Pelvic Health Tips for Going to the OB

Going to the OBGYN can feel vulnerable. Here are some tips to make it a little easier:

-Deep 360 degree diaphragmatic breathing. Feel your belly, ribs, back, and pelvic floor expand on the inhale, and let everything relax towards midline on the exhale. Try lightly extending exhales for more parasympathetic nervous system response. Exhaling on a low vowel sound can also feel pleasurable. (You can even just imagine the vowel sound in your head).

-Dancing/intuitive movement. Put on some music that makes you want to move and follow your intuition. See if you can incorporate inner thigh stretching movements, like a deep sumo squat, as well as movement through your rib cage. Elongating the inner thigh muscles (adductors) may help with pelvic floor lengthening, and moving dynamically through your rib cage can help with releasing tension around the diaphragm. Studies show dancing may release more endorphins than regular aerobic exercise, and is great for reducing cortisol levels related to stress. 

-Tell a friend. Having someone to pick you up from the doctor, or text when you’re feeling scared, can help alleviate the stress of an appointment. 

-Restorative yoga poses. Laying in child’s pose on a bolster or pillows helps bring more proprioceptive input into your stomach. This can help facilitate more relaxation and ease in your abdomen. Sensing into your sit bones moving out towards the sides of your body on the inhale, and back towards midline on the exhale, can help facilitate pelvic floor relaxation.

-Push-open breathing for when you’re at your appointment. In addition to diaphragmatic breathing, it may help to do push-open breathing at your appointment. As the OB or midwife is inserting the speculum, try a diaphragmatic inhale, and on the exhale, keep your belly round and allow your pelvic floor muscles to relax down and out. 

-Building a neutral or positive relationship with a speculum. If you’re someone who is concerned with pain or discomfort regarding a speculum, ask for a pediatric one, which is smaller in size. Ask if you can bring one home, and begin to build a relationship with it. This could mean touching it, noticing and naming its objective qualities, practicing having the speculum make contact with your vulva/front hole, or inserting it yourself. Over time, with small simple acts, you can rewire your brain to make neutral or positive associations with the speculum. (I just want to add that it’s okay if you never get there. The speculum has a messed up, racist history, and is baseline uncomfortable for most people. I personally wish we had other tools readily available. I like the look of this redesign.)

-Use a hot water bottle or heating pad for afterwards if you’re feeling any residual discomfort.

What do you do to take care of yourself before or after an OB appointment? Pelvic floor physical therapy or occupational therapy can be a great way to support making OBGYN visits a little easier.