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Pregnancy is a time when the body is going through significant physical changes, often accompanied by a plethora of emotional and life role changes as well (Parent is a loaded title!). Throughout pregnancy, finding a balance between exercise, stress management, nutritional support, sleep and daily duties (ie work) can be challenging. Be patient and gracious with yourself as you navigate what your body needs and can tolerate during this time.

Mythbuster – you do not need to wait until after birth to check in with a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist; it is common but not normal to leak urine during pregnancy; pain and discomfort is NOT inevitable in pregnancy – most people can have very comfortable pregnancies!

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Generally speaking, people who are pregnant may feel tired and/or nauseous during the first trimester. Even though you’re not visibly pregnant yet, your body is already undergoing large changes regarding hormones and blood flow. This can be a great time to explore some stress management strategies that you can carry forward throughout pregnancy and post partum. Pregnant people tend to find energy levels pick up in the second trimester – this is great time to revisit exercise, nutrition and stretching habits. From the second to third trimester, some people might experience some pelvic girdle pain – this can often be managed with exercises that we can review with Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. Pregnant people may start to wind down in the third trimester depending on how their energy levels are and what kind of activities they are doing. For example, if you are used to lifting with a barbell, you might not be able to do the same style of lift because you have to navigate the bar around Baby Belly

            tip: switch to dumbbells or kettlebells, and start to lighten the load.

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How Pelvic Health Physiotherapy can help during Pregnancy:

• exercise guidance throughout pregnancy, including management of rectus diastasis

• check in with pelvic floor and core patterning during pregnancy

• assess and treat any pain through the back, hips, pelvis, vagina, rectum and/or tailbone

• provide you with valuable information regarding labour and birth preparation and recovery

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What can you do now?​

• keep in mind finding whole-body balance within the 5 Pillars of Health

• check out the Evidence Based Birth website for loads of useful information (for example, this excellent summary of pain management options in labour https://evidencebasedbirth.com/wrap -up-of-pain-management-series/

• consider the option of getting a Doula for birth support

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We hope you found this information helpful for a quick overview of Pregnancy and Pelvic Health Physiotherapy. To book in an appointment with one of our physiotherapists, or if you have any questions, please click here