Pregnancy can be the most wonderful and not so wonderful time of your life depending on what you feel and go through as your body changes to grow a little human inside of you.
Aches and Pains During Pregnancy
It is not “normal” to have pain when pregnant and is something that if addressed early can be managed quite well.
An increase in movement in addition to the weight of the baby can sometimes cause pelvic girdle pain which can range from being felt at the lower back, hips, back of the bottom cheek or pubic/groin area. Some women also experience what is commonly known as sciatica, a pain down the back of the leg.
Your pelvis is a bony structure made up of three joints, its function is to house the pelvic organs which include your bladder, bowel and uterus. The pelvic floor muscles create a base for these organs to rest on and surround the openings of these organs. In addition, there is surrounding fascia, ligaments and other musculature that give due to hormonal changes when you are pregnant.
Exercise During Pregnancy
Exercise can often help reduce aches and pains with pregnancy, maintain a healthy weight, help with sleep, improve mood and self-esteem. It is generally safe to continue with whatever type of exercise you were doing prior to your pregnancy and make modifications accordingly as you progress through your pregnancy. It is not advisable to do any exercise in a heated room or to continue exercising if you feel faint, have shortness of breath, experience any bleeding, pain or have any urinary incontinence.
Sleeping Positions
It is best to cease sleeping or laying on your back from 19 weeks or earlier if you experience any symptoms of dizziness. If this happens you can sit down or lay down on your left side. This is to relieve pressure off the main vein that returns blood to the heart for re-oxygenation of the blood.
Pelvic Floor
It is recommended to have your pelvic floor checked after having your baby to check for any pelvic organ prolapse, address any incontinence and abdominal separation (DRAM).
So what can you do if you have the above symptoms?
See your doctor and a women’s health physiotherapist to assist you with your symptoms.
Here at Ryde Road Physiotherapy, we have our women’s health physiotherapist Monica Marcos whose aim is to help women before, during and after this time.
She treats pre and postnatal women for conditions such as abdominal separation, urinary incontinence, frequency and urinary urgency, constipation, pelvic girdle pain, early signs of mastitis and pelvic organ prolapse with the option of pessary fittings.
Classes
Monica also runs a mums and bubs class on a Thursday that incorporates pilates, yoga and strength training to help mums achieve their goals. A prenatal class is also on the horizon to service the expecting mums and keep them strong.
RYDE ROAD PHYSIOTHERAPY
Location: 6 Ryde Road, Hunters Hill 2110
Phone: 98172080
Email: ryderoadphysio@gmail.com
Website: www.ryderoadphysio.com.au
Monica Marcos is our qualified physiotherapist with a special interest in Women’s Health and has 8 years experience in assisting women of all ages.
