Getting pregnant and having a baby does a number on your body, and even if you know it’s coming (you’re producing a whole human inside yourself, after all), you might not realize just how intense these changes are until they’re happening. From fluctuating hormone levels, mood changes, and mental health issues to digestive problems, swelling, and general fatigue, every part of your body is readjusting after you’ve given birth. And it’s all happening at the same time, while you’re trying to care for a newborn.
One aspect of your health that pregnancy affects is your pelvic floor, an area (if we’re being honest with each other) you may not even have heard of before. Simply put, your pelvic floor is a set of muscles and tissues that support your pelvis and all the organs in it, like your bladder, bowel, and internal reproductive organs. That puts it right in the region that’s doing a lot of heavy lifting during pregnancy and childbirth, and your pelvic floor can change quite a bit during that process.
And that’s true no matter how you give birth, says Dr. Rachel Gelman, pelvic floor physical therapist and owner of Pelvic Wellness and Physical Therapy. “Regardless of mode of delivery, a person can experience pelvic issues, due to the physiological changes that occur over the course of pregnancy,” Dr. Gelman tells SheKnows.
What postpartum pelvic floor issues are most common?
Your pelvic floor plays a big role throughout pregnancy and childbirth, and anyone who’s postpartum may experience some major changes, Dr. Gelman says. For one thing, you experience a dramatic decrease in estrogen, a hormone that’s “essential for vulvar and vaginal health,” during the postpartum period. “As a result,” Dr. Gelman says, “people may experience vaginal dryness, pain with sex, vulvar pain, urinary urgency, frequency, dysuria, or incontinence.”
For those who have or attempt a vaginal delivery, there’s also the “amount of pressure and bearing down on the pelvic floor,” which “can put the birthing person at risk for a pelvic organ prolapse,” meaning that the muscles supporting your pelvic organs become loose or weak. Perineal tearing is also a possibility, which can lead to scar tissue and pain at the vaginal opening. Additionally, a c-section can come with risks as the surgical incision made during the procedure can impact the pelvic floor muscles and nerves that travel through the abdomen to the pelvis.
5 tips for your postpartum pelvic floor
Most new moms are recommended to do Kegel exercises for their pelvic floor, which involves repeatedly tightening and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles. And while Kegels can help to strengthen the pelvic floor, they’re “not always the best solution,” Dr. Gelman notes.
If you’re experiencing postpartum pelvic floor issues, here’s what to do:
- See a pelvic floor specialist. Expert guidance is essential when it comes to managing postpartum pelvic floor issues, so make sure to set up an appointment with a pelvic floor specialist or pelvic floor physical therapist once your doctor has cleared you to do so.
- Consider trying an estrogen cream. “I also recommend talking to your healthcare provider about a low dose topical estrogen cream and see if they think it is appropriate,” Dr. Gelman says.
- Use a Squatty Potty and a bidet. “Bowel movements postpartum can be a struggle, so set yourself up for success,” Dr. Gelman advises.
- Do gentle breathing exercises. Try inhaling while counting to four, holding for four, exhaling for four, holding for four, and then repeating, making sure to breathe deeply and slowly into your belly.
- Prioritize rest. “Rest is key,” Dr. Gelman says. Stay hydrated, eat nourishing foods, and go on slow walks if you can to help your body heal in a gentle, holistic way.
- Give yourself grace. Remember that your body will heal on its own timeline, even if it feels slow. Pelvic floor issues are common, so it’s important to be patient.
