5 [Unexpected] Benefits of Making My Pelvic Health a Priority

Truth time – I’m a pelvic rehab therapist and my personal pelvic health was never a priority. I dabbled in it out of guilt (a practice what you preach kinda thing) and thought about it when symptoms creeped up once a month (hello you lovely menstrual cycle, you), but my consistency was non-existent and concern for the issues was minimal at best because I was managing, barely affected by it, and knew what to do if things got worse…right??!

Fast forward past conceiving despite my endometriosis diagnosis and the easiest, most empowering pregnancy that ended in the home birth of my dreams…I had my blue-eyed baby girl, a maternity leave that I reminisce about daily, aaaaaaand a third degree tear, pelvic organ prolapse, pain in *all* the places, and bladder issues to boot.

[THIS] was my biggest fear around pregnancy and postpartum – that the girl who teaches how to prevent and fix these issues for a living would be struggling with them herself. Cue the disappointment, shame, frustration, and embarrassment with every pad I used, pair of pants I had to change, sneeze that caught me by surprise, workout I had to stop, and trip to the bathroom that was two seconds too late.

And the even more awkward truth? I put off seeking help for months…more months than I care to admit. “I should know what to do”, “it will eventually get better”, “I don’t have the time”, “it’s not that bad” were excuses I’d heard before, but this time I was the one dishin’ ’em out and subsequently living the consequences of my procrastination, avoidance, and indecision in the process.

But here’s the final truth I can’t believe I’m telling you – I eventually got to a line in the sand moment (you know the kind), which for me looked like ugly crying through a workout, pee-soaked leggings, and Bob watching it all with a “what do I do!?” look on his face. It’s in that instant (between burpees, heavy breathing, and audible sobs) my mindset shifted…“it doesn’t have to be this way”, “enough is enough”, “I’m f-ing worthy,” and “you can do this” came in loud and clear.

So I threw my leggings in the wash. I made my health a priority. I traded my excuses for action. I showed up for myself and set an example for my daughter. And I haven’t looked back since.

My pelvic pain is gone, I can’t remember the last time I leaked, and if I still have a prolapse it would be news to me. And if that wasn’t enough, I gained a few other unexpected benefits in the process that I’m excited to share with you here. I always knew pelvic rehab therapy was amazing, but I didn’t know it was this good, and now I’m even more of a believer after experiencing everything from the other side.

Pelvic health is so much more than kegels, and the positives of addressing bladder, bowel, and sexual function reach far beyond the bathroom or bedroom too. You have nothing to lose and EV-ERY-THING to gain from making your pelvic health a priority, and this is what it looked like for me.

I GAINED CONFIDENCE

Peeing yourself will do a number on your confidence, but I might not need to tell you this. A rogue sneeze, laughing a bit too hard (btw…there’s no such thing), that vain of your existence workout move, or three-person bathroom line that’s three people too long mayyyyyyy have put you in your place a time or two and left you feeling defeated and depleted. I know too well the toll this can have on your mental and emotional health when it happens one too many times, and the fear, anxiety, and hesitancy that can creep into other parts of life too.

Care-free turns into cautious. Whimsical becomes worrisome. You’ll go from a team player to sideline sitter faster than someone can say “bless you” if you’re not careful. I usually enjoy pushing the cardio and lifting heavy, but I felt my delight drain after a few “wait…that’s not sweat…” workouts and started avoiding that gym time I once loved. I wore pads “just in case”, changed my wardrobe to hide them, and threw another ounce of pride in the hamper right along with every pair of pee-soaked panties.

But then I gained control of my body and bladder and ooooooooh the confidence I found with it. I might not be in my ideal pant size and I definitely have more grey hairs than I’d like, but I’m standing tall and my head is high because I’m moving, doing, feeling, and acting ~exactly~ how my heart desires with no “what if’s” and zero “eff’s” about my bladder or pelvic floor. It’s freeing, empowering, and ridiculously exciting to have [that] kind of trust in my body, and the ripple effect has me feeling unstoppable in nearly every aspect of life.

I LOST WEIGHT

First let me say…weight isn’t everything. I firmly believe the number on the scale means very little compared to your energy levels, hormone health, strength, and mental resiliency (to name a few), and losing weight isn’t, nor does it need to be, a goal for some women at all. I’m only just now starting to track my weight at 22 months postpartum as our breastfeeding journey nears its end, plus I’m genuinely curious about where I am, what number ~feels~ good, and the effectiveness of my current efforts.

Alllllll that being said, over a year ago I found my body changing in a way I didn’t like despite exercising regularly and eating healthy. I had initially lost a majority of my pregnancy weight, but around the time of that line in the sand, crying while peeing on the gym floor moment from earlier, my pants started fitting tighter, my movement became more sluggish, and I just didn’t feel like myself.

Enter a little self TLC in the form of pelvic rehab, and as my pelvic floor muscles relaxed and bladder control improved with intentional strengthening…*wham bam thank you ma’am* those few extra pounds literally melted right off.

Now let me be clear – it wasn’t the pelvic floor strength, coordination, or control that helped me lose weight (wouldn’t that be nice?!). It’s the fact that my stress levels lowered. I was able to move more frequently, confidently, and vigorously without fear. I had an excuse to practice what I’d been working on and test my newfound abilities. A smaller jean size and increased muscle tone simply followed, and it was a welcomed additional benefit.

