How to Relieve Postpartum Pelvic Pain

According to a 2,400-woman survey by Childbirth Connection, about half of women report pain in the weeks after childbirth. There are several possible reasons for this pain, and while postpartum pelvic pain is normal, that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. There are ways to relieve the pain, and one way is with BioMoi vaginal dilators.

 

What Causes Postpartum Pelvic Pain?

First, let’s be clear on some of the reasons many women experience postpartum pelvic pain. During pregnancy, the body releases hormones that tell the pelvic bones to expand and loosen. Loose ligaments stay loose even after birth, and if you breastfeed, the ligaments stay loose even longer. This makes the body more susceptible to injury during childbirth, but also afterward. As far as the vagina itself, childbirth is fairly traumatic to the tissue. Tearing is very common, and if the tissue doesn’t tear naturally, the doctor might perform an episiotomy and cut the tissue manually to simulate more stretching. The scar tissue that forms after the wound heals (which can take up to 12 months) is not nearly as elastic as the rest of the skin, which can cause pain during sex, or even while sitting.

Pain can also occur from the vagina being excessively dry. Estrogen levels can take a while to return to normal, especially for breastfeeding moms, which not only causes dryness but also causes the tissue to be thin and prone to tearing. You might not believe it, but even women who didn’t have vaginal births can have vaginal pain that affects their sex life. The vaginal muscles experience a decrease in blood flow and tend to tense up, which can be quite painful. Some women wind up living with the pain for so long that the mere thought of having sex causes the muscles tighten up.

 

Treatment for Pelvic Pain

It’s always a good idea to see your doctor if you’re experiencing any pain after childbirth. If you’re past the 6-week mark, he or she may recommend you see a pelvic physical therapist who can perform internal massage on the scarred areas and vaginal muscles. This can help soften the scar tissue and improve blood flow. Vaginal dilators can also be used as part of this therapy to help retrain the muscles of the vaginal wall to relax. Regular dilator use not only retrains the muscles and the tissue, but it also retrains the brain to trust the sexual touch from your partner.

A physical therapist can not only perform these massages for you in the clinic but also teach you how to use vaginal dilators at home. Depending on the situation, the therapist might recommend your partner assist, to help regain you the trust response and get him or her involved in the intimate aspect of healing. You will likely be advised to start with a small dilator and work your way up slowly, adjusting as your body feels comfortable. Vaginal dilators are tampon size and shape, and with regular use the muscles learn to relax in order to widen and lengthen the vagina, so that you can get back to feeling like your sexual self.

Postpartum pelvic pain doesn’t have to be a life sentence. Some therapy and a little rehab with vaginal dilators have been shown to help users gain back control off their pelvic floor muscles, as it literally improves elasticity and flexibility of the vaginal tissue. This dilation creates more space, easing sexual penetration and making it more pleasurable. Your physical and sexual health is important, and even though you’re busy at home with a new baby, finding ways to eliminate postpartum pelvic pain is a critical part of your self-care.

Learn more about how the vaginal dilation therapy and BioMoi’s line of vaginal dilators can help you return to pain-free intercourse after childbirth.