Effects of Pregnancy
Whether you have had a vaginal or caesarean delivery, your pelvic and abdominal muscles have undergone significant change and strain, at the least. This is equivalent to any other injury, surgery, or even trauma.
It is essential to restore optimal function of these muscles. A dysfunctional pelvic floor can lead to issues such as incontinence of bowel or bladder, back pain, or pelvic organ prolapse. These problems can occur due to a couple of reasons:
- Hormonal changes and the extra weight carried during pregnancy cause ligaments to loosen and the pelvic floor to “sag” and weaken.
- Vaginal Delivery—Fast delivery (under 30 min) results in more tearing of the pelvic muscles, increased weakness and susceptibility to injury. Long labor (beyond 2 hours of pushing) can over stretch the muscles and traumatize the nerves.
For some women, post-partum symptoms subside. For others, pain or dysfunction can persist. In some cases, underlying muscle weakness goes unnoticed or ignored until it causes problems years later. It is recommended that women be evaluated after their first baby, even if symptoms are mild or nonexistent. Even if a plan of care is not needed, receiving a PT evaluation to get information on how to return to normal activities and knowing how to prevent issues from arising can be extremely valuable. This is typically information that individuals do not receive at any other point leading up to having a baby.
What is Not Normal?
By 6 weeks post-partum you should NOT experience any of the following:
- Back, pelvis, groin, or abdominal pain
- Leaking urine, gas, or stool with laughing, coughing, jumping, sneezing, lifting, walking or running
- Leaking urine or stool when you feel a strong urge to go
- Pressure or bulging in your vagina or rectum
- A bulge in your abdomen during any movement
