Pelvic Floor Problems After Pregnancy

The pelvic floor stretches between the pubic bone and the tailbone and cradles your bladder bowel and uterus.

Pelvic floor problems after pregnancy.

The gp can refer you to a physiotherapist who will give you some specific exercises to do. This is a common problem for women because of pregnancy and childbirth. If you re a woman you may also feel pain during sex and if you re a man you may have problems having or keeping an erection erectile dysfunction or ed. If you re here it s because you re either experiencing pelvic floor issues or you are anticipating suffering from them soon.

A lot of women assume that things will never feel the same after pregnancy but pelvic physical therapists do not agree said cheryl tenpas a physical therapist specializing in pelvic health at uchealth sportsmed clinic in steamboat springs. It is completely normal that during pregnancy and birth the pelvic floor muscles become stretched and weakened. Some people have weak pelvic floor muscles from an early age whilst others notice problems after certain life stages such as pregnancy childbirth or menopause. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common condition where you re unable to correctly relax and coordinate the muscles in your pelvic floor to urinate or to have a bowel movement.

Pelvic floor dysfunction due to pregnancy and delivery can cause stress incontinence urge incontinence and or lower back pain. Pelvic floor problems can occur when the pelvic floor muscles are stretched weakened or too tight. Regular pelvic floor and deep stomach muscle exercises can help to reduce the size of the separation between your stomach muscles. What happens to the pelvic floor during and after birth.

This is called pelvic organ prolapse. Pelvic floor problems in pregnancy. Free pregnancy pelvic floor plan app ú tips on looking after your pelvic floor bladder and bowel during pregnancy ú learn how to do pelvic floor exercises and receive reminders ú information about safe exercise during and after pregnancy ú health and wellbeing tips on looking after yourself ú find local services for pelvic floor problems ú enter your due date to receive timely information. This is simply the body s way of adapting and allowing for the baby to pass out of the vagina.

Extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles can effect proper function. There are a number of changes that can affect our pelvic floor pregnancy childbirth obesity and aging are just a few. The pelvic floor muscles can sometimes become too loose and weak. Pregnancy and childbirth can damage the muscles and connective tissue of the pelvic floor causing all kinds of inconvenient and uncomfortable symptoms for women after they give birth.

If the gap is still obvious 8 weeks after the birth contact the gp as you may be at risk of back problems. While the strain of pregnancy and delivery may cause issues in the pelvic floor the good news is that most of those issues can be resolved.