MY MARRIAGE GOT STRONGER

We all know marriage or partnerships aren’t always butterflies and rainbows (and the understatement of the year award goes to…). Add in postpartum hormones, a body that’s nottttttttt quite cooperating, anger and irritation that can easily be misplaced, and maybe even pain affecting or inhibiting intimacy…pelvic health issues can really take a toll on relationships.

Thankfully I have a husband who’s up for talking about all the things (he’s married to a pelvic rehab therapist, after all), but even our open communication and his saintly patience were no match for the humiliation and discouragement my pelvic floor caused. Bob offered support, gave suggestions, and helped in every way I asked, but I was sick and tired of feeling broken and hopeless, and my pelvic health impacted our marriage more than I realized of expected.

Letting Bob in and keeping him updated on my pelvic health made such a difference, and in hindsight I can see the shift that happened in our relationship once I made said pelvic health a priority. I spent less time worrying and more time being present. We could enjoy activities together again without me giving Bob the ol’ “no thanks” (both in and outside the bedroom). My self-love soared, our playfulness returned, and that confidence I gained above???…let’s just say confidence is a really sexy thing.

I FOUND TIME + ENERGY

Time and energy don’t grow on trees, and the threat of losing either on appointments and exercises felt like a waste. Yes, even as a pelvic rehab therapist I questioned if addressing my pelvic health was the best way to spend my precious resources when I could be doing…well…anything but. We women are good at that, huh? We find a way to put everything (even things we don’t necessarily want or like to do) before our own personal needs.

I came up with every excuse in the book not to schedule the appointment or do the exercises I deep down knew would work. Too tired and a busy schedule were the easiest to justify, but truth be told, it was the mom guilt, overwhelm, shame, and fear of “but what if this doesn’t work!?” that kept me kicking the can down the road.

But then I went to a handful of appointments and they ended up feeling like a vacation in my busy week. I dedicated minutes to exercises that yielded almost immediate results, and wouldyaknowit…I suddenly had more time and energy for the things that matter most because I wasn’t endlessly running to the bathroom, doing yet another load of pee-soaked laundry, or worrying about my physical, mental, or emotional health anymore. My reasons for saying no turned into my motivation for saying yes, and I’m so glad I finally did. Better late than never, right?

I BECAME A BETTER MOM

Motherhood is freakin’ hard. There…I said it. Putting someone else’s need before yours at the drop of a hat followed by them getting upset because THEY WANTED THE SIPPY CUP NOT THE STRAW CUP is an experience in itself. While being a mom is rewarding, precious, and oh-so life changing, it’s also tiring, annoying, and not always pretty. And when you’re juggling the needs of another person while simultaneously managing your own pelvic health issues, something will eventually have to give.

I can’t tell you how many times I held back, missed out, or rushed through an activity or experience with Sloan because of my pelvic floor. Whether it was fear of symptoms or fear of symptoms getting worse, I said “no thanks” to things that typically would have been a “heck yes” due to pelvic pain and bladder dysfunction.

Addressing my pelvic health did so many things for my role as a mama. It allowed me to participate in my daughter’s life how I wanted to…without hesitancy or dread. It taught me the importance of prioritizing for self-care, and it set an example for Sloan to put health first, advocate for yourself, and not be afraid to ask for help.

It’s never too late to address pelvic floor issues (literally…never), but as my girl gets heavier, faster, more active, and pushes my buttons far more successfully, I’m so thankful I addressed my pelvic floor issues when I did. We all know the “days are long and years are short” saying, and that truth is just another reason not to wait on your pelvic health.

I promise my patients the tangible results – less leakage, decreased urgency, reduced pain, and increased strength – and this is where a little patience, loads of dedication, and working through a proven roadmap (more on that soon) got me too. But the heart stuff, the soul stuff, the life-changing, feel-it-in-my-bones stuff…I wasn’t expecting my whole world to magically improve when I prioritized my pelvic health, but it did and I know yours can too.

While in the middle of my own bladder healing journey, I was practicing what I preach, simplifying strategies along the way, seeing life-changing results, and eventually thought “if I can do this, anyone can”. I took the approach that worked for me, combined it with the exercises that have worked for hundreds of my patients, and The Bladder Blueprint was born.

This is your A-Z guide to healing bladder leakage, urgency, and frequency, and resolving those issues forever and ever, amen, all within an eight module, self-paced program created by a pelvic rehab therapist who’s lived through it too.

If you can picture even just a snippet of what life would look like with days full of confidence, peace of mind, and freedom, then I’ve gotta recommend you follow that feeling and check out The Bladder Blueprint today!

Other great places to start if you just want to dip your toes in include this 5-day pelvic health email challenge, a crash course to my top tips no matter what concerns bring you here. If your bladder is the primary issue, this quiz will help you identify you first best step to better bladder health and would be my (#noshame) ~favorite~ recommendation for where you should begin.

I still cry every once in a while when I workout, but they’re happy, relieved, look-how-far-I’ve-come tears. Bob still stares at me like “uhhhhhhhhh…”, but I just smile because my cheeks are the only things getting wet these days. The thought of you getting these same results makes me teary (like…I ~literally~ just cried in public writing this) and I can’t wait to watch your own pelvic healing journey unfold.

-Amanda

Disclaimer: The content provided here does not constitute medical advice, nor is it a substitute for personalized healthcare. I’m a doctor, but I’m not your doctor. If you have concerns about a medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment, you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional.