PRENATAL PHYSIOTHERAPY
OUR EXPERTISE IN PRENATAL PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR CHILDBIRTH
Our experienced physiotherapists in perineal rehabilitation can accompany you in your preparation for childbirth and in the prevention of perineal and pelvic dysfunctions.
WHAT IS PRENATAL PHYSIOTHERAPY ?
Perineal and pelvic rehabilitation is an approach in pregnancy physiotherapy that treats issues involving the pelvic floor, pelvis, hips, back and abdominals. In preparation for childbirth, the physiotherapist assists the pregnant woman by first conducting a comprehensive assessment of the pelvic floor and then offers a treatment plan with relevant exercises that will prepare the pelvic floor muscles and the body for delivery.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PRENATAL PHYSIOTHERAPY
- WHEN SHOULD PHYSIOTHERAPY BE CONSULTED DURING PREGNANCY, IN PREPARATION FOR CHILDBIRTH ?
- HOW DOES AN ASSESSMENT SESSION IN PERINEAL PHYSIOTHERAPY WORK ?
- WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT FROM A CHILDBIRTH PREPARATION SESSION ?
- WHAT IS THE PRICE OF A CONSULTATION WITH A PERINEAL PHYSIOTHERAPIST ?
- WHAT ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPY AFTER CHILDBIRTH ?
- WHAT IS THE PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND OF THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST SPECIALIZED IN PERINEAL REHABILITATION AT PHYSIO-OSTÉO GLOBALITÉ ?
1. WHEN SHOULD PHYSIOTHERAPY BE CONSULTED DURING PREGNANCY, IN PREPARATION FOR CHILDBIRTH ?
We generally recommend an initial evaluation at approximately 20 weeks of pregnancy. Whether you have symptoms (urinary leakage, pain, diastasis, etc.) or not, the assessment is useful because it analyzes your basic functionality in terms of your pregnancy and lets us recommend exercises that will help prevent any future pregnancy issues.
If you start having pregnancy pain before the 20th week, you can seek prenatal physiotherapy although the physiotherapist will probably not do an intravaginal evaluation at this time.
Several conditions or objectives may lead you to consult prenatal physiotherapy:
- Pain in the pubic symphysis
- Pelvic pain
- Hip pain
- Back pain
- Urinary leakage
- Pain during sex
- Difficulty passing stool
- Pain in the perineum
- Difficulty urinating
- Lower belly pain
- Prevention of perineal tears
- Have exercises to open the pelvis and hips
- Prevention of diastasis
- Have recommendations for exercises to do during pregnancy
- Etc.
2. HOW DOES AN ASSESSMENT SESSION IN PERINEAL PHYSIOTHERAPY WORK ?
At the first meeting, the physiotherapist will conduct a comprehensive assessment. She will discuss with you the health and obstetrical questionnaires that will be sent to you beforehand to determine the aspects on which to focus. Subsequently, an external evaluation will be conducted to determine the objectives related to:
- Posture
- Back movements
- Hip movements
- Competence of the abdominals
- Diastasis
Then, with your consent, an intravaginal evaluation may be completed to assess tone, strength, endurance and ability to relax the pelvic floor muscles. Finally, the physiotherapist will provide you with exercises to do and personalized recommendations.
Two weeks after the assessment, a major 45-minute follow-up appointment will be required to ensure that the exercises have been done properly and to assess progress. Other follow-up appointments may be proposed depending on the issues and the evaluation. A childbirth preparation session with your partner will also be offered.
3. WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT FROM A CHILDBIRTH PREPARATION SESSION ?
Physiotherapy for pregnant women also contains a session of preparation for childbirth at 34 weeks of pregnancy in order to practice techniques for pushing, positions, and pain. An evaluation will have been carried out beforehand to optimize the session.
During this one-and-a-half-hour session in perineal physiotherapy, you will have the chance to learn the biomechanics of the pelvic floor and pelvis during childbirth—which will depend upon the baby’s position—and then you can put these concepts into practice when you give birth. Your partner is invited to this session.
Lessons and practices offered during the consultation:
- The different types of flare-ups
- The different positions for work and pushing
- The different movements for the opening of the pelvis
- Pressure points on the sacrum, pelvis and hips by the partner
- Stretching techniques and massage of the perineum
At the end :
- Delivery of a document containing the information of the session
- Recommendations for the postpartum period
- Answers to your questions
If you would like a personalized session with evaluation and feedback of your thrusts and perineum stretching, please call Charlemagne Clinic to book an appointment.
PLEASE NOTE, TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT, YOU MUST CALL THE CLINIC 450-914-1999. THIS SERVICE CANNOT BE BOOKED ONLINE.
4. WHAT IS THE PRICE OF A CONSULTATION WITH A PERINEAL PHYSIOTHERAPIST?
As is the case with regular physiotherapy, physiotherapy for pregnant women (perineal physiotherapy) is generally reimbursed by your insurance. Here are the prices of the different sessions:
- Evaluation : 115$
- Childbirth preparation session: $135
- 45-minute follow-up: $105
- Group childbirth preparation class lasting 3 hours: $100
Be aware that physiotherapy is non-taxable.
5. WHAT ABOUT PHYSIOTHERAPY AFTER CHILDBIRTH ?
After childbirth, it is recommended to wait six weeks before making a perineal rehabilitation appointment to allow enough time for the tissues to heal, especially if there has been a tear. Postpartum physiotherapy is recommended for prevention as well as to treat problems such as:
- Scar pain
- Lower belly pain
- Lack of strength of the abdominals and pelvic floor
- Caesarean section scar
- Diastasis
- Pain during sex
- Organ descent Urinary and faecal incontinence
- Gas incontinence
- Pain in the pelvis, hips, tailbone and back
- Etc.
During the physiotherapy appointment six weeks after delivery, we will evaluate the abdominals, diastasis, pelvis and pelvic floor to optimize whatever conditions the woman is experiencing or to treat any problems.
If there is pain, osteopathy can also help you, whether during pregnancy or postpartum.
6. WHAT IS THE PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND OF THE PHYSIOTHERAPIST SPECIALIZED IN PERINEAL REHABILITATION AT PHYSIO-OSTÉO GLOBALITÉ ?
Valéry Pelletier-Millette first completed a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at the Valéry Pelletier-Millette a d’abord complété un baccalauréat en kinésiologie à l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) followed by a master’s degree in physiotherapy at the Université d’Ottawa. She then followed several training courses in perineal rehabilitation with Pelvic Health Solutions to be able to perform internal assessments and treat problems associated with pregnancy and pelvic floor.