Contrary to popular belief, having a C-section will not protect you from pelvic floor dysfunction. Most c-section mamas can still have leaking, pelvic organ prolapse, constipation, Diastasis Recti, and painful sex. This may come as a surprise to some of you, especially if you thought a c-section would keep you in the clear.
This info may add to your stress level but I hope it helps to know that there are steps we can take to maintain that pelvic floor!
It really comes down to the actual “load” on your pelvic floor during pregnancy. Regardless of what type of birth you have, 9 months of growing and carrying another human in addition to ALL the extras that come along with pregnancy, is a lot of demand on your pelvic floor muscles
The pelvic floor muscles are literally the “floor” of your core, which means they have to work extra hard during pregnancy to keep things flowing (and not flowing) down there.
It’s not uncommon for women who have had a c-section birth to experience the same problems that women who have had vaginal birth experience. The only difference is that the incision that c-section mamas have is up top, and the incision from vaginal delivery (if there was a tear or episiotomy) is down below.
C-sections are MAJOR abdominal surgeries, and the recovery process can be very difficult. (More on that later.)
Also, some Mamas experience a “double whammy,” so to speak. This means that they have tried vaginal delivery, maybe even pushed for a few hours, and then have to go into surgery for a c-section. This means that now they may have more pelvic floor issues because of the pushing and attempted birth, in addition to a c-section.
If you’re experiencing any:
These are ALL signs of pelvic floor issues and should be treated seriously.
Those who either got a c-section or are planning on having one still need the same resources, prep, and recovery/treatment as vaginal birth mamas, and I would argue even more so.
Here are some things you can do to help prepare:
Here’s what you’ll need for proper recovery:
Because of the magic of the internet, you can get one of The DownThere Doc’s expert PTs for a virtual session as soon as you get home from the hospital! We can help with decreasing pain, improving mobility, and speeding up your recovery! Basically, we’ll be your new best friend with a LOT of helpful info to get you back in fighting shape!
As you get further out in recovery, pelvic floor PTs can help with scar healing, general back pain, safe abdominal exercises, pelvic floor-specific strengthening, and rehabilitation. You’ll need a pro ‘DownThere’ to make sure everything is doing what it should be doing.
Check out my courses and free resources HERE to get started.