When you’re expecting your first baby, “preparing” suddenly becomes a full-time job. You’re researching cribs, scrolling through stroller reviews, comparing baby monitors, and making sure your nursery is as safe and cozy as possible. While you’re planning for your baby’s arrival there is one thing most first-time moms forget to prepare: their own pelvic floor.
And honestly? It’s not your fault. Most of us don’t hear the words pelvic floor until something feels off after birth. But these muscles play a major role in pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum recovery — and understanding how you can support them now in pregnancy can set you up for a smoother labor and delivery experience, reduced risk of tearing / injury at birth, and less complicated postpartum recovery.
So...what exactly IS your pelvic floor?
Think of your pelvic floor as a hammock of muscles at the base of your pelvis. They support your bladder, bowels, and uterus, help stabilize your core, and even affect how you breathe. During pregnancy, these muscles stretch, shift, and carry more weight than ever before. And during birth, they stretch 2.5x their normal resting length in a vaginal birth to help guide your baby into the world.
This means your pelvic floor is doing a LOT of heavy lifting long before you’re holding your baby in your arms.
Why Pelvic Floor Prep Should Be on Your To-Do List
Preparing your pelvic floor for birth doesn’t need to be complicated. And you definitely don’t need to spend your pregnancy doing endless Kegels (spoiler: for many women, that’s not actually what their pelvic floor needs).
By learning about pelvic floor health in pregnancy before baby arrives, you can:
- Reduce unwanted leakage during pregnancy
- Ease common aches like back, hip, and pelvic pain
- Improve babies alignment and breathing for labor
- Learn how to release & lengthen your pelvic floor — crucial for smoother pushing, reduced tearing, less need for forceps or episiotomy use during labor.
- Build a stronger foundation for a quicker, more comfortable postpartum recovery
Think of it as prepping your body the same way you’re prepping your nursery — intentionally, lovingly, and with your future self in mind.
Postpartum: What's Normal, What's Common, and What You Don't Have to Live With
After having a baby, it’s normal to feel weak, tired, or disconnected from your core. Because postpartum conversations are often hush-hush, many women assume anything uncomfortable is “just motherhood.”
Here’s what’s actually common — but not something you need to accept:
- Peeing when you sneeze or laugh
- Feeling heaviness or pressure in your pelvis
- Pain with intercourse
- Abdominal separation that doesn’t improve
- Lingering back or hip pain
These symptoms are your body asking for support — and with the right guidance, your pelvic floor can heal, strengthen, and function well again. Regardless of having these symptoms or not, proper preparation prior to birth and rehab post birth is the best way to take care of yourself.
Ready to get support for your pregnancy birth prep, postpartum recovery, and beyond?
For readers seeking additional support with birth preparation or postpartum recovery, Your Postpartum PT + Wellness offers virtual pelvic floor education and guided programs that can be accessed from home. Their online Pelvic Floor & Core Collective provides evidence-based resources and multiple levels of support for mothers in pregnancy and postpartum.
More information can be found here:
https://www.skool.com/pelvicfloorandcorecollective/about
More information can be found here:
https://www.skool.com/pelvicfloorandcorecollective/about
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi - I'm Jess! I specialize and have a passion in treating the pre/postnatal community after having experienced the birth of my son. It was at this time I realized the massive gap in healthcare and service to birthers both pre-delivery & postpartum recovery. I have made it my mission to raise the standard of care and have unique offerings for birthers early on in the postpartum period where I come to you, being the village all birthers need, as a mobile clinician.
Jessica London, PT, DPT, PCES
Owner of Your Postpartum PT + Wellness LLC
Virtual Pelvic Health & Pre/Postnatal Exercise Coach
Instagram : @yourpostpartumpt
Podcast: What About Mom?
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yourpostpartumpt
