Are you currently pregnant or trying to conceive (TTC)?
Do you have any joint aches or pains?
Did your Obstetrician, Doctor or other Health Professional suggest seeing a Women's Health or Pelvic Health Physio?
Are you worried about leaking wee in pregnancy?
Do you want to learn how to activate your pelvic floor muscles?
Have you been diagnosed with a prolapse?
Are you wanting to continue to exercise during pregnancy, but are not sure what you can do?
Would you like advice on preparing for birth, and how to minimise pelvic floor trauma?
How my Physiotherapy services can help in your pregnancy journey
Common Muscle and Joint Complaints
Pelvic Floor Education and Advice
Bra's, Birth Preparation & Exercise
During pregnancy your body undergoes lots of physiological changes, to assist the growth and development of your baby. Pregnancy and birth are physically demanding, and having a reasonable level of fitness can help you better manage these demands, as well as help boost your mood and self image. What are some of the benefits of exercise in pregnancy? i mproved fitness reduced muscle and joint aches and pains improved mood and sense of wellbeing reduced risk of gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension reduced maternal weight gain and fat How much exercise should you do? The latest recommendations from the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists suggest that you should exercise most days of the week at a moderate intensity between 2.5-5 hrs per week. Ideally this would mean that you would exercise most days for around 30-45 minutes, where you feel like you are working hard, but not short of breath, e.g. brisk walking. What if you are inactive or don't exercise regularly? If you are currently not exercising regularly or you are inactive, it is recommended that you still start to exercise during your pregnancy. It is recommended that you start with second daily exercise and build up to daily as you are able to, e.g. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and start with 15- 20 minutes of exercise. As you feel that your fitness levels are improving, you can increase the time you are exercising for by 5 minutes until you reach 30-45 minutes each day and/or increase the number of days per week you are exercising for. What type of exercise should you do in pregnancy? Cardiovascular exercise brisk walking stationary bike riding swimming (avoid spas and hydrotherapy pools as these tend to be warmer and can lead to overheating of you and your unborn baby) Running (can be done if previously running prior to conception, speak to you Midwife, Obstetrician or Physio to see if they are happy for you to continue running during your pregnancy. Strength/resistance training maintaining and improving muscular strength in pregnancy is helpful for reducing muscle and joint pains during and after pregnancy avoid lying on your back to exercise after 16 weeks, as this can affect your blood pressure and blood flow to the baby aim for 2 sessions per week Exercise in Pregnancy Precautions 1. Do not exercise in the heat! Your body temperature is naturally higher in pregnancy and exercising in the heat or intensive exercise can cause your internal body temperature to rise to unsafe level for you and your baby. drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise exercise at a moderate intensity exercise in a cool and well ventilated space do not exercise if you are sick or have a fever 2. Avoid high impact exercise The pregnancy hormones make your joints and ligaments more stretchy and loose and thus predispose you to injuries and the extra weight can place extra stress on your joints. Ideally during pregnancy lower impact exercise will help you avoid injury. Medical / Pregnancy Complications that mean NO EXERCISE unless your Obstetrician or Midwife gives you clearance waters have broken (ruptured membranes) uncontrolled high blood pressure blood clots low lying placenta (placenta previa) intra uterine growth restriction uterine bleeding pre-eclampsia Warning signs to stop exercising immediately chest pain unexplained shortness of breath dizziness, feeling faint or headache muscle weakness calf pain, swelling or redness sudden swelling of the ankles, hands or face vaginal bleeding or amniotic fluid loss decreased fetal movement uterine contractions or pain in the lower back, pelvic area or abdomen (potentially indicating preterm labour) I can help design you a suitable exercise program tailored to your needs and fitness levels. Resources https://ranzcog.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Exercise-during-pregnancy-pamphlet.pdf
What is the Pelvic Floor? The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that are about as thick as the palm of your hand and they create the “floor” of your pelvic attaching from your pubic bone at the front to your coccyx bone at the back. What does the Pelvic Floor do? The pelvic floor helps to maintain control of your poo and wee, they also help to support your pelvic organs (bladder, bowel and uterus), helping to prevent them falling down into your vagina (prolapse). The pelvic floor also helps your sexual function, contributing to orgasm and arousal. How to contract your Pelvic Floor Muscles? These muscles are hidden inside our body and it can be very hard to know if we are actually contracting the muscles the right way. A lot of women actually perform the wrong movement which results in straining and pushing down of the muscles. To contract your muscles the right way I suggest the following: Sitting down on a chair, feet and back well supported Let your belly relax Palms facing up Now imagine that you are trying to stop your wee, squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles If the muscles are being squeezed the right way, you should feel a very small movement of your vagina lifting up from the chair Try and hold for 2-3 seconds and then relax the muscles As you relax the muscles you should feel your vagina drop into the chair Repeat this 10 times Other cues for contracting your pelvic floor muscles Imagine holding in wind Imagine drawing a tampon up your vagina Remember to not hold your breath, avoid clenching your inner thighs, jaw and buttock area
What are haemorrhoids? Haemorrhoids are swollen veins in your anus and lower rectum. if the haemorrhoid is inside your rectum it is called and internal haemorrhoid. If its located on the outside of your anus its called an external haemorrhoid. Symptoms of external haemorrhoids Itching or irritation in your anal area Pain or discomfort with sitting or pain during a poo Difficulty getting clean after passing a bowel motion (lots and lots of wiping) Swelling around your anus Bleeding when passing a poo You can generally see these when you look in a mirror Symptoms of internal haemorrhoids Painless bleeding when passing a poo that is bright red in colour a sensation of a bulge or prolapse of something in the anus when doing a poo, which you may feel that you need to push back up the rectum Not visible without looking internally at the rectum What can cause haemorrhoids? Poor toileting habits and straining in the toilet Pregnancy and childbirth Regular heavy lifting Being overweight or obese Chronic diarrhoea or constipation What can I do to help my haemorrhoids at home? 1. Adopt good toileting habits Avoid straining use a footstool to raise your knees higher than your hips spend no longer than 10 minutes on the toilet 2. Increase your fluid and fibre intake Try and consume at least 8 glasses of water per day, more if you are exercising or completing physical work Eat foods high in natural fibres, such as pears, kiwifruit, prunes, dates, chia seeds and flaxseed 3. Avoid excessive wiping You should aim for 3-4 wipes with toilet paper. If you wipe more than that you can irritate the skin around the anus and the haemorrhoid. Try using water, sorbolene on toilet paper or cold flannels to assist cleaning after a poo, if you find it difficult to clean 4. Avoid prolonged sitting Long periods of sitting, at your desk, car or on the toilet can increase the pressure in the veins around your anus and can cause bigger haemorrhoids. When should I seek help for my haemorrhoids? Any rectal bleeding should be investigated by you GP or local Doctor to rule out other more sinister causes of your bleeding like colon or rectal cancer If you feel that you may have a prolapsed haemorrhoid changes in your bowel habits, e.g. your unable to empty completely now, you notice a mucous discharge If you experience anal pain that disrupts your normal daily life
