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August 2013 Moms
tanabeans
member
FYI: Post-Partem Care
tanabeans
member
After reading some of y'all's posts I think I should share some info I received at a post partem class. I would have done it sooner but I haven't had the time. Ill summarize and try to give a link. I come from a family of rabbits and have never heard any of this before I started researching and found a class. I feel like PP care is just as important as pregnancy and its an often overlooked subject.
Pelvic floor (pf) muscles:
Problems include-heaviness or pressure in the vagina or rectum
Leakage of urine
Difficulty holding back gas
Pain with sex
Pf Exercise:
Squeeze and lift the pf muscles by squeezing muscles used to hold in gas. Try to do a count of 5 then relax for 10 always rest twice as long as hold and don't hold your breath. Do this every time you wash your hands or feed or change LO.
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=119
The link talks about how men can do them: they help with erections
Core strength: tied to pelvic floor. It's important to work inner core muscles first rather than doing crunches which can actually make the pooch worse
Isolate transverse abdominis (TA):
Lie on your back with spine in neutral position, gently close the muscles around your rectum and think about connecting it with the back of your pubic bone. Think about the muscles around your urethra/vagina and gently lift them up and forward into your abdomen. Imagine a line connecting the inside of your two hip bones in the front I your pelvis. No actual movement of the hip, pelvis or spine should occur. A good TA isolation will feel like a tight deep tension under your fingers not a contraction that pushes them out. Hold the contraction for 3-5 sec while continuing to breath. Repeat 10 times 3-4 times a day
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aqwx6uCwhUQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Daqwx6uCwhUQ
Separation of ab muscles- check for this by lying on your back with fingers in the centre of belly above navel. without flexing lift your shoulder blades and feeling you can insert more than 2 fingers. If you have more than this ask doctor about referral to physical therapist or use of belly binder.
Scar care: perineal and c section scars- start when fully healed, 4-6 weeks pp. check with ob if unsure. Massaging the incision area is important to prevent the scar from attaching to the deeper muscle layers. If scar is thick and deep it can limit movement and ad to your pain. Massage 2-3 times a day for 5-10 min to get the most benefit. The more you massage, the more pliable,soft and thin it will become.
To massage:
Warm your hands by rubbing together, natural oils or warm compresses can be used, but are not necessary.
Massage the scar by working it with a rubbing motion along the line of the scar.
Stroke back and forth across the scar.
Roll the scar between your thumb and forefinger.
Pick up and lift the fully healed scar to prevent it from attaching
Perineal scars can cause painful intercourse: https://www.pelvichealthsolutions.ca/for-the-patient/painful-intercourse/episiotomy-scars/
The next step is to find the time to do all of this with an infant! I have not tried the scar massage yet or DTD either but I will def work on my scar before trying after posts I have read. I hope the info helps or is at least a good starting place for you.
Pelvic floor (pf) muscles:
Problems include-heaviness or pressure in the vagina or rectum
Leakage of urine
Difficulty holding back gas
Pain with sex
Pf Exercise:
Squeeze and lift the pf muscles by squeezing muscles used to hold in gas. Try to do a count of 5 then relax for 10 always rest twice as long as hold and don't hold your breath. Do this every time you wash your hands or feed or change LO.
https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=119
The link talks about how men can do them: they help with erections
Core strength: tied to pelvic floor. It's important to work inner core muscles first rather than doing crunches which can actually make the pooch worse
Isolate transverse abdominis (TA):
Lie on your back with spine in neutral position, gently close the muscles around your rectum and think about connecting it with the back of your pubic bone. Think about the muscles around your urethra/vagina and gently lift them up and forward into your abdomen. Imagine a line connecting the inside of your two hip bones in the front I your pelvis. No actual movement of the hip, pelvis or spine should occur. A good TA isolation will feel like a tight deep tension under your fingers not a contraction that pushes them out. Hold the contraction for 3-5 sec while continuing to breath. Repeat 10 times 3-4 times a day
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aqwx6uCwhUQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Daqwx6uCwhUQSeparation of ab muscles- check for this by lying on your back with fingers in the centre of belly above navel. without flexing lift your shoulder blades and feeling you can insert more than 2 fingers. If you have more than this ask doctor about referral to physical therapist or use of belly binder.
Scar care: perineal and c section scars- start when fully healed, 4-6 weeks pp. check with ob if unsure. Massaging the incision area is important to prevent the scar from attaching to the deeper muscle layers. If scar is thick and deep it can limit movement and ad to your pain. Massage 2-3 times a day for 5-10 min to get the most benefit. The more you massage, the more pliable,soft and thin it will become.
To massage:
Warm your hands by rubbing together, natural oils or warm compresses can be used, but are not necessary.
Massage the scar by working it with a rubbing motion along the line of the scar.
Stroke back and forth across the scar.
Roll the scar between your thumb and forefinger.
Pick up and lift the fully healed scar to prevent it from attaching
Perineal scars can cause painful intercourse: https://www.pelvichealthsolutions.ca/for-the-patient/painful-intercourse/episiotomy-scars/
The next step is to find the time to do all of this with an infant! I have not tried the scar massage yet or DTD either but I will def work on my scar before trying after posts I have read. I hope the info helps or is at least a good starting place for you.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: FYI: Post-Partem Care
Also, the TA thing makes no sense to me. I can't wrap my brain around what I'm supposed to do. How does this differ from a kegal?
Eta: take it or leave it, I just felt like some people would benefit from the topic since this lady I talked to never even heard of a kegel. It's not normal to pee yourself and it can be helped
Btw I just cried at the end of Juno.