Content of Your Body After Baby Physiotherapy Class

APPENDICES:

Appendix 1:

Content of “Your body After Baby Physiotherapy Class”

The workshop consisted of a single, two-hour session including both a didactic and practical component.

Each class was limited to twelve women/infant pairs.

The program objectives included:

1. Completing a self-assessment of the roles of the pelvic floor in order to increase personal pelvic floor

awareness

2. Reviewing the comfort measures for the immediate postpartum period including perineal ice packs,

sitz baths, techniques for prevention of constipation

3. Reviewing the basic anatomy and location of the pelvic floor

4. Reviewing the physiology of continence, support, sexual pleasure and postural control

5. Reviewing the normal healing process and timeline after perineal trauma

6. Demonstrating and practicing bowel emptying positioning to protect the pelvic floor during

defecation

7. Reviewing and practicing the principles of good posture and body mechanics and having participants

demonstrate good posture during standing and sitting and during rising from sitting to standing

8. Reviewing and practicing the mechanics of efficient breathing and teaching participants breathing

exercises to practice at home

9. Reviewing the impact of perineal damage on sexuality and discussing available resources to improve

sexual function and to reduce pain during intercourse

10. Reviewing and practicing safe and pelvic floor friendly general fitness programs and discussing when

to resume physical activity postpartum

11. Teaching participants a pelvic floor exercise home program

12. Reviewing available resources for further help with postpartum perineal trauma (rehabilitation

practitioners, pelvic floor clinic, websites, books etc) Appendix 2: