My partner and I are expecting our first child in April. Are we excited? Absolutely! Is it slightly terrifying that in just under three weeks we will be responsible for another life? One hundred percent!
Personally, being pregnant has been a huge adjustment for me; I am very type A and like to be in control of and organize everything. But when you are pregnant, there are tons of things that change with respect to your body and remain out of your control, such as: fluctuating hormones, morning sickness, weight gain (to an extent), as well as aches and pains.
With that being said, working in the healthcare field as a physiotherapist I felt I had an advantage in being super-aware of my body and knowing how to nurture it with proper diet and exercise. My biggest challenge was that, in practice, I treat orthopaedic or musculoskeletal injuries; I rarely, if ever, deal with pregnant individuals. In physiotherapy school we spent one class on “women’s health” that included the specialization of pelvic floor physiotherapy. So I turned to my colleagues and friends who specialize in pelvic floor physiotherapy to educate myself to properly take care of my changing body, reduce the risk of causing damage while growing a human, and prepare for the very physical act of childbirth.
I started with a virtual consultation with a colleague of mine, Danielle at Flow Physio + Wellness, in my early second trimester. The purpose of this was more for education, because let’s face it—I had lots of questions. I wasn’t really showing yet, was feeling decent, and had still been performing my normal exercise routine (cardio, weights, etc) without issue. I wanted to know if there was anything I was currently doing that should be modified or avoided completely, and if there was anything additional I should be doing.
Danielle was great, not only did she make me feel confident in continuing with my exercise routine, she gave me tips on how to properly manage posture, core integrity and abdominal pressure—all things that are very important with a changing body throughout pregnancy. She also gave me new tools for opening my hips and strengthening my pelvic floor to help prepare the body and train the muscles and supporting tissues for the birthing process.
Danielle also gave me golden advice on how to assist in bladder emptying while pregnant (if you have ever been pregnant before, you’ll understand why this is clutch) since the angle of our bladder changes with the changing shape of the uterus during pregnancy which can cause issues with voiding and retention. At the end of our session it was recommended that I seek out in-person treatment once the third trimester arrived to make sure everything “down there” was ideal in terms of tension and strength for the act of childbirth and to learn tips for labouring including positioning and breathing techniques.
By the third trimester, my body had completely changed: I was definitely showing, and I could feel my centre of gravity shifting forwards. Everything Danielle had taught me was being put to good use: I was cross-country skiing three times per week in addition to coaching, continuing with my core and strength training, and was feeling well. As per Danielle’s recommendation, I made an in-person appointment at PhysioWorks Muskoka, a clinic here in Huntsville that focuses on pelvic floor therapy. I saw Carolyn VanDyken (who co-owns the clinic with her daughter Brittany), who was lovely, and shared my excitement of my first pregnancy.
During the assessment she spent time listening to how my body was responding to the inevitable changes during pregnancy and took a whole-person approach to my care. She then performed an internal examination (vaginally) to assess the muscles that make up the pelvic floor. As a type A person, I thought I would have a really hard time with this part because of the intimacy/privacy aspect, but Carolyn explained everything thoroughly and left me in control of my body telling me we could stop at any time. I felt safe in the space and during my care.
I returned for two additional follow-up treatments focused on reducing muscular tension and improving elasticity in the pelvic floor muscles, which can translate into easier childbirth as there is less restriction. At my last appointment, Carolyn taught me how to perform perineal massage/stretching independently so that I could continue to improve the flexibility of the tissues between the vaginal opening and rectum, which can help reduce the risk or extent of tissue damage (tearing) during delivery. An added benefit of perineal massage is that it familiarizes a woman with the sensation of stretching through this area so that it is easier to relax during the birthing process.
At my last appointment we also discussed labour and delivery strategies in terms of optimal positions to help open the pelvis for more easy passage of the baby during delivery.
Overall, my pelvic floor physiotherapy experience virtually and in-person were very positive and (luckily) I have had very little complications during my pregnancy. I would highly recommend to anyone who is pregnant to receive this type of care prenatally as pregnancy is a time of abundant change in the body. As the weight placed on the pelvic floor continues to increase through the pregnancy some women are often not prepared for the potentially challenging consequences, which can include pelvic/low back pain, incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. A pelvic floor physiotherapist can help you reduce pain and discomfort and aid in strengthening the pelvic floor to prevent these common issues during pregnancy.
For more information or to book an appointment call 705-380-3312 or visit the website. Surge Physiotherapy is located at 33 King William Street, Suite 204, in Huntsville. Office hours are flexible with evening appointments available (three times per week). Email: info@surgephysio.ca.
Stephanie Bourbeau is a bilingual, Registered Physiotherapist with the College of Physiotherapist of Ontario and the Canadian Physiotherapy Association who is committed to providing a hands-on, personalized approach to physiotherapy.
Stephanie, a native to the Huntsville community, developed a passion for health and wellness during her youth while competing in cross-country running, nordic skiing, and track and field. Stephanie has always had a strong caring nature and fell in love with the physiotherapy profession while volunteering at a physiotherapy clinic during high school and university.
Stephanie continued to build on her passion for health care by attending McGill University and completing her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology. During her Masters in Health Science of Physiotherapy, completed at the University of Ottawa, she completed internships in orthopaedic clinics, hospitals, home care, and neurology centres.
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