By: Erica Tran, PT, DPT, OCS For years, the absence of robust research led to a cautious approach toward heavy resistance training during pregnancy. As more research is being done on the pregnant population the evidence is becoming clear that activity, including heavy weight lifting, does not increase risk to mom or baby, but rather...
After waiting the seemingly longest 2 minutes of your life, the stick reads “pregnant.” It’s overwhelming joyful, shocking, and admittedly a little scary. Millions of questions begin piling up in your mind, one of them about exercise – can I continue my normal routine or do I need to see my provider first? Waiting for...
“Do your kegels.” How often do pregnant women hear that little phrase? These days, most prenatal apps, books, or health care professionals will tell a pregnant patient to do their kegels at some point during pregnancy. How many should you do, how often, should you really be doing them, and how do you even know...
The 6-week postpartum doctor’s visit is when women are often “cleared” for activity and are often advised to start slowly and gradually build exercise volume. Running is a popular activity in the postpartum population given the flexibility of scheduling exercise, weight loss and fitness benefits and ability to participate in exercise with your baby (once...
Diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) is a normal thinning of the connective tissue known as the linea alba as a response to increased intra abdominal pressure (IAP). Studies estimate that around 60% of first time mothers at 6 weeks postpartum will have a DRA. A study by Sperstad et al. in 2016, notes that the presence...
A recent article in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy (Deering et al, June 2020) discusses the research currently available to guide a return to exercise (including competitive sport) after pregnancy and childbirth. The short answer is, there’s not much. The article proposes a 3 phase approach to postpartum recovery in athletes. Phases...
The 6-week postpartum doctor’s visit is when women are often “cleared” for activity and are often advised to start slowly and gradually build exercise volume. Running is a popular activity in the postpartum population given the flexibility of scheduling exercise, weight loss and fitness benefits and ability to participate in exercise with your baby (once...
As a pelvic health physical therapist who works with individuals during pregnancy I am often asked, “What is the best position to deliver a baby in?” My answer is typically: “Just like posture, there is no “perfect position”, the best position or posture is one that continues to change and where you feel most comfortable.”...
After talking to many midwives and doulas around Boulder Country and listening to patients’ birth stories, it is clear to me that every labor and delivery is different. No two births are completely alike. While there are some aspects of labor and delivery that you cannot control, here is a list of things you can...
