Postpartum Body Changes

Jun 30

Postpartum begins right after you give birth, and it's associated with specific changes in the body you must not overlook. For instance, some women feel the urge to urinate more frequently because pregnancy puts pressure on the pelvic muscles. However, it is common for women to release some urine when they sneeze, laugh, or exercise even after birth. All these are symptoms of issues with the pelvic floor due to childbirth, known as stress incontinence.

If you experience such symptoms, you might want to consider making some healthy lifestyle changes, or you could report to your doctor for help. Pelvic floor exercises, which include but are not limited to Kegel exercises, generally help in such situations but must be done with a physical therapist's help to avoid further complications.

After childbirth, some women also feel pains during sex. These circumstances occur because breastfeeding suppresses the production of estrogen, which lubricates the vagina during sex. The first precaution is to engage only in slow sex, after which you resort to an obstetrician/gynecologist if the pain persists. Doctors often recommend an over-the-counter lubrication product. A second possible cause of this pain is pelvic floor dysfunction or a tear during vaginal birth. Women who have undergone a C-section, on the other hand, also feel pains during sex because both C-section and pregnancy tighten or stretch muscles.

A handful of women also experience pelvic organ prolapse, a situation where an organ that has shifted from its original position presses against the vaginal wall, causing a feeling of pressure in the vagina.

If the pressure is mild, it can be alleviated by lying down. Also, exhale when lifting heavy objects and do not bear down when pooping. This condition can be fixed using support in the vagina to push up the organ or be corrected through surgery. However, it is best to see your doctor for the best remedy.

Another postpartum condition that often goes overlooked is diastasis recti. This is a separation of the abdominal muscles as a result of excessive stretching of the abdomen. If a woman has a difficult time returning her abdominals back to their original state, she may have experienced diastasis recti. Thus condition can be repaired with exercises and in extreme cases, surgery. Women should assess themselves to see if this condition affects them. If so, then seek professional help.

Postpartum, a woman has to take care of her muscles. It would help if you carry your baby on both sides and sit up properly to avoid much stress on your muscles. But in most medical situations, it's advisable to talk to your physical therapist for help. Postpartum symptoms that are serious and require immediate medical attention include:

Seizures.
Pain in the chest.
A cut that is not healing.
Shortness of breath.
Persistent headache.
Reduced vision quality.

While Postpartum is Forever and incontinence is common, it should not be taken lightly or perceived to be usual. The pelvis needs physical therapy before, during, and after pregnancy! Physical therapy (prehab) before delivery is so important. It can drastically reduce the chances and severity of pelvic pressure, which causes incontinence and other issues like pain with sitting, low back pain, pain during intercourse, and other complications. Also, talk to your physician if you're faced with any pregnancy-related disease such as high blood pressure or gestational diabetes.

Take Home Message:

Are you finding yourself confused about how to manage your Postpartum body changes?

Many people have some sort of incontinence, prolapse or other postpartum symptom during their lifetime. The problem is that most of them allow the problem to get worse before looking for a solution. We hope this information has given you the information you need to make a about what to do next.

If you are currently dealing with leaking urine, pelvic organ prolapse, painful sex, c-section scar pain, diastasis recti, or postpartum back pain whether it is new or something nagging, we are more than happy to talk to you about your personal situation. We offer FREE discovery session so that you can be confident in taking the next step to relieve this embarrassing condition. To request a FREE discovery session email us at: info@aranciapt.com or you can give us a call right now at 401-602-7006.