I am starting the GrowCo postpartum rehab program this week… who is with me?

You guys know that I love talking about the pelvic floor and everything we can do postpartum to get it back in tip top shape! Prior to having Milo, my pelvic floor was ON POINT. I didn’t have any issues. After being assessed by a pelvic floor physiotherapist when I was pregnant, she told me I had an almost OLYMPIC STRENGTH kegel. I was so proud, haha. I wasn’t worried about labour and delivery and figured I wouldn’t have any issues in postpartum. Well, I was wrong. I didn’t have any issues early on but when Milo was about 18 months old, I started noticing that if I jumped or sneezed when my bladder was full, I would leak. SO ANNOYING. How could this happen to me? I had an Olympic pelvic floor!

After experiencing these symptoms for a little while, I decided it was time to revisit a pelvic floor physiotherapist to see what was going on. At that appointment, we chatted for a long time about my previous appointments, my pregnancy/birth, postpartum recovery, the symptoms I was experiencing, how often I pee, and whether I had issues with constipation. The initial assessment is very comprehensive! Along with an internal exam, she also assessed my hip alignment, how I bend, my mobility, etc.

A huge lightbulb that went off for me in that appointment was that I was constantly clenching my butt and tensing my pelvic floor. When I thought about it, every time I was standing at the counter to wash dishes or brush my teeth etc., I was clenching and super tense down there. Sometimes even as I was laying down to fall asleep I was clenched. This is a result of trauma (giving birth to my son) and then doing zero rehab to ensure proper healing and strengthening. After the internal assessment (with their gloved finger), we discovered that I was, in fact, tight. During the internal exam (which is much less invasive and painful than a pap test), they will typically walk you through doing kegels while they can feel what is going on inside. This is SO helpful because many people do not do kegels properly and if that is the case, they are able to guide you. Another reason this guided kegel is so important is that RELEASING THE KEGEL is just as important as the tightening part.

For me, in postpartum, I had lost the ability to properly release the kegel. So, imagine tightening to do a kegel and then struggling to fully release it. I was doing kegels properly and they were strong but, my problem was a tight pelvic floor and not releasing the tension. There is a common misconception that any time you have an issue with leaking you must be weak. THIS IS NOT TRUE. Many of us are too tight and strength is not an issue.

During my appointment she worked with me on breathing into my pelvic floor, something that sounds so simple, but it is not. My “homework” was to lay down and breathe into my pelvic floor as much as possible throughout the day and then do my regular kegels with a focus on releasing them once a day. Just doing this breath work changed everything for me. Within days my lower back pain was gone.

While I am happy my lower back pain is gone, I want to do more to get my pelvic floor and core functioning as optimally as possible. Many of you know my husband is a Urologist and he sees so many women who have issues with incontinence later in life. This can be prevented! I am hoping with more awareness about pelvic floor physiotherapy and postpartum rehab, we can change the narrative that exists with regard to being a mom and peeing your pants. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Next week I am starting GrowCo Method for Moms. From now till November 30th, the program (regularly $500) is %50 off. It is a ONE TIME PAYMENT which means you have access to all the available workouts, a live weekly class, and monthly masterclass for a LIFETIME.

The program is focused on the core/pelvic floor and can be done easily at home. I am planning on documenting my progress and experience in the program on Instagram and I hope you guys join me!

For more information about GrowCo and to sign up, CLICK HERE!

To find a pelvic floor physiotherapist in Ontario, CLICK HERE!