YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID

A friend, who I'll call “Carol,” once asked me for advice. She had two kids under four years old and was looking to start exercising again, but was hesitant because she suffers from pelvic organ prolapse. The condition is when a pelvic organ (e.g. the bladder, uterus, etc.) drops from its proper place in the body and pushes against the walls of the vagina. It's quite common among post-partum women, though many don't even know they have it!

Despite taking good care of herself and seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist, some of Carol's care team presented a “doom and gloom” picture, suggesting she can't or shouldn't exercise or risk aggravating her prolapse, leading to worse symptoms or even surgery.

Many moms face this problem. It's frustrating and heartbreaking to think you can't lead an active lifestyle anymore for fear of peeing your pants, suffering pain, or worse. And it's also flat-out untrue.

You don't have to be afraid. With the right tools and education you can lead a very healthy, fit-focused life. I HATE when someone says “You had a baby. Just deal with it.” Variations of this are thrown around frequently and they are BULLSHIT. Problems like prolapse are common but not normal – and they can be fixed. Just be smart, listen to your body, get help, ask questions, and get back to living an active lifestyle.