits all when it comes to returning to exercise after pregnancy. Factors that need to be considered include:
Type of birth you had; was it a straightforward vaginal birth, a vaginal birth with complications such as forceps delivery/episiotomy/tears, a C-section? The timescales may be different for each case!
Previous level of exercise (e.g. were you a runner/gym-bunny/Crossfitter before pregnancy?)
Experiencing symptoms of lower back pain, pelvic or pubic pain, leakage and/or feeling of vaginal heaviness (which could be a sign of pelvic organ prolapse), coccyx/tailbone pain (which could be a sign of a hypertonic or tight pelvic floor)
Are you currently breast-feeding? Pregnancy hormones stay in the body for about three months postpartum, continuing to loosen joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments as they did in preparation for delivery. For those breast-feeding, hormones can still have a loosening effect even months after you stop.
If you are unsure, it is advisable to seek help from a specialist trained physiotherapist or a pelvic health practitioner.
If you would like to chat to one of our physiotherapists you can use the link below to book an appointment. Or if you prefer send us a message with any questions you have and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Thank You
Thanks for taking the time to read this guide, we hope you find it useful. Please share with anyone else who might benefit and if you have any questions comment and let us know. Please subscribe for regular updates and advice on everything health and fitness related - Zero spam promise.
Postnatal Pilates at Physio Effect