Post Partum

Information and Resources

Post Partum (Healthy Parents, Healthy Children “Pregnancy and Birth” 2nd edition Pages 49 – 50)

Pelvic Floor
Whether you delivered your baby vaginally or had a caesarean section, being pregnant alone can change the function of your pelvic floor muscles. During labour and birth, your pelvic floor stretches to allow your baby’s head to pass out of your uterus and through your vagina.

Having a weak pelvic floor makes it harder for you to squeeze the muscles (sphincters) at the bottom of your bladder to stop urine from escaping, especially when you cough, sneeze or exercise. While this is a common symptom after having a baby, there are steps you can take to treat it and prevent it from getting worse. Here are some resources to help you rehabilitate your pelvic floor postpartum.

Pelvic Floor Resources
To view the online videos (by the Pelvic Floor Clinic in Calgary):
Pelvic Floor Clinic

Alberta Health Services → Patient Education → Your Body After Baby (under “Physiotherapy Education Modules”)

Additional Online Resources:

Pelvic floor physiotherapist
physiotherapyalberta.ca

Infant Feeding
Healthy Parents Healthy Children.ca

Breastfeeding Specific Resources
My Health Alberta.ca
Caring For Kids.ca
LLLC.ca

Reproductive Health
sexandu.ca

Parenting
Healthy Parents Healthy Children.ca

Discharge Teaching
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