Enhance Your Pregnancy and Post Partum Experience
Helping You Along Your Journey to a Healthy Baby and a Healthy You
You are pregnant, you and your body are preparing to bring a new life into our world! So much for you and your partner to consider- where to birth, car seats, etc. All the while your body is prepping and adapting for the birth experience - your posture changes, tissues become more pliable, blood volume increases- you grow.
Let us help you navigate this time and support you as you change! The physiotherapists at CURA have years of expertise to help prepare you during your pregnancy and prepare for your birth experience.
It is true that in pregnancy pelvic pain and urinary incontinence are common. And there is LOTS of information on the internet for you to find. But it is information without knowledge of you.
Pregnancy is a good time to gain a better understanding of your posture and how to activate your muscles, especially your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor muscle exercise is more than just doing Kegels- in preparation for birth the focus should be on relaxing your pelvic floor (i.e. creating space).
At CURA we work with you (and your partner) to understand how your body is adapting to the changes of pregnancy and provide you with treatments and strategies that work for you. We stock a number of products to help you during pregnancy.
We will help you prepare for your birth experience with the knowledge that you cannot plan for every possibility!
We are honored to be part of your team and support you and your family.
Post Partum, The Fourth Trimester and Beyond
Your baby has arrived! So many changes and you want your body to recover as quickly as possible. Whether you have vaginal birth or a caesarean birth (belly birth) your birth experience causes many physical stresses with emotional and hormonal effects. Be kind to yourself and give yourself time for recovery.
Injury in childbirth is relatively rare but when it occurs treatment is needed just like for any injury. Early treatment is optimal but treatment can help at any time.
Take it Slow - Listen to Your Body
From 0 to 8 Weeks:
From 0 - 8 weeks post partum, there is a lot going on with getting to know your baby; developing skills for feeding and nurturing your baby plus building relationships as a family. Your body has done something amazing; pregnancy and birth. During this time celebrate your amazingness and trust that you know what you need. Rest is more important than exercise during this recovery time. Simple pelvic contractions (not Kegels) and thinking of good posture will help heal.
From 6-8 Weeks & Onward:
After 6 weeks, then you will see significant changes towards recovery; between 6-8 weeks you can add more exercise and at 12 weeks consider an exercise program. What you are ready to do depends on your pre-pregnancy activity level, birth experience, recovery, your goals, and time available. Exercise classes and resuming running is often as much about self-care and time for you as much as the physical benefits
CURA Physiotherapists bring decades of experience (100+ years) to your assessment and treatment.
During the postpartum phase All the physiotherapists at CURA can help you with:
- ongoing back or pelvic girdle pain
- concerns about diastasis recti and core engagement
- Ceaserean birth recovery - scar management , retrain and strengthen abdominal and core
- other postpartum problems such as wrist, upper back and neck problems
SCREENING FOR PELVIC HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPY
If you say yes to any of the symptoms or situations listed below you will benefit from an evaluation by CURA's pelvic health physiotherapy team:
- Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, or exercise
- Not making it to the bathroom in time for either bladder or bowel
- Birth experience included forceps assistance
- Birth experience had a 3rd or 4th degree injury ( tear)
- Problems emptying your bladder
- Pain with intercourse
- Pressure, heaviness, or building in your vagina or rectum
- Ongoing pain in your vagina, rectum or pelvic bones