Childbirth is no picnic: 85% of women who deliver vaginally experience perineal trauma and a third of those women in the USA and UK require stitches.2 The thought of having another baby after having gone through a traumatic birth can be daunting, to say the least. Returning to sex can also seem like a feat, […]
By Shannon Pacella This week Shannon Pacella of the Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center interviews a yoga instructor about the benefits of yoga before and delivery. What is a typical Prenatal Yoga class like (length of the class, any specific areas of focus)? Each prenatal yoga class can vary widely, depending […]
The older I get, the more I realize that there is another ‘F-word.’ For many people it is a harmless word, but for others it carries the same weight as any other profanity. I am talking about fertility. For a portion of people who are sexually active, fertility is a scary word. For some, fertility […]
We all know one or two of those superhero mamas that REALLY enjoy being pregnant. You know, the ones that can eat anything without feeling nauseous during their first trimester or the ones that are able to run 20 miles a week until they deliver. Yes, pregnancy is a beautiful part of life and yes, […]
By Katie Hunter “In the wild, mother and young have a better chance of survival if the mother can regulate labor so that the young are born in safe, quiet surroundings.” –Niles Newton, behavioral scientist and professor at Northwestern University circa 1987 Before I explain what all of this means… let’s go over […]
Photo: David J Laporte By Melinda Fontaine Peaceful labor? Comfortable delivery? Calm childbirth? Do these sound like oxymorons? It’s true! Jane was a young woman who saw a segment on TV about HypnoBirthing. She saw pregnant women who looked like they were concentrating really hard on an abdominal workout or […]
By Melinda Fontaine Julia called me yesterday to ask some questions about pelvic pain and pregnancy. She was 38 weeks pregnant and getting ready to give birth. She had a history of some pain with intercourse prior to getting pregnant and was surprised to feel some vaginal pain at her last OB appointment as […]
By Melinda Fontaine Back By Popular Demand: Here is the sequel to my 8 Pregnancy Tips. This is what a Pelvic PT/Mom wants you to know about labor and delivery. First off, you have little to no control over it. This can seem scary, so it is important to be flexible. I am a supporter […]
It’s National Bladder Health Week and we want to dedicate this blog post to our favorite (and only) urine collecting organ! The bladder is a vessel that sits on the pelvic floor and its primary function is to collect and hold our urine. It is made out of a hollow muscle called the detrusor which […]
This week, our guest blogger Bria Larson, MS, LAc, FABORM will discuss The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy. By Bria Larson The abdomen and pelvis are the source of our creativity and nourishment. They are also vulnerable to injury from physical and emotional trauma, disease and dietary stressors. Based on the healing traditions of the […]
By Melinda Fontaine, DPT, PHRC Walnut Creek I recall being eight months pregnant treating other pregnant women or new moms. I would always hear, “How are you still working full time on your feet?” I still think the most honest answer is, “Pure luck”. Every pregnancy is different, and there are a lot of […]
