Pregnancy & Postpartum

Botanical+Pelvis+6b-2.jpg

Pregnancy

There are many changes that occur within the female body during pregnancy that can lead to pain and discomfort.  Growing a new life requires an increase in hormones, a shift in the center of gravity of your body, weight gain, changes in postural alignment, and added stress.  This can lead to back and pelvic girdle pain and diastasis recti, as well as incontinence.  These changes can be addressed throughout the prenatal period to help with symptom relief and management. Through patient education and awareness, recovery in the postnatal period can be optimized.  

Services Offered/Conditions treated include:

  • Postural training and movement awareness

  • Back pain/neck pain/sacroiliac pain

  • Round ligament pain

  • Hip/pelvic girdle pain

  • Osteitis pubis/pubalgia

  • Pubic symphysis separation

  • Pelvic girdle pain

  • Costochondritis

  • Diastasis recti prevention and management

  • Labor and delivery preparation

  • Perineal massage and instruction

  • Urinary and bowel urgency, frequency, incontinence

  • Constipation

  • Pelvic floor muscle training, awareness and strengthening for optimal prenatal and postpartum results

 

Postpartum

During the postnatal period, women can struggle with diastasis recti, weak pelvic floor muscles, altered pelvic girdle alignment and postural dysfunction that can manifest into various symptoms, including muscle imbalance, dysfunction, and pain.  These issues often go ignored since these women are busy adapting to motherhood and many health care professionals tell you that it is normal.  The changes that occur to the body in the peripartum period can last for decades if left untreated and result in suboptimal movement strategies, poor breathing patterns, persistent weakness and pain, as well as an increased incidence of bladder and bowel incontinence later in life.  With proper screening and guidance, the patient can address their postural, pelvic floor, and abdominal muscle changes and have a successful return to a pain free lifestyle, optimizing wellness and musculoskeletal function.  

Services offered/Conditions Treated:

  • Cesarean management and scar massage

  • Perineal scar management and scar massage

  • Diastasis recti rehabilitation

  • Abdominal splinting instruction

  • Pelvic floor awareness training and strengthening

  • Organ prolapse treatment and management

  • Dyspareunia or painful intercourse

  • Urinary urgency, frequency and incontinence/dysfunctional voiding

  • Bowel urgency, frequency and incontinence

  • Constipation

  • Pelvic girdle pain

  • Shoulder/elbow/wrist/hand pain

  • Postural training and movement awareness

  • How to move with your baby

  • Self-care techniques to manage aches and pains

  • Breast feeding positioning and ergonomics

  • Mastitis manual breast drainage

  • Guided return to exercise

As a mother to three boys and a lifelong athlete, Liz understands how pregnancy and postpartum musculoskeletal and emotional changes and challenges can be left unaddressed by health care professionals and how often women struggle through these phases of their life with little guidance.  Liz is dedicated to changing this standard of care and bridging the gap by informing and educating women through this time so that they can feel strong, empowered and less anxious about the wonderful, but often difficult journey inherent in motherhood. 

If you'd like to book a call to learn more about how PT can help you, email Liz at liz@terrawellnesspt.com