Giving birth is a life-changing event. Keeping track of all the follow-up appointments as a new mom is a lot of work.
There’s one appointment many new moms may have never even considered – pelvic floor physical therapy.
Cara Konlian, pelvic floor specialist, and Leslie White, pelvic floor therapist, both with Aquacare Physical Therapy, join us to tell us all about this type of therapy.
Cara says they work with muscles that become weak, stressed out, or painful during or after pregnancy.
Leslie says as a pelvic floor therapist they will look at how muscles are contracting and relaxing. Leslie says they want to make sure those muscles are doing what they are supposed to do.
Cara and Leslie shows us one of the exercises they do to help strengthen those pelvis muscles. Cara says this therapy can help prevent future surgeries such as a hysterectomy.
They say you should get a pelvic floor exam after childbirth, but if had children years ago, you can still get your pelvic muscles examined.
“You’re not too old to learn about your pelvic floor and learn about your body,” Leslie says.
Cara says it is important to talk to your doctor about any symptoms you may have such as incontinence, and leakage of urine, so that you can start this type of therapy early on.
