This dedicated team of healthcare professionals serve to support women and birthing people throughout their perinatal journey - from the beginning of pregnancy through to 12 months postpartum - promoting pelvic health now and laying the foundation for long-term well-being.
During pregnancy your body goes through many changes to help you grow, carry and birth your baby. It can sometimes be difficult to know what are normal changes, and when you should seek help. Changes can happen to your bladder, bowel, vagina and sexual health as your pelvic floor muscles come under more pressure.
The information below will give you self help tips to manage these changes. It will also provide advice on when, where and why to seek help if anything worries you or does not resolve.
Pelvic health means keeping the muscles and organs in your pelvic area strong working well. During pregnancy, these muscles support your growing baby, help control your bladder and bowel, and prepare for birth.
Good pelvic health can reduce discomfort, prevent leaks, and aid recovery after delivery.
Below you can find a self-care checklist to support your pelvic health. By completing this, you are taking an active role in protecting your pelvic health throughout pregnancy and beyond.
For more information about these topics, make sure to approach your midwife or health professional who can support you further.
Pelvic Floor Muscles - Why Care About Them?
Your pelvic floor muscles are a group of muscles that span the outlet of your pelvis. They attach from the pubic bone at the front, to the coccyx bone at the back, forming the floor of your pelvis. Pelvic floor muscles have the following uses:
Pregnancy, Childbirth and Pelvic Floor Muscles
Pregnancy
Anyone who is pregnant can be affected by pelvic floor dysfunction. This is when the pelvic floor muscles are not working correctly. It is important to be aware of how pelvic floor problems occur and what you can do to reduce them.
During pregnancy, the pelvic floor muscles come under pressure from the extra weight of your growing baby, amniotic fluid, placenta and the enlargement of the womb. This extra downward pressure and effect from pregnancy hormones (chemicals in the blood stream) causes stretching and tiring of the pelvic floor muscles. The stretching means your muscles do not do their jobs as well.
Childbirth
During a vaginal birth, your pelvic floor muscles will stretch for you to deliver your baby. Some women may sustain tearing of the perineum and pelvic floor muscles which will take time to heal. This can affect how well the muscle works. After birth the nerves that make the pelvic floor muscles work may not be doing this so well and mean that your muscles feel weak.
Those more likely to experience symptoms may have had a;
As becoming pregnant and giving birth are the most common predictors of women experiencing symptoms, it is important for all women to practice pelvic floor exercises, even if they have had a caesarean birth.
Getting Help
It is common to be embarrassed or to think that pelvic floor problems are normal while you are pregnant and after childbirth. Please read the "Who can help?"if you have any worries.
For many of us, the thought of talking about this area of your body or topics that are personal and intimate may be difficult. Your midwife, doctor and the maternity team are aware that these topics can be sensitive and will help get you the support you need.
The team are sensitive to this and will do their best to make you feel comfortable. Appointments are in a quiet room, so everything stays private.
Also in this section...
If you are pregnant and planning to have a vaginal delivery, it is recommended that you practice massaging the perineum.
