Birthing is considered a second birth for the mother – the ravages her body endures to deliver the new life is probably the most miraculous part of living. In the process, even with scientific pre-natal and post-natal care and exercise, the woman is a lot more vulnerable to succumb to certain frailties associating with her biological womanhood.
Weak pelvic muscles can cause many a heart ache in women – urine leakage (urinary incontinence), bowel gas or stool leakage (anal incontinence), difficulty emptying bladder (voiding dysfunction), overactive bladder, or difficulty having a bowel movement (constipation). Some women also feel or see tissue coming out of the opening of their vagina. This can be a prolapsing cervix and uterus or the walls of the vagina.
The very core of your body is the pelvis, at its very base are the pelvic floor muscles that run from the pubic bone in front to the tailbone in back. They pelvic floor muscles provide support to the internal organs – the bladder, bowel, uterus (prostrate for men), vagina and rectum. Not only does the pelvic floor prevent these organs from falling down or out, but it also plays a very important role in making the organs function properly. The brain controls the muscles of the pelvic floor by way of nerves. Women who’ve stretched their pelvic-floor muscles during childbirth are the most susceptible to pelvic floor disorders, especially if they had a large baby or pushed for two or more hours. One third of women with ‘stress urinary disorder’ also have overactive bladder, a debilitating condition in which you suddenly have a strong urge to pee or your bladder muscle spontaneously contracts, sending a wave of urine into your pants.
Other helpful muscles in the same region are the Transversus abdominis (TVA) and the multifidus muscles that run along the lower to middle spine. These three muscle groups – the pelvic floor (bottom), the TA (front) and the multifidus (back) – form the Pelvic Pyramid. These muscles need to be exercised and worked in unison to enhance your quality of life, improve posture, flatten your tummy and keep your bladder control healthy. Learning exercises and performing them correctly and consistently will ensure the safety and health of the birthing process and the ageing process after delivery.
Written by Gita Krishna Raj | Published in Food & Health in June 2014
