I get it mama. I actually thought the same thing when my patients started telling me to create this course.
But let me explain.
As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I specialize in helping mamas with bowel, bladder, and sexual dysfunction. Typically (but not always), problems with peeing, pooping, and sex happen after delivering children.
When I was a new graduate fresh out of physical therapy school with my doctorate degree, I was astounded at the number of my postpartum patients who were suffering in silence.
Many of them in their 40’s, 50’s, 70’s, even in to their 90’s, had dealt with decades of pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, painful intercourse, or low back pain. When I dug a bit further, I discovered all of these symptoms began after they gave birth.
I remember having a conversation with God one day and in my head I was like “Dear Lord, is it really part of Your greater plan that so many women feel “wrecked” after having a baby?“
His answer. No.
I knew I had to do something. I began asking more and more questions to each mama who walked into my treatment room. I wanted to know what they learned in their labor and delivery class, what they did to prepare physically, mentally, or spiritually for labor, and how prepared they felt walking into their birth room.
More often than not, when I asked my postpartum patients to show me how they actually pushed out the baby during labor, they held their breath until their face got red, and pushed down like they were having a bowel movement.
After countless conversations with moms, I have realized that the MAJORITY of moms…
ⓧDo not know what their pelvic floor is before birth.
ⓧDo not understand what their pelvic floor is supposed to do during birth.
ⓧWere coached to hold their breath and push with “all their might” or to hold their breath and “push like you are having a bowel movement.”
ⓧWere never taught how to use their breath and core muscles to help with active pushing.
ⓧ Felt like their labor and delivery class was a joke.
ⓧ I also learned that some moms did not even bother going to a labor and delivery class but wish they had after they ended up with birth trauma.
I am so sad/exhausted/frustrated/annoyed with the lack of education women are receiving about their bodies before birth.
But what does invigorate me?
✓ I have seen the benefits of learning alternative ways to push through using your breath and core instead of relying on the breath hold.
✓I have seen the benefits of training your mind-body connection to help decrease labor pain levels and help the pelvic floor muscles do what they need to do (which is get out of the way) for that baby to arrive.
✓ I have seen the benefits of connected to Someone or something higher than yourself to help carry you through the birth.
✓ I KNOW that we were carefully created to birth babies.
✓ I KNOW that there is a better way to birth.
THAT is why I am launching a birth course.
Ready to join me in the virtual birth course that’s taking over the internet? Click here to learn allll the deets and hear from moms, just like you, who were not willing to settle for any old birth class.
Not ready to sign up for the course just yet? Fill out the form below to get your free guide to begin the journey of preparing your pelvic floor floor for labor and delivery. Your vagina will thank you later.
From your girl on the internet that cares about your vagina,
XO,
Dr. Betsey
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