For many women, childbirth is an experience that can be traumatic. A difficult birth can damage the perineum, leading to pain, discomfort, and even incontinence. Although it takes some time for your body to heal naturally, there are steps you can take to speed up the healing process by making perineal rehabilitation.
How to recover from a difficult birth?
Your body needs time to heal after difficult birth. However, there are steps you can take to accelerate the healing process and reduce discomfort in the perineal area. One of them is the perineal rehabilitation.
What is perineal rehabilitation?
Perineal rehabilitation is a type of physical therapy that focuses on the muscle strengthening of pelvic floor, which support the bladder, uterus and rectum. It also helps restore balance between opposing muscle groups around the pelvis.
How does this help with postpartum recovery?
Perineal rehabilitation can improve strength and stability of your pelvic floor, helping you recover quickly from the trauma of childbirth. This can contribute to reduce pain and the discomforts that you might feel in the perineal region such as, for example, urinary leakage. In addition, this therapy can also promote better healing tissues damaged during childbirth.
How does postnatal perineal rehabilitation take place?
In general, perineal rehabilitation is carried out under the supervision of a specialized physiotherapist or a midwife. The healthcare professional first assesses the condition of your pelvic muscles and then offers you a perineal rehabilitation method adapted to your situation.
Rehabilitation exercises may include muscle contraction and relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, as well as the use of biofeedback to better control the pelvic floor muscles.
When to start rehabilitation after childbirth?
Ideally, perineal rehabilitation can begin between 6 to 8 weeks after delivery, once your body has had time to recover from the efforts of birth. However, it is important to discuss this with your healthcare professional to determine the most appropriate time to start this process. Indeed, you must take into account your general health, especially if you had a difficult birth.
Perineal rehabilitation exercises after childbirth
THE Kegel exercises are exercises that you can practice independently at home. After a birth, difficult or not, here are different perineal rehabilitation exercises that you can practice.
How to practice Kegel exercises?
To practice Kegel exercises, start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Try to tense your muscles, as if you passed gas or urine. These movements will allow you to become aware of all the extent of your pelvic muscles.
Then contract your muscles around the vagina for 10 seconds, then release for 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times in a row.
Kegel exercises with a perineal probe
Kegel exercises are a great way to improve the strength of your pelvic floor muscles. They can be carried out with or without perineal probe. When performed using a probe, you must contract your perineal muscles so that the perineal biofeedback probe can capture and measure your movements.
You then have a real-time feedback on your contraction. Once these movements are captured by the probe, it retransmits them to the mobile application which helps you to improve your exercises. This device also allows you to track your progression.
How often should you practice Kegel exercises?
You can practice this exercise several times a week. And at any age! The perineum is a set of muscles that is used throughout our lives. It is therefore necessary to strengthen it and maintain it regularly throughout life to prevent problems from occurring. However, keep in mind that the recovery after childbirth can be a long and gradual process. Be patient and don't rush, especially if you had a difficult birth.
Why use a perineal probe during Kegel exercises?
A perineal probe will help you perform your exercises better. There Emy perineal probe for example is able to analyze your contractions and give you a visual feedback in real time and advice on the application to improve your skills.
The app also allows you to take this workout in a fun and simple way. It is therefore an additional motivation to practice your exercises regularly after giving birth and strengthen your perineum.
Learn more about the Emy probe
Yoga to tone your pelvic floor
THE yoga can help you better relax your muscles and to increase flexibility of your perineum. And also your pool by the way! Here are three Yoga exercises that will help relax you and your perineum :
- The butterfly 🦋 Sit cross-legged, place your hands on your ankles, and let your knees gently fall toward the floor. Stay in this position for a few minutes while breathing deeply.
- The posture of the goddess 👑 Stand with your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees slightly, and place your hands on your hips. Inhale and exhale while keeping your knees apart, contracting your pelvic floor muscles with each exhale.
- Child's posture 👶 Sit back on your heels, bend your upper body forward and stretch your arms out in front of you, touching the floor. Stay in this position for a few minutes while breathing deeply.
You now know a little more about pelvic floor rehabilitation and how it can help improve your recovery after a difficult birth.
