Pelvic Floor Therapy FOR PREGNANCY Brooklyn, NYC

Pelvic Floor Therapy In-Home Services

Expectant mothers in Brooklyn, NYC, can now experience the comfort and convenience of professional Pelvic Floor Therapy without leaving their homes, thanks to Blair Mauri's in-home services. Pregnancy brings remarkable changes to a woman's body, including the increased strain on pelvic floor muscles due to the growing fetus and hormonal fluctuations. This can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction, marked by symptoms that require specialized attention.

Blair Mauri's in-home Pelvic Floor Therapy services are designed to help pregnant women manage and overcome the challenges of urinary incontinence—a common issue characterized by the involuntary leakage of urine triggered by actions such as coughing, sneezing, or physical activity. Urinary urgency, or strong and frequent urges followed by leakage, are also common yet treatable during pregnancy. Understanding that such symptoms extend beyond normal pregnancy experiences, Blair Mauri provides tailored programs to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and restore their function.

Whether experiencing low back pain, SI joint pain, sciatica, pain with sex, or general discomfort in the pelvic area, Blair Mauri's approach helps alleviate pain by addressing the underlying dysfunction. This holistic view ensures that activities like standing or engaging in intimacy become more comfortable for expectant mothers.

Benefits Of Pelvic Floor Therapy For Pregnant Women

Pelvic Floor Therapy during pregnancy offers a plethora of benefits that extend far beyond the immediate management of symptoms. The advantages of engaging in Pelvic Floor Therapy while pregnant include:

Enhanced Preparedness For Childbirth

Preparing your pelvic floor muscles for childbirth is akin to training for a marathon. Pelvic Floor Therapy strengthens and relaxes these muscles, teaching you how to control them effectively during labor. This not only aids in a smoother delivery but can also reduce the risk of tearing or requiring interventions such as episiotomies. Blair also addresses pelvic mobility to support a vaginal birth, perineal massage to reduce tearing, as well as optimal fetal positioning for breech or transverse babies. 

Reduction In Pregnancy-Related Pain

Many pregnant women experience discomfort, such as lower back pain, pelvic girdle pain, or sciatica. Pelvic Floor Therapy can alleviate these pains by addressing the imbalances and strains pregnancy places on your body. You can achieve better posture and alignment through tailored exercises and techniques and manual work significantly reducing discomfort.

Prevention And Treatment Of Incontinence

Incontinence is a common issue during pregnancy and after childbirth, largely due to the changes in pressure in your abdomen. Engaging in Pelvic Floor Therapy addresses the whole body, trains these muscles, and addresses habits to provide better control over your bladder before and after your baby arrives.

Management Of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Symptoms

Pelvic organ prolapse is a concern for many women post-delivery. Pelvic Floor Therapy during pregnancy can help prevent this condition by coordinating the muscles and tissues supporting your pelvic organs, offering them increased support during and after childbirth. Blair also teaches her clients to push during a vaginal birth in a way that decreases the risk of prolapse and perineal tearing. 

Faster Postpartum Recovery

By starting Pelvic Floor Therapy during pregnancy, you're not only preparing for a smoother childbirth but also facilitating a quicker recovery postpartum. Preparing your pelvic floor muscles and having a personalized birth plan ahead of time can lead to fewer complications and a speedier return to your pre-pregnancy physical condition.

Emotional Support

Beyond the physical benefits, Pelvic Floor Therapy offers psychological advantages by providing a supportive environment to discuss concerns, fears, and any discomforts associated with pregnancy. Our empathetic and supportive approach at Blair Mauri Pelvic Health ensures that you feel heard, validated, and cared for, making your pregnancy journey more comfortable and less stressful.

Common Pelvic Floor Exercises for Pregnancy

Pelvic floor exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and help manage symptoms such as incontinence and pelvic pain. Here are some common pelvic floor exercises recommended during pregnancy:

1. Mobility/Stretching 

Mobilizing your pelvis and pelvic floor during pregnancy can help support an efficient vaginal birth. Recommendations will be customized to your needs and anatomy. Learning to lengthen the pelvic floor is crucial to delivery.

