Updated 12/31/23

Today we’re sharing 7 Reasons to See a Pelvic Physical Therapist During Pregnancy. Read on to learn why this is such an important time to support your pelvic health!

Pregnancy is such an exciting time - getting that positive pregnancy test and instantly beginning to imagine how much your life will change. It’s common to start thinking about the big picture things (will you need a bigger car? how will you coordinate work and childcare?) as well as all of the details needed to prepare for a baby (deciding where you’ll give birth, setting up the baby’s space, registering for items for your baby shower, selecting your support team, picking a childbirthing class, etc). The planning and preparing doesn’t seem to stop for the full 9 months! 

Amidst all the preparation for baby’s arrival, though, more and more birthing people are also considering how they can best prepare their body for the demands of pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. This is hugely important! However you welcome your baby into the world - whether you deliver vaginally or via c-section - pregnancy and childbirth will impact your pelvic floor and abdomen significantly. The physical changes the birthing parent’s body goes through is incredible!

“However you welcome your baby into the world…pregnancy and childbirth will impact your pelvic floor and abdomen significantly!”

I can’t say it enough - it doesn’t matter how you deliver, just being pregnant can put a lot of strain and stress on your body.

Why not prepare your body like you prepare for baby?

Here are 7 reasons you should see a pelvic physical therapist during pregnancy:

1. To empower yourself with knowledge about what is normal

Especially when it comes to your body, the changes it’ll go through, and your expectations along the way. Pelvic physical therapists LOVE to teach! And we love to dispel myths that society has us all believing about “the way things are” when you’re pregnant and after you’ve given birth.

2. To learn more about what YOUR body needs

Pelvic physical therapists do a thorough evaluation that includes assessing:

• how well your body and joints move

• how strong your muscles are (on the outside AND inside - hello, pelvic floor!)

• how well your muscles coordinate and work together

• how well your muscles relax and lengthen (spoiler alert - this is SO important for childbirth!)

• whether you have any restrictions or tightness in your muscles (on the outside of your body AND inside)

• how well you coordinate your diaphragm and breathing

Once we assess all of this (and more!) we give you a specific, personalized plan of action for you to work on between sessions while you are pregnant.

This individualized approach is so powerful because no two bodies and situations are exactly alike! You deserve to know what would be most beneficial to support YOUR body at such an important time in your life.

“You deserve to know what would be most beneficial to support YOUR body at such an important time in your life.”

3. To address any pain or issues you’re currently experiencing

We love to prevent problems from arising but we can also offer relief if you’re already dealing with pelvic floor issues. #PelvicPTCanHelp if you’re experiencing any of these (or other!) symptoms:

• pelvic pain (or pain in your back, hips, belly, pelvic floor, pubic symphysis, sacroiliac joints, etc)

• feelings of fatigue or weakness

• difficulty pooping

• difficulty making it to the bathroom in time or having instances where you pee yourself

4. To help you feel confident and strong during your pregnancy

Pelvic physical therapy will help keep your body strong and help it prepare for the changes pregnancy brings. We will teach you safe ways to stay active and strengthen your body without adding stress to your pelvic floor. You’ll learn how to move efficiently and adjust your posture and body positioning as your baby develops. We can also help by identifying and addressing any tightness or restrictions in your joints, muscles, and fascia, to help your body be flexible and resilient.

In addition to the work we do in these areas in the clinic, we will incorporate strength, stretching, posture, body positioning, and relaxation into your home program. This will help you focus on the areas in which your body needs attention, so it can adapt well throughout your pregnancy and you can feel confident not only in your progress but your readiness for childbirth!

5. To help you prepare your mind and body for childbirth

We love to teach birthing people how to breathe for labor and the pushing phase but there is so much more to preparing for childbirth than learning how to push! We can help by:

• teaching you how to connect with your breath and your pelvic floor (it can be more difficult than it seems!)

• showing you exercises you can do daily to practice being in your body and relaxing your pelvic floor. Especially for first-time moms, the ability to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor is one of the most important things to practice!

• doing internal work on the soft tissues of the pelvic floor muscles (think of it like massage - it shouldn’t hurt!). This helps alleviate any tightness, tenderness, or restrictions there - conditions that will potentially affect your birth.

• answering questions that you have

• helping you talk through your worries and concerns

• making recommendations for other providers who would be excellent partners on your care team

• helping you mentally prepare for the exciting journey you have ahead!

“Especially for first-time moms, the ability to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor is one of the most important things to practice during pregnancy!”

6. To increase your chances of having a shorter and smoother labor and birth

Who wouldn’t want to have a shorter and smoother childbirth? Although we cannot promise anything, we’ve worked with many people who experienced just that! In addition to all of the things already discussed, we teach the birthing parent and partner things they can work on daily, especially in the last two trimesters, to enable the ligaments around the uterus and sacrum to be healthy and supportive - not restrictive. This helps your body stay flexible and resilient during labor, which, in our experience, can help you have a shorter and smoother childbirth.

7. To help you prevent postpartum pelvic floor issues

Diastasis recti and prolapse aren’t the only issues that birthing people can experience after having a baby. Working alongside a pelvic physical therapist helps you set your body up for success postpartum. We discuss what to do in those first days after your birth so you can begin healing and reduce the chance of causing future issues. You’ll also learn what signs to watch out for in those early weeks postpartum that could indicate pelvic floor dysfunction. Having a relationship with a pelvic physical therapist before you give birth helps them familiarize themself with your situation so they can be a resource when needed and identify changes and address issues after your baby arrives.

Pregnancy and childbirth is such a transformational time in a birthing person’s life. We feel strongly that all birthing people should have at least one to two pelvic physical therapy visits during their pregnancy. There is so much that we (as pelvic PTs) can do to help set you up for success during your pregnancy and afterwards!

“All birthing people should have at least one to two pelvic physical therapy visits during their pregnancy.”

As you can tell, we’re passionate about helping people during pregnancy! We hope that you will share this information with anyone you know who might benefit from or be interested in this topic.

If you’re looking for pelvic floor physical therapy in or near Atlanta we would love to see you at Renew Pelvic Health to support you before, during, and after your pregnancy! Earlier is wonderful but it’s never too late to get help for your pelvic floor!