Lauren and Kate in the final class of their Birth Skills course.
In the Birth Skills class I conducted last night we heard that one woman (who had previously attended the Birth Skills course for her two babies) had a 4.2 kilo and a 4.6 kilo baby – both natural births and no stitches or episiotomies. So for this woman it was possible, afterall, women’s bodies are made for childbirth. I also took some time to explain that some women will need an episiotomy, or may have a small tear. The obstetrician or midwife will make a wise decision as to what is needed in different situations on the day.
The other aspect of overall women’s health I wanted the class members to think about is their own longevity and the need for physiological integrity of their pelvic floors. When the baby is being born, the birth canal (which is designed to stretched as the baby’s head is moulding and emerging) has been beautifully prepared for this moment by the powerful pregnancy hormones. It is still important to keep in mind the minimising of trauma and maintaince of function to the pelvic floor long after the childbirth is over. Hence prevention of long, drawn out pushing phases, assisting the birth with episiotomy sometimes, allowing the woman to tear a little t other times (maybe one or two stitches needed), and any other guidance or assistance the doctor or midwife gives on the day. So many women in previous generations had to cope with prolapse and other problems to the pelvic floor – admittedly, these women often had 9 or 10 children- but we want to avoid those problems for you.
Some pelvic floor exercises are important to do DURING pregnancy (the aim is NOT to tighten your pelvic floor but increase your awareness of the area), but they are far more important to do AFTER the birth. In fact, if you think about it the pregnancy hormones are trying to relax the pelvic floor in pregnancy and prepare the muscles and tissues to undergo enormous stretch during the birth…so tightening is not the objective here. AFTER the birth, you can exercise and ‘tighten’ to your heart’s content…in fact, it will be important to do so. You will need this muscular support and integrity for many years to come. The pelvic floor has much to support in the body every day of your life and you need to keep it in good working order. This is what your doctor or midwife will sometimes have in mind when they intervene with an episiotomy. It may be for the baby, but it also may be for you and the long term functionality of your pelvic floor.
Pelvic floor exercises are still needed after a Caesarean birth as the woman has still undergone the effects of the nine months of ‘softening’ hormones during her pregnancy.
