I have 5 pieces of advice that all women should know going into pregnancy:

  1. Strength training

    1. The muscles of the spine, abdomen, and pelvis undergo significant changes with pregnancy to make room for the growing fetus. As a result, low back pain and pelvic girdle pain affect as many as 50-71% of women who are pregnant. To combat this, it’s essential to focus on strengthening the muscles of your core, hips, and pelvic floor to reduce and prevent pregnancy related aches and pains.

  2. Mobility training

    1. Mobility training should be performed before every strength training session to optimize movement of your joints and muscles. It’s also recommended to perform mobility training for your hips to make the various positions of labor and delivery more comfortable, allowing you to stay as calm, comfortable, and relaxed as possible during this strenuous time.

  3. Push prep

    1. Beginning in the third trimester, you can start preparing your pelvic floor for labor and delivery. This is not a kegel, but quite the opposite. I teach a technique called open glottis bearing down to all of my patients. This entails bearing down (just like you do when you have a bowel movement) while exhaling. I prefer this method over closed glottis (breath holding) as it conserves your energy during the lengthy hours of pushing, but also protects your pelvic floor from further dysfunctions. 

  4. Postpartum optimization

    1. Throughout pregnancy, I believe you should start preparing for postpartum to improve your recovery. Therefore, I have all of my patients focus on building the mind-muscle connection with their pelvic floor and core via various diaphragmatic breathing techniques. This also helps to prevent further core and pelvic floor dysfunctions from developing as a result of pregnancy and/or childbirth. 

  5. Education 

    1. Education, education, education!! I can’t stress this enough. Education is the most powerful tool when it comes to your health. Education promotes self efficacy and confidence in your abilities. I want all of my patients to feel confident in themselves going into the labor and delivery room, but also having a clear understanding of how to properly rest, recover, and heal postpartum. 

In summary, move your body as often as possible, learn how to breathe properly, and do your research to educate yourself!