Women who ha ve spent ma ny yea rs with perfect posture a nd strong core muscles will benefit from this during pregna ncy a nd childbirth. The number one compla int of pregna ncy is low ba ck pa in. A strong core is one of the best wa ys to prevent a nd ma na ge ba ck pa in. One of the top fea rs women ha ve a bout childbirth is tea ring of their pelvic floor a nd perineum. A toned pelvic floor is more ela stic tha n a low toned pelvic floor. This mea ns tha t your pelvic floor ca n stretch out of the wa y more effectively a s ba by pa sses through the va gina l ca na l.
So why do some women with these ba ckgrounds ha ve a difficult birth experience. First of a ll, there a re ma ny fa ctors tha t effect how your la bour will progress. In other words, both fit a nd unfit women ca n ha ve a n ‘ea sy’ or ‘difficult’ birth experience. Most ha ve a birth experience somewhere in between. Second, it’s not the strength of one’s core tha t ma y ma ke things difficult; it is the ina bility to relea se one’s core. If you a re a da ncer for exa mple, you ma y ha ve spent yea rs with your core muscles continuously on. Then when in la bour, it ma y be difficult to turn them off.
So wha t ca n you do to increa se your cha nces of a n optima l birth experience? Add some pelvic floor rela xa tion exercises into your fitness routine. When you do your Kegels, put equa l or more empha sis on the relea se of the contra ction. Pra ctice letting go of your core muscles on dema nd. La stly, do not a llow the nega tive predictions of others to creep into your mind during la bour. When those thought a nd fea rs a rise, use a ma ntra to bring yourself ba ck to rea lty. You ca n sa y this ma ntra out loud or in your hea d. Here a re a few suggestions.
“I wa s ma de to do this”
“My body knows wha t to do”
“I a m soft. I a m open”
I had a problem when I was delivering my first child because I had done 3 years of pilates and was so tight "down there". The nurse asked my husband if I was a horse back rider, but he said "no, but she's done pilates for 3 years" The nurse said that was why I was having such a hard time getting him out.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post, Mel! I just had someone in class bring up 'too many Kegels', so I look forward to linking to this in this week's mailout!
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