 Pregnancy is one of the most fascinating things for anyone interested in science and the human body. It is amazing how your baby grows just as it is supposed to with everything in its place. Not to mention the female body's ability to be an incubator for this to happen and to deliver a baby. Amazing! Here are some facts you won't know about your pregnancy!  Wow what happened to my tummy? It looks like it's torn in half and not working. This is very common after pregnancy, It's called Diastasis Rectus Abdominis (DRA). Where the tummy muscles have stretched and separated during and after pregnancy leaving you feeling weak and flabby. What can you do about it? DRA: This is where the fascia ( I like to think of it as a piece of glad wrap over the top and in between the muscles holding them all together) and connective tissue between your Rectus Abdominis (6 pack muscles) has stretched and weakened leaving a gap between your muscles.  Some people ask me why should I be doing pelvic floor exercises? Why all the fuss? Why during Pregnancy? Surely I'll be fine. We have been conditioned to think that a little bit of urine leakage in life is normal. It might happen straight after birth, it might happen a few years after birth or it may not happen at all. Urinary leakage is common but not normal! Pelvic Floor exercises can help prevent leakage but they do a lot more than just stop urine leaking! And you need to know the facts before you say it's not for me.  There are many labour positions listed below you can choose from, although you may be limited if you have an epidural. You may not be able to move around or you might have equipment attached to you to monitor your baby. Being upright allows gravity to help your baby push down onto your cervix to help it dilate. Your Pelvic Floor muscles also assist with guiding your baby into the birth canal so it’s in the best position for delivery.  Are you struggling to breastfeed, in pain and really don't know what to do? It's such a common thing for new mums to experience, it's not always easy and doesn't always just work. I have been lucky enough to connect with Laura Keegan the amazing author of "Breastfeeding with Comfort and Joy". I was amazed by how detailed and captivating this book is, with lovely images of all types of women discovering how they can breastfeed without pain. It's an ebook with 170 full image pages and 9 selected video's and definitely worth the read.  Do you know you're having a caesarean? or think you might be at risk of needing one? Then these tips are for you. Researching while you're pregnant means you can maximise your recovery. So here it is; The quickest and most effective ways to recover from your caesarean. Who doesn't want that? Read these tips to ensure you’re looking after your body after a caesarean so it can heal properly. There is a reason why doctors don’t want you lifting anything heavier than your newborn after a caesarean, that’s because you have had major abdominal surgery!  Happy and glowing one minute, ready to rip someone's head off the next, followed by an emotional wreck on the floor crying after that. Sound familiar? There are so many changes in the hormones in your body when you are pregnant, it can leave you feeling like you're going crazy! These changes are mostly from the increases in your hormones and are happening to create the best environment for your baby to develop and to prepare your body for labour and breastfeeding. The 3 main hormones during pregnancy are:  Are you up for a challenge? Perfect, try this next time you go for a walk. If you're not sure where your pelvic floor muscles are here is a recap. They attach at your pubic bone at the front and your tailbone at the back. These muscles act like a sling holding your organs up and inside you. There are also the muscles that stop you urinating mid flow. Now keep reading to try this challenge.  Have you ever wondered if you really need Vitamins and Minerals during your pregnancy?
The simple answer is yes. Vitamins and Minerals are involved in keeping you healthy and helping you grow the healthiest baby you can. It can be really confusing knowing which ones to have, but here's a run down of the must have vitamins and minerals during your pregnancy, and how you can find them naturally. We should all aim to get the recommended quantities of vitamins and minerals through a balanced diet but that is not alway possible due to the quality of our food and our time poor lifestyles. This is where supplementation is key.  Everyone tells you to relax, put your feet up and don't stress when you're pregnant. Well they are right! But easier said than done. It's normal to have some stress in your life but if it's getting overwhelming here are some key reasons why you need to de stress and relax as much as possible while you're pregnant. You want to avoid extra levels of the stress hormone cortisol rising in your body. Higher levels of cortisol can increases your blood pressure and your heart rate, and slows down your metabolism. If you have excessively high levels of stress there is an extra risk of a pre-term baby or a low birth weight baby. All the more reason to relax and have some time out when you can.
A great way to do this is to make time for yourself, do things you love and you can even try meditation. Victoria Kasunic a Psychologist, Speaker and Author has developed |
AuthorI'm Melanie, a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist. 
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