64: What you need to know about pelvic floor health (and no it’s not just for those that are postpartum) with Caitlin Day (The Vagina Physio)

The PCOS Nutritionist Podcast

When you hear the words ‘pelvic floor dysfunction’ you probably think of women post-birth, working on getting their pelvic floor back to where it was before their little bub arrived. But if you think that’s as far as it goes, boooooooy are you missing the bigger picture!

Pelvic floor dysfunction doesn’t just happen to women after birth and it’s never too early or late to start working on your pelvic floor health. Working on your pelvic floor could help you get relief from bowel issues, help with endometriosis symptoms, help those awkward moments when you pee a little bit by accident (if you know you know), reduce painful sex and so much more.

Now I’m not a pelvic floor specialist, which is why I brought the wonderful Caitlin Day onto the podcast today to give us the DL on all things pelvic floor! Caitlin is a fellow kiwi and is just as passionate as I am about women’s health and is a highly skilled physiotherapist with a specialisation in pelvic floor physiotherapy - her other interests are sexual pain rehabilitation, post gynaecological surgery rehabilitation, helping women returning to sport after childbirth, chronic pain management such as endometriosis (which a lot of women with PCOS also have) and helping with bowel problems such as fecal incontinence or constipation.

We talk all about what is actually classed as the pelvic floor, what can happen if you don't have a strong enough pelvic floor, what happens to your pelvic floor during pregnancy and postnatally, what you can actually do about it and a whoooole lot more. It's never too late to be working on your pelvic floor - whether you're trying to get pregnant, postpartum or just wanting to improve your health generally.

This is the podcast you didn't know that you needed to hear - so pop in your headphones, go for a walk and listen to this awesome chat I had with Caitlin, I assure you you’ll learn a whole lot more than you’ve probably ever learned about the pelvic floor!

This episode is for you if:

• You’re pregnant
• You have Endometriosis
• You experience painful sex and/or periods
• You are trying to conceive
• You have insulin resistance
• Weight gain is one of your symptoms
• You’ve already given birth
• You always need to pee or you feel like you get light bladder leakage often

Some things we cover in this episode:

• What actually is the pelvic floor? Why is it so important?
• How weight can impact your pelvic floor
• Pregnancy and postpartum - what to expect when it comes to your pelvic floor
• Postpartum pelvic WOF
• How the pelvic floor can be damaged (and what you can do about it)
• Getting back into exercise after giving birth
• Overactive bladder, PCOS and the pelvic floor
• Insulin and the pelvic muscles

Resources and References:

• Caitlin’s Instagram (@thevaginaphysio)
• Caitlin’s practice (Unity Studios)
• Unity Studios Instagram
• My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS

Links to our programs:

• The PCOS Protocol
• Eggducated