BumptUpdates

Kegels During Pregnancy – What the Latest Research Says

Sara French, ACSM CPT, NASM CNC

October 4th, 2024

What Are Kegels?

If you have ever been pregnant, you’ve probably been told to “do your kegels!”, but what are they? Kegels are a pelvic floor muscle exercise in which you tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor and then relax them. You may be coached to hold the contraction for a certain amount of time before relaxing or just squeeze and immediately release (sometimes called “quick flicks”). While they are incredibly effective at helping many pelvic floor symptoms, there are also situations when they are not helpful. Getting a more comprehensive exam by a qualified pelvic health physical therapist will equip you with more tools to prepare your body and pelvic floor for labor and delivery, including if doing kegels is right for you at this time.

Combating Round Ligament Pain During Pregnancy

By Sara French, ACSM CPT, NASM CNC

September 27, 2024

If you are in your second trimester of pregnancy, you are likely experiencing something called round ligament pain. While this may seem worrisome, it just means your body is making more room for that growing baby of yours! Throughout this article, we will discuss: what round ligament pain is from a physiological standpoint, how to alleviate it, and when to call a doctor.

Diastasis During Pregnancy

By Sara French, ACSM CPT, NASM CNC

September 20, 2024

What is Diastasis?

Diastasis Recti, or abdominal separation, is one of the many changes that may happen in your body if you are pregnant. Indeed, diastasis is actually unavoidable during pregnancy. Research has confirmed that nearly 100% of women experience abdominal separation by the end of their third trimester. The degree to which this separation occurs varies among women; but it is, in fact, an unavoidable phenomenon. 

The Fourth Trimester: Why Nutrition STILL Matters

By: Julie C. Shea, MS, RDN, LDN, CPT

Why is it that after a woman gives birth, she and our Western society believe the hard part is over and pre-pregnancy life resumes as usual? This misguided perception may lead many women to miss out on a pivotal phase of recovery and nutrient repletion during the postpartum period. Immediately following the birth of your baby, your main priorities should include rest, recovery, nourishment of yourself and nourishment of your new, tiny human!

Coning During Pregnancy

By Sara French, ACSM CPT, NASM CNC

September 6th, 2024

If you are pregnant, you have likely heard of abdominal coning, or “doming.” This is a natural occurrence that happens when the middle of the abdomen bulges outward in a cone-like shape due to increased intra-abdominal pressure. Coning is quite common during pregnancy and is nothing to be afraid of! It is simply a sign that you are putting too much of a strain on the midline of your abdomen. If you experience coning intermittently throughout your pregnancy, you likely will not cause any significant damage to your abdomen. However, repeated coning is a major contributor to diastasis and should be addressed immediately.