I just kicked off a series of brief interviews with providers I frequently recommend, and whose services can have a massive impact on your overall pelvic floor health and recovery from childbirth. My goal is to give you a brief dive into what these providers offer, and how it might complement and enhance your treatment in PT to help you achieve your goals.

Our first interview was with Sarah Burns, LM, CPM, Doula Monatrice. Sarah is a Licensed Midwife and co-owner of Night and Day Birth Collective, a local business providing birth and postpartum doula services as well as lactation services to the San Diego community.

Sarah’s unique perspective as both an experienced homebirth midwife AND doula gives us some great insight into the role of a doula vs. midwife/OB, and I had some interesting questions for her including questions about pushing and positioning strategies, and prevention of perineal tears during birth.

Watch the interview here or on my Facebook Page 

As pelvic PTs we help clients reduce the risk and severity of perineal tears by improving strength and mobility of the pelvic floor, and by creating innate awareness of how to lengthen the pelvic floor while pushing in a variety of positions you might end up in (back lying, sidel lying, hands and knees, squatting etc.) We teach breathing and relaxation strategies and educate on options and interventions, and we refer to education resources. We also teach perineal stretching AND pelvic floor release and relaxation techniques when appropriate. But there is so much more that happens during birth that we as PTs cannot predict, and is not in our scope of expertise. I truly believe the best birth is a team effort, and the smartest birther has researched tools and tips from a variety of practitioners with different specialties. That’s what this interview is for!

It is a quick interview – only about 15 minutesincluding questions like:

1. What is a “Doula Monatrice”?
2. What is the unique role of a birth doula compared to a midwife or partner?
3. What positions do you find most mamas gravitate toward in the pushing phase? What position is best for pushing? Is the position that feels the best always where they should be, or do you sometimes recommend other positions for other reasons?
4. What is your biggest tip for how to avoid “coached pushing” or how to manage pressure to have unplanned interventions in the hospital?

Enjoy the full interview Here!

Ready to proactively PREPARE your pelvic floor for birth? Book here on our self-booking site, or send us a message via the scheduling link at the top of the page!

by Dr. Sheri DeSchaaf, DPT

(Follow Sarah at @nightanddaysandiego, or visit www.nightanddaysandiego.com)