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The pelvic floor, though a very important part of the body, isn’t talked about much. Because of the mystery surrounding it, people often cannot make out the difference between facts and myths about the pelvic floor during pregnancy and birth. Let’s talk about a few of the top myths we’ve heard in our OSM community that we thought necessary to bust!
Too many kegels can result in a tight pelvic floor which we are NOT aiming for, in birth. Rather we want a pelvic floor that can hold in urine when we run, sneeze and laugh and also yield to allow a baby to pass through. Kegels have their place, but on their own are not the best preparation for birth. Trying squats instead of kegels.
It’s super normalized in our culture because it is very common. Common does not mean normal. It should also not mean that we should be embarrassed or think that we are broken. I peed my pants during and after my 2nd pregnancy and refused to have that be my forever. I learned what to do and went through two more pregnancies with zero incontinence. It’s possible and we can help!
Not true! Yes, a traumatic vaginal delivery can cause pelvic floor issues. But so can a cesarean birth. And no matter what type of birth you have, your body and pelvic floor still have to go through pregnancy. No matter the type of birth you plan/have, your pelvic floor health is important to be proactive with.
It’s just tighter! A tight pelvic floor that can not go through a full range of motion can be the cause of a lot of issues. From extended pushing stage to painful sex. Also, having a vaginal birth doesn’t “stretch you out” so that there’s no way your pelvic floor is tight. A ton of people I see have too tight pelvic floors after vaginal birth, so it just doesn’t work like that.
It’s worth being proactive about pregnancy rather than waiting until you already have an issue. It’s worth not settling for the fact that you’ll pee a little bit every time you sneeze for the rest of your life.
If it was an issue with your knee you wouldn’t feel ashamed. Yet, our culture has fed us shame about this our entire lives and this often makes it harder and more embarrassing to seek the help we need. But you’re worth it and you’ve got this.
We would be honoured to support you on your marvelous journey.