2. Pelvic Tilt

The pelvic tilt exercise is beneficial for strengthening the abdominal muscles and relieving back pain, a common issue during pregnancy. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Gently arch your lower back, pressing your pelvis upwards. Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. You can also try on all 4s.

3. Squats

Gentle squats can help strengthen the lower body and encourage the pelvic floor muscles to lift efficiently. Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, slowly lower into a squat position, keeping your back straight. Ensure your knees do not extend beyond your toes. Hold for a couple of seconds, then return to standing. 

4. Bridge

The bridge exercise targets the gluteus, lower back, and pelvic floor muscles. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart on the floor. Slowly lift your hips towards the ceiling, squeezing your buttocks at the top. Ensure to keep your pelvic floor engaged throughout the movement. Lower your hips back to the starting position and repeat. 

5. Should I Be Doing Kegels During Pregnancy? 

Blair recommends NOT to do kegels during pregnancy unless a Pelvic Floor Therapist has evaluated you with an internal pelvic floor exam. Many women have too much tension in their pelvic floors during and after pregnancy and need to work on relaxing and lengthening these muscles. Doing kegels with a tight pelvic floor would only make this worse! There is a time and a place for kegels, but pregnancy is often not one of them, as these muscles need to yield and stretch during birth. A better alternative to a kegel would be a bridge or squat, which works on the pelvic floor's lengthening and contracting.

Tailoring Pelvic Floor Therapy To Each Trimester

As your body undergoes the miraculous changes required to grow and nurture a new life, the demands on your pelvic floor muscles intensify with each passing trimester. It would be wise to implement pelvic floor strengthening methods at each stage of pregnancy.

First Trimester: Building A Foundation

During the first trimester, the focus is on building a strong foundation for the months ahead. This phase is all about education and early intervention. Blair Mauri’s therapy sessions are designed to familiarize you with your pelvic floor and core muscles, teaching you how to correctly engage and relax these key muscles. Optimizing your pelvic floor early on can help support your body as it changes, reducing the risk of issues such as incontinence and pelvic pain down the line. If you are experiencing any pelvic pain or symptoms of incontinence or prolapse, Blair will address this as well.

Second Trimester: Strengthening And Stabilizing

As your body enters the second trimester, your baby's growth begins to place more pressure on your pelvic floor. The therapy during this time shifts towards strengthening and stabilizing the pelvic area to cope with this increased pressure. Blair Mauri introduces targeted exercises that not only fortify the pelvic floor but also focus on your overall core strength and stability, which is vital for supporting your back and pelvis as your baby grows.

Third Trimester: Preparation For Childbirth

The final trimester is when the body prepares for childbirth. The focus of Pelvic Floor Therapy during this stage is on preparing your body for labor and delivery. Blair Mauri’s sessions will focus on pelvic mobility, pelvic floor relaxation, and optimal fetal positioning. Blair is also skilled at treating any aches and pains that may arise during this time, including psoas pain, low back pain, SI joint pain, sciatica, and/or groin pain. Blair will provide some birth education and make personalized birth plan recommendations for your partner to support a vaginal birth. She offers 4th-trimester planning support as well. This approach aims to ease the birthing process and prepare you for a smoother postpartum recovery.

Final Thoughts

Blair Mauri Pelvic Health stands at the forefront of providing compassionate and personalized Pelvic Floor Therapy during pregnancy for the Brooklyn, NYC community. Understanding the unique needs of the pre and postnatal community, the practice creates a nurturing, supportive, and non-judgmental environment that prioritizes the comfort and empowerment of every client. Through in-home, evidence-based care, Blair Mauri offers not just a service, but a partnership in navigating the challenges and triumphs of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery.

The focus on longer, more comprehensive sessions ensures that every individual’s journey is acknowledged, with customized therapies designed to address and alleviate symptoms, enhance quality of life, and restore normal function. With Blair Mauri’s expertise and empathetic approach, clients are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary for effective symptom management and long-term wellness.