Still having pelvic floor issues

zaramarie81 · August 2012

So, I had my 35wk OB as appt recently and all looks great... baby is head down and seems happy. We have formulated a birth plan with our doula. I continue to see the chiro and my back feels much better and muscles are more relaxed. Chiro says she doesn't see any reason why I couldn't do natural birth as all looks great. I do exercises on a birth ball and wobble chair and stretches.

Problem is, my pelvic floor muscles (which have given me a history of trouble) don't seem to be improving much. The simple GBS test my OB did hurt me like it would have pre-pregnancy. I am just really worried my pelvic floor muscles are going to lock up and resist labor... don't know how to fix this as my OB is insistent that my physical therapy exercises prior to pregnancy are not safe enough (could get an infection).

All I can think to do is perineal massage?

tokenhoser · August 2012

Have you consulted with a physiotherapist about what is safe? I'd say you need to balance "could get an infection" against "could get a c-section" and do what makes you comfortable with the risk.

Celyn · August 2012

What sort of exercise are you doing that could cause an infection?

CTri17 · August 2012

I'd def get a second opinion about the exercises

pixieprincss · August 2012

Remember that using those muscles to push in (or having something put in) versus pushing out are two very different things.

Have you read Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way? There are some great drawings and text in there about how the uterus itself--a large bag of muscle--works to push baby out. Understanding all of the other ways your body is desiged to do this may help you feel confident. For me, visualizing those uterine contractions were very helpful in my labor. I wonder if something that would help you think positive, empowered thoughts may help--like hypnotherapy beforehand.

In regards to the exercises, I don't know if an expert would say they matter because the mind-blowing ways our bodies work to get baby out seems likely to trump during labor, but what does your pelvic PT say? (I'm assuming that is where you learned the exercises.) Does she have studies she can point you to? I did an OB with my 1st PG and he had nothing on the specific knowledge that my pelvic-specialist PT had. I never regained full control over the pelvic floor after DS1 was born and my pelvic PT had no qualms. In fact, I didn't even see her during the PG. (I "graduated" from PT a month before DS2 was concieved.)

zaramarie81 · August 2012

Hi all - sorry for the late response!

Thanks for the input!

The exercises include using dilators (inserting a long, plastic device) to stretch my muscles internally. Yes, an infection is a concern as inserting anything "there" is of course, a risk. Perineal massage is more "shallow" than PT. My OB was also originally the one who sent me to PT, so although he isn't the PT expert, he is very much an advocate of these exercises/dealing with this issue outside of pregnancy.

I no longer see my PT due to finances and having "graduated" prior to conceiving (but due to abstaining b/c of a miscarriage risk and some regression during pregnancy, I would probably need PT again unless delivery really changes me).

My OB's "take" is that labor is so different, unique, intense etc that no amount of exercises now will really change much about labor. He doesn't believe I am at risk for a c-section. But still... I hate that I am in pain/tense up at the slightest thing (even perineal massage burns/hurts/bothers me). I can't imagine pushing a baby out!

I really like the suggestion of visualizing my body working and the uterine muscles doing their job. I also like the point that pushing out is very different than putting "in."Thanks, that gives me some confidence.

I may also just need an epi if I can't handle the pain (it's the pain that triggers the locking up), so I guess that is one possibility, sigh, but yeah, would love to avoid it.

I will know tomorrow if I am GBS+. I have also been hesitant to do much excercise-wise until I know (seems all the women in my family end up GBS+??).

littlemaybaby · August 2012

I don't know much about the exercises, but I know that we were told we could lead our normal sex lives up until the point my water broke. I can't imagine that anything you want to do comes with a higher risk than foreplay and intercourse . . . The risk of infection seems like a stretch.

zaramarie81 · August 2012

LittleMay... we've been having to abstain due to my pelvic floor issues, increased risk for miscarriage (mostly 1st and 2nd tri) and risk for infection due to an unexplained discharge (have been checked twice for loss of amniotic fluid, but that's been negative). My OB really doesn't want us "active," tho (I promise, he's a normal OB lol, he just sees multiple issues with us). So yeah, these exercises would be the most invasive thing I've done during this pregnancy!

I do have a nice update, though: I had my 36 week appt and I am GBS *negative* (yeah!!). Also, other than some of these odd quirks, all looks super healthy, my first internal exam shockingly did not hurt (so I am much less worried now), and baby sounds happy and is being cooperative by being head down.

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Still having pelvic floor issues

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