Pregnancy lasts about 9 months.
Postpartum lasts the rest of your life.
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Why did I do the Postpartum Years Podcast?
In working with women in the past few decades, I have treated many who have been suffering with treatable conditions that were a result of pregnancy and childbirth. Far too many of them had been struggling for years or decades. There has been a dogma of “well, you’ve had a baby, of course you are going to have problems.” Friends and family said it; physicians often also gave the same sentiment. It has bothered me to see so many people suffer needlessly for so long. There is help out there. Sometimes PT can help, sometimes Chiropractic, sometimes Acupuncture is the best option, and sometimes a person just needs surgery. Knowing that your problem has viable solutions is the first step, then you can use that knowledge to look into your options and choose what path is best for you.
Isn’t The Postpartum Period 6 weeks long?
Stress Incontinence
Incomplete Emptying
Hemorrhoids
Anal Fissures
Pelvic Floor Pain
Bladder Infections
Nipple pain
Mastitis
Yeast Infections
Breast pain
Scars
Abdominal weakness
Back pain
Prolapse
Pain with Intercourse
Just 6 Weeks? Really?
Technically, the postpartum period is 6 weeks long. Scars should be healed. The uterus should be down to its post-pregnancy state. However, some crazy things happened to the body during the pregnancy and the delivery. Many people are left with a plethora of issues to deal with. Bladder, bowel, and sexual dysfunction as well as muscle weaknesses plague many women for the rest of their lives.
I have been perpetually frustrated by women coming into my clinic with problems that should have been addressed years earlier. There is a lot of misinformation out there. Many women are told by family and friends that peeing when you cough, sneeze, laugh or jump is normal after having a baby. It is COMMON. It is NOT NORMAL.
I get it. These are embarrassing issues and not everyone wants to talk about them. Who wants to tell someone that they are leaking urine? That baby belly that won’t go down- it’s just fat, right? Who wants to discuss the pain they are having trying to have sex? And bowel issues?! That is the last one on most people’s lists to discuss. Many won’t bring it up to their doctor. Others might feel too rushed in an appointment. And then some get blown off when they do bring it up.
It’s time to stop being embarrassed.
It’s time to talk about all of these issues.
It’s time to optimize your body.
You will always be postpartum. Enjoy your body again- it grew a human!
