Busting Pelvic Floor in Pregnancy Myths

The pelvic floor, though a very important part of the body, isn’t talked about much. Because of the mystery surrounding it, people often cannot make out the difference between facts and myths about the pelvic floor during pregnancy and birth. Let’s talk about a few of the top myths we’ve heard in our OSM community that we thought necessary to bust!

MYTH #1: Just do your Kegels

Too many kegels can result in a tight pelvic floor which we are NOT aiming for, in birth. Rather we want a pelvic floor that can hold in urine when we run, sneeze and laugh and also yield to allow a baby to pass through. Kegels have their place, but on their own are not the best preparation for birth. Trying squats instead of kegels.

MYTH #2: Peeing your pants is normal

It’s super normalized in our culture because it is very common. Common does not mean normal. It should also not mean that we should be embarrassed or think that we are broken. I peed my pants during and after my 2nd pregnancy and refused to have that be my forever. I learned what to do and went through two more pregnancies with zero incontinence. It’s possible and we can help!

MYTH #3: Cesarean will prevent pelvic floor dysfunction

Not true! Yes, a traumatic vaginal delivery can cause pelvic floor issues. But so can a cesarean birth. And no matter what type of birth you have, your body and pelvic floor still have to go through pregnancy. No matter the type of birth you plan/have, your pelvic floor health is important to be proactive with.

pelvic floor dysfunction with cesarean birth

MYTH #4: Tighter is stronger

It’s just tighter! A tight pelvic floor that can not go through a full range of motion can be the cause of a lot of issues. From extended pushing stage to painful sex. Also, having a vaginal birth doesn’t “stretch you out” so that there’s no way your pelvic floor is tight. A ton of people I see have too tight pelvic floors after vaginal birth, so it just doesn’t work like that.

It’s worth being proactive about pregnancy rather than waiting until you already have an issue. It’s worth not settling for the fact that you’ll pee a little bit every time you sneeze for the rest of your life.

If it was an issue with your knee you wouldn’t feel ashamed. Yet, our culture has fed us shame about this our entire lives and this often makes it harder and more embarrassing to seek the help we need. But you’re worth it and you’ve got this.

Tight pelvic floor is not optimal for birth

I'm so grateful for the One Strong Mama program, it helped make my 3rd pregnancy the most comfortable yet. This program helped me find ways to prevent further diastasis recti that I had experienced before, as well as find ways to adjust daily movements practices to continue to feel strong all the way through birth and postpartum. As a prenatal yoga instructor and social worker, I appreciated Lindsay and Lauren's focus on mindful movement, alignment, as well as their inclusiveness of all the ways we give birth. Margot Strahl
I'm a mom of three, a doula, a yoga and fitness professional with over a decade of experience, and I love the OSM program. The exercises are simple and easy to follow. But even more, they are truly purposeful, with a clear focus on building strength and function for pregnancy, birth and life. The videos and the library of information have definitely informed my teaching. And at a fraction of the cost of most professional trainings, I now have ongoing access to an incredible collection of resources. Moms in the pregnancy year and beyond, and professionals working with this population, will greatly benefit from this program. I can't recommend it highly enough. Melissa Gutierrez Nelson
Our patients love One Strong Mama. We notice that patients who are working through the One Strong Mama program have less restrictions throughout their soft tissues and muscles. Our patients who have dedicated time to One Strong Mama, do not tend to have many complaints or favor certain positions through their pregnancies. As we continue working on balancing their pelvis with chiropractic care and bodywork, having little soft tissue and muscle tightness it makes their visits with us further apart than other patients that are in our office. We highly recommend One Strong Mama to our expecting mamas! Dr. Jeni Massa and Brianna Bing with Sprout Chiropractic and Wellness
Lindsay and Lauren's work got me through my 3rd pregnancy. Their restorative and corrective exercises are easy to do, the instruction easy to follow, requires very little equipment, and can be worked into daily movement practices. I feel stronger than I ever have and cannot recommend this program enough to mamas! You don't have to be in pain during pregnancy, be a strong mama and live well! Laura Pladson
I had such an amazing experience with One Strong Mama and would highly recommend to everyone. Not only did it help prepare me physically, but also helped me process emotionally while preparing for my vbac. I was able to have such an easy birthing time as well as recovery postpartum thanks to the movements/exercises I learned. Jessica Anderson
Staying comfortable and active my entire pregnancy was priceless. What surprised me was how it stuck with me postpartum. Even when I ended up with a baby that always needed to be held! Sarah Schultz

Busting Pelvic Floor in Pregnancy Myths

MYTH #1: Just do your Kegels

MYTH #2: Peeing your pants is normal

MYTH #3: Cesarean will prevent pelvic floor dysfunction

MYTH #4: Tighter is stronger

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