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Generally, pelvic floor muscles (like any other muscle group in the body) can have hypotonic or hypertonic tendencies. Our nervous system plays a major role in managing muscle tone. If a client is living in a constant state of anxiety and stress or they find sex stressful, it’s likely their pelvic floor muscles will have a difficult time coordinating with the system.  Regulating the pelvic floor will be especially difficult during sex.  

Here are 3 suggestions to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and give the pelvic floor the needed messaging to relax:

Diaphragmatic Breathing: As we inhale, the diaphragm pushes down into the system to create room for the lungs to expand. As the diaphragm relaxes down, the pelvic floor muscles adjust accordingly to the intra-abdominal pressure within the system, and these muscles “drop” and lengthen as well. As we exhale, the pressure leaves the body and both the diaphragm and pelvic floor muscles...

Our pelvic floor muscles form the base of our spine and deep core. They wear many hats:  bladder and bowel elimination, sexual activity, support and stability, pressure management, and shock absorption. I often refer to this group of muscles as Grand Central Station: there are a million convoluted routes to take! There is a TON going on down there. Not only are there about 16-20 muscles, but numerous ligaments, tendons, nerves, and fascial connections that help us complete ADLs/IADLs without the very embarrassing occurrence of urinary or bowel leakage and passing gas uncontrollably. Carter et al. (2015) found that a strong and coordinated pelvic floor leads to enhanced sexual function and higher levels of sexual activity. To me, this is reason enough to learn about the backstage crew. 

Let’s talk about what roles these pelvic floor muscles & organs play in our favorite occupation - sex!

Before we start, we’ll get into the nitty-gritty with a quick...

This week's blog is guest co-written with Kala Plasterer.  Kala will share a bit about herself below, but I’m delighted to bring in a mother, OT, and someone passionate about sex after baby to write about this topic.  Kala and I have been working together for a while as she is a virtual assistant to The Institute.  It was a no brainer to have her write about sex after baby!   

When it comes to addressing sex and intimacy, the impact of breastfeeding and pelvic floor muscles (PFM) may not be the first thing that comes to your mind... but, they will hopefully be something you consider after reading this!

A little bit about me.. I'm Kala. An occupational therapist, first-time mom, and virtual assistant for Kathryn! My personal journey with breastfeeding and motherhood fueled a fire within me and has motivated me to pursue a niche path as an OT and become a certified lactation consultant (CLC). As I’m sure is the case with many of us, we are...