The blog post where I rant but it is worth it.
I know at some point you have been told to “just do your kegels.” You’ve heard this from your best friend, your mother, your grandmother, your OB-GYN, and maybe even a random old lady at the grocery store.
Unfortunately, the advice to “just perform your kegels” is poop advice. It just is.
We must learn how to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor muscles in order to minimize or avoid vaginal tearing during the push stage of delivery.
Women who Kegel too much are doing the exact opposite of what our body needs to prepare for labor. In fact, kegeling may actually *slow* down the laobr and delivery process.
Performing the Kegel Olympics at every stop light is simply not the answer.
Buying a cute iphone app that reminds you to Kegel is not the answer (yes this exists).
Kegeling during prenatal yoga is not the answer.
Seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist who will assess your pelvic floor muscle strength, length, tone, and coordination IS the answer.
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, guess how many pregnant patients I have told to perform kegels as the end all answer to preparing for birth or solving their pelvic aches, pains, leaking, or dysfunction?
ZERO!
Interested in learning what you can do to help prepare your pelvic floor for birth?
CLICK HERE to check out my virtual birth course created to help you minimize birth trauma.
Cheers to saying ‘no thanks’ to poo poo advice,
Dr. Betsey
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