47:: a pelvic floor physical therapist's guidebook for pregnancy! (save this for when you're pregnant!) :: how to prepare your body during pregnancy for birth and postpartum!

Author: Dr. Kelsy Vick
Published: Mon 03 Feb 2025
Episode Link: https://wellness-big-sis-the-pod.captivate.fm/episode/47-a-pelvic-floor-physical-therapists-guidebook-for-pregnancy-save-this-for-when-youre-pregnant-how-to-prepare-your-body-during-pregnancy-for-birth-and-postpartum

Even if you're not pregnant, you're going to want to listen to this one!! I have so many of my friends who are pregnant right now, so consider this my educational love letter to them and to you guys! From a pelvic floor PT's perspective...

what can I do to prepare my body during pregnancy to make labor, birth, and postpartum a little easier?
how can I healthily prepare my pelvic floor?
is this normal?
what are some things I should research?

We cover the pelvic floor, hip mobility, thoracic mobility, mindfulness/meditation, breathwork, form cues, and so much more!

On a separate note, I think it is so important that we, as women, learn about our bodies in the different stages that it goes through. Do you remember learning about your period or menstrual cycle for the first time? Crazy! I think the same thing needs to happen for pregnancy, labor, birth, and menopause... I want us to learn about them, demystify the topics, and really understand them welllll before we experience them. So even if you're still in college, just listen to this episode in the background to pick up on some of the things you should be aware of before you're even in this stage! & If you have friends or family members who are pregnant or eventually want to become pregnant, share this episode with them!

hip openers to prepare for labor part I

hip openers to prepare for labor part II

00:00- 02:47 why learning about pregnancy is important!

02:48 - 03:51 a PFPT who works with pregnant and postpartum women

03:52 - 09:57 what happens to our our bodies during pregnancy

09:58- 10:32 a pelvic floor PT’s guidebook for pregnancy!

10:33- 14:18 Breathwork & breathwork practice

14:19- 15:24 The importance of a squatty potty!

15:25- 21:13 Hip and pelvic floor mobility

21:14- 22:22 Thoracic mobility

22:23- 23:07 Deep stabilizers and postural work

23:08- 24:17 Cue into your parasympathetic nervous system!