Do pelvic floor muscles push baby out? 🤔

Contrary to popular belief, the pelvic floor muscles need to relax and lengthen to help the UTERUS push the baby out.  Those contractions you feel are muscular contractions of the uterus.  Learning how to make your pelvic floor muscles lengthen (not contract) while breathing, can lead to a smoother delivery with less risk of tearing and perineal trauma.  This is taught by pelvic floor physical therapists. 

Prepare yourself for labor and delivery

Women usually don't know there's a lot they can be doing while pregnant to prepare their body in the best way for labor and delivery.

This information isn't automatically given to women by their healthcare providers.

Women have options for the position they move in and out of for labor and delivery, breathing and pushing patterns/strategies, regardless of having a medicated or unmedicated birth. 

Learn how to relax and lengthen your muscles for childbirth

Being proactive during your pregnancy means learning all about the muscles of the pelvic floor, the role the pelvic floor plays during birth, and the changes it undergoes during pregnancy.

The role of the pelvic floor muscles during the birthing process is to soften and lengthen.

You do not need to have a super strong pelvic floor to give birth.  What you want is to learn how to have really good coordination and voluntary relaxation of these muscles.

Stretching, pelvic mobility and breathing techniques help teach the pelvic floor muscles to lengthen.  Learning how to bear down or work on "pushing mechanics" is extremely helpful and important as well.  This is true "push prep" for delivery.

It can be really empowering for someone to go into their birth thinking "I know how to push, I have practiced pushing, I know my muscles are coordinating and doing this the right way." 

At Embrace Health & Rehab, we believe in education, prevention and rehabilitation.  Here is a glimpse of what we have to offer pregnant women:

✔️ education and empowerment through each trimester (movement strategies, appropriate exercise, etc)

✔️ preparation for labor and delivery (push prep for vaginal delivery plus c-section readiness and recovery)

✔️ exercises, stretches, relaxation techniques through each trimester

✔️ avoid and recover from aches and pains

✔️ reduce risk of perineal trauma and tearing during delivery 

✔️ third trimester perineal massage 

✔️ decrease risk of diastasis recti, prolapse and urinary leakage through pregnancy and postpartum

✔️ return to intimacy without pain or fear

✔️ body mechanics training for breastfeeding, bottle feeding, baby wearing, all the things

✔️ postpartum recovery,  return to fitness without injury

✔️ postpartum personal training and fitness