caesarean Birth - Do I need to worry about my pelvic floor?
- Jo Dyson
- Jul 17, 2018
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 27, 2018
It’s a commonly held belief that those Mums who delivered by Caesarean Section don’t need to worry about their pelvic floor.....NOT TRUE!
If you have a pelvic floor, you need to give it a bit of TLC, even ladies who have not had children can develop pelvic floor dysfunction!
While it’s true that a vaginal delivery will increase the risk for pelvic floor trauma, incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, delivering by section doesn’t completely negate that risk.
Pregnancy hormones play their part - the softening of the ligamentous structures that support the pelvic organs and of the connective tissue within the pelvic floor itself can compromise it’s function.
So does carrying a baby for 9 months - the added load of the baby, placenta, extra fluid, breast tissue etc is all bearing pressure down onto the pelvic floor which stretches and weakens it over time. This will have an impact on your pelvic floor and core strength/endurance, which will need to be recovered afterwards, irrespective of how your baby was delivered.
There are other risk factors for incontinence/prolapse which are unrelated to a women’s obstetric history, which accounts for the issues seen in those who haven’t had children. For example:
ageing
respiratory conditions with recurrent cough
repeated heavy lifting
genetics/ethnicity/family history
chronic constipation
high BMI
So the method which your child arrived does play a part in your ongoing pelvic health afterwards, but it’s just one of a few factors that can influence your chance of leaking urine or experiencing a prolapse.
It therefore is well worth looking after your pelvic floor irrespective of how you delivered your baby!
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Mother Nurture Pilates | Physiotherapist led Antenatal & Postnatal Pilates classes | Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
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