When I was pregnant, my biggest fear about postpartum life was a baby who wouldn’t sleep.
while my newborn daughter slept peacefully in her bassinet.
Earlier that evening, I’d finally worked up the courage to look down there.
In the weeks since I gave birth, I’d been feeling a heaviness in my pelvic area.
Sometimes it felt like there was something “in there,” like a tampon or trapped air bubble.
It didn’t help that things looked and felt … different down there.
What is the pelvic floor, and what happens to it during pregnancy and birth?
It helps with urinary continence, bowel control and even sexual arousal.
Generally, vaginal birth stresses the pelvic floor in a different way than aC-sectiondoes.
“They need to stretch and get out of the way,” she explains.
“They part like the Red Sea.”
Muscle strain, bruising and swelling are common after giving birth.
How long does it take for postpartum pelvic floor symptoms to go away?
“Within six weeks, there will likely be significant improvements.
But after a thorough exam, he assured me that he didn’t see anything to be concerned about.
Thankfully, once I explained how I was really feeling heaviness, weakness he referred me for physical therapy.
It’s really important to speak up about your symptoms and ask for help, adds Dr. Propst.
Pelvic floor physical therapyhas been shown to help all kinds of pelvic floor disorders.
At my first session, my PT examined me and had me perform somepelvic floor contractions.
In the end, it all paid off.
By 12 weeks postpartum, the most frustrating of my symptoms had pretty much disappeared.
Am I as strong as I was before I had a baby?
Not yet, but now I have much more realistic expectations.
I understand and respect what my body went through.
