Sara Reardon

I want to be able to travel. I want to be able to run three miles for the rest of my life. And so how do we help keep people with a really high quality of life into our later years which is now 40s, 50s, 60s, we start seeing our body changing so significantly. But if you have a pelvic floor issue, it can really affect that.

I want to be able to travel. I want to be able to run three miles for the rest of my life. And so how do we help keep people with a really high quality of life into our later years which is now 40s, 50s, 60s, we start seeing our body changing so significantly. But if you have a pelvic floor issue, it can really affect that.

And even relationships, like if you can't have sex or it's painful, I mean, these can cause a lot of marital relationship challenges. If you can't have sex, you may struggle to get pregnant. I mean, the effects go so deep that I don't think we realize how much pelvic floor issues can really influence someone's life. But that's why I'm so passionate about giving people the resources for help.

And even relationships, like if you can't have sex or it's painful, I mean, these can cause a lot of marital relationship challenges. If you can't have sex, you may struggle to get pregnant. I mean, the effects go so deep that I don't think we realize how much pelvic floor issues can really influence someone's life. But that's why I'm so passionate about giving people the resources for help.

Right.

Right.

Yes and yes.

Yes and yes.

Yes. When you are pregnant, that is the time that we often see pelvic floor issues arise. And we don't have any standardized postpartum rehab for women in the United States. In other countries, they are sent to postpartum therapy, physical therapy, like automatically. And we don't have that system here yet. But during pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles are getting weaker over time.

Yes. When you are pregnant, that is the time that we often see pelvic floor issues arise. And we don't have any standardized postpartum rehab for women in the United States. In other countries, they are sent to postpartum therapy, physical therapy, like automatically. And we don't have that system here yet. But during pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles are getting weaker over time.

Your pelvic ligaments are softening and loosening, and you have less stability in those joints, which that's what our body's supposed to do. It's designed to do that, but you can get pelvic floor issues as a consequence. So... I always say, you know, your pelvic floor is this basket of muscles that supports a growing baby, right? Your uterus is inside that basket.

Your pelvic ligaments are softening and loosening, and you have less stability in those joints, which that's what our body's supposed to do. It's designed to do that, but you can get pelvic floor issues as a consequence. So... I always say, you know, your pelvic floor is this basket of muscles that supports a growing baby, right? Your uterus is inside that basket.

And the beginning of pregnancy, your baby's a size of an avocado, right? And then maybe the size of a papaya. By the end, it's the size of a watermelon. And so if you think about a hammock holding an avocado, it's not going to change very much. But if you think about a hammock holding a watermelon, that hammock's going to sink down. It's going to stretch out. It's going to get weaker.

And the beginning of pregnancy, your baby's a size of an avocado, right? And then maybe the size of a papaya. By the end, it's the size of a watermelon. And so if you think about a hammock holding an avocado, it's not going to change very much. But if you think about a hammock holding a watermelon, that hammock's going to sink down. It's going to stretch out. It's going to get weaker.

And that's what happens during pregnancy. Your pelvic floor gets weaker just during pregnancy. And low back pain and urinary leakage are present in over like 75 of pregnant moms. Unfortunately, doctors will say, oh, just wait until after pregnancy. But if you don't address it during pregnancy, it's likely to persist after the baby's born.

And that's what happens during pregnancy. Your pelvic floor gets weaker just during pregnancy. And low back pain and urinary leakage are present in over like 75 of pregnant moms. Unfortunately, doctors will say, oh, just wait until after pregnancy. But if you don't address it during pregnancy, it's likely to persist after the baby's born.

So I always tell women like during pregnancy, I really recommend strengthening during the first and second trimesters. I have a whole online program for pelvic floor strengthening during pregnancy. And then in that third trimester, focus a lot more on relaxation and stretching because you need your pelvis to open up and your pelvic floor muscles to relax for a vaginal birth.

So I always tell women like during pregnancy, I really recommend strengthening during the first and second trimesters. I have a whole online program for pelvic floor strengthening during pregnancy. And then in that third trimester, focus a lot more on relaxation and stretching because you need your pelvis to open up and your pelvic floor muscles to relax for a vaginal birth.

We don't need super tight pelvic floors for a birth. We need relaxed muscles that can lengthen and coordinate and get out of the way for baby to come down the vagina. So if they're super tight, it's almost like doesn't allow baby to come down. So I focus a lot more on like yoga and breathing and learning how to push properly and different positions to push in that third trimester.

We don't need super tight pelvic floors for a birth. We need relaxed muscles that can lengthen and coordinate and get out of the way for baby to come down the vagina. So if they're super tight, it's almost like doesn't allow baby to come down. So I focus a lot more on like yoga and breathing and learning how to push properly and different positions to push in that third trimester.