Episode 02: Prepare Your Pelvic Floor For Birth

Today’s episode will be key for you if you’re thinking of becoming pregnant, currently are pregnant or a fitness/health/birth professional who works with expecting moms.

We dive into sharing key tips about preparing your body for birth, bust some birth prep myths surrounding ‘kegels’, share our own experience preparing for birth and how we help clients prepare for birth (both vaginal or caesarean).

References and Resources:

1) Top 7 Tips for Positive Fear Free Birth – Read Here. 

2) Flower Bloom Breath – Read Here. 

3) Perineal Massage Technique – Read Here. 

4) Evidenced Based Birth: Perineal Massage – Read Here.  

5) List of Relaxation Strategies for Birth – Read Here. 

6) Evidence Based Birth: Birth Positions – Read Here.

7) 3 Things You Must Know For Better Core and Pelvic Floor Function – Read Here. 

8) What Every Pregnant Woman and Moms Needs to Do For Her Pelvic Floor – Read Here.

Shorten A et al. Birth position, accoucheur, and perineal outcomes: informing women about choices in vaginal birth. Birth. 2002; Mar:29(1):18-27

Soong B, Barnes M. Maternal position at midwife-attended birth and perineal trauma: is there an association? Birth. 2005; Sep:32(3):164-9.

DiFranco JT, et al. Care Practice #5: Spontaneous pushing in upright or gravity-neutral positions. J of Perinat Educ. 2007 Summer; 16(3):35-38.

Time Stamps:

1:11 – Will Kegels really strengthen your pelvic floor in preparation for the event of birth?

4:08 – The Flower Bloom Breath (video linked below in notes)

4:44 – Why do you think people are told to do Kegels in preparation for birth?

7:22 – Strategy for preparing the pelvic floor for birth: perineal massage

9:52 – How we prepared for our own births

13:38 – Types of exercise that can prepare your pelvic floor for birth, and strength training in pregnancy

21:06 – How this pelvic floor work can help you if you know you are going to have a caesarian section

21:36 – The Fear-Tension-Pain Cycle

28:16 – Knowing yourself and trusting your instincts with the type of birth that you want and need

31:11 – Birth position factors, benefits, and open conversation about it

40:11 – Let’s talk a little bit about pushing baby out

46:58 – Episode review