2) Educate yourself about pelvic floor function and considerations for childbirth.
As you curate your prenatal curriculum, I encourage you to include a chapter on pelvic floor health.
A 2021 study found that people receiving prenatal pelvic health education, including information about:
- pelvic floor function
- the potential for harm during pregnancy and childbirth
- the timeline for postpartum rehab
report fewer pelvic floor symptoms postpartum.
Cool right? That’s because the extent of the injury and the severity of the symptom aren’t actually related. Pain is complex, and it has a lot to do with the brain and what the brain expects and perceives.
The outcome of this study that just by being prepared, people can cope more easily postpartum and recover more smoothly.
Those people who have more difficulty?
They have the biggest difference between expected and actual results after giving birth.
Said another way, people who weren’t prepared for their pelvic health outcomes reported worse physical symptoms AND worse mental health symptoms (related to postpartum depression and trauma ).
Of course, you don’t have to go and get an advanced degree in pelvic health to be prepared.
But set yourself up for success by learning the basics of function, dysfunction, and postpartum considerations.
