Sujata Martin, MS OTR/L, CD
Pelvic Therapist & Sex Counselor
Congratulations on the positive pregnancy test, but what now?
Motherhood can a challenge, no matter if it’s your first baby or fourth! But learning the ropes as a first-time mother can be especially overwhelming. So we have put together a quick guide to help you prepare for all the ups & downs the upcoming months will bring.
Tossing away your copy of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” is a great first step! Once you’ve done that, follow our tried and tested recommendations below to have a healthier & happier pregnancy. We have listed additional resources for mothers and new parents in the Tampa Bay area!
1. Get Informed
Choosing the right pregnancy care provider can make a big difference to your pregnancy & birth experience. Mothers in Tampa, and elsewhere in the state of Florida, are extremely lucky to be able to choose Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Professional Midwives and Certified Midwives for low-risk pregnancies. For mothers experiencing pregnancy complications, care under an Ob-Gyn is recommended. Here is a helpful resource from the Cleveland Clinic explaining when to choose a midwife for pregnancy & postpartum care.
Once you have established care with a medical provider and chosen a birthing location, enroll in a in-person childbirth education class. Even the best-intentioned Ob-Gyn or Midwife is unable to educated you on all your pregnancy & birth care options during prenatal appointments. Therefore choosing a prenatal childbirth education class is very important to understand your options for labor comfort measure, various birthing positions, pain management options etc.
If birthing in a hospital, call the hospital to ask about enrolling in their class run by their L&D department. These hospital-led childbirth education classes are usually free for people birthing there. If choosing a community-based birth, such as at a birth center or home, an independent childbirth class is highly recommended. Many mothers choosing to birth in hospitals choose to take an independent childbirth education class to better educate themselves on all their options.
Other ways to learn more about having a healthy pregnancy, birth, and postpartum include listening to podcasts, reading books, and taking an online childbirth education course. Below are our favorite recommendations for these categories.
Podcasts –
– Evidence Based Birth – One of our favorite birth resources which condenses information from the latest research studies to help you have informed discussions with your care providers about pregnancy & postpartum care.
– The Birth Hour – A birth story podcast sharing the experiences of mothers having every kind of birth – medicated, unmedicated, VBAC, twin birth.
– Birthful – a podcast that interviews professionals & parents on various topics relating to pregnancy, birth, and postpartum
Books –
– The Birth Partner – Though intended primarily for the birthing person’s partner, this book gives the most in-depth and practical tips to prepare for a healthy pregnancy & birth.
– Birthing From Within – This book goes into mind & body preparation for the transformational experience of birth.
– Not Just Kegels – Ranked #1 on Amazon’s Pregnancy & Childbirth list this small but mighty e-book gives you all the things you can do to prepare your core & pelvic floor for the changes during the birthing year. And you guessed right, it’s not just kegels!
Online Childbirth Education –
– MamasteFit – Created by an exercise physiologist, this childbirth course provides evidence-based information to physically prepare your body for birth.
– Mama Natural Birth Course – Geared more towards unmedicated birth planning, this course can be helpful to learn about being actively involved in your labor without medication.
2. Get Support
Even the best ObGyn or Midwife will be unable to educate you on *all* you need to do to stay healthy during pregnancy & postpartum. It helps greatly to have a trusted team of professionals to help you feel your best physically and emotionally.
Two of the most important things every mother can do to have a positive first pregnancy & birth experience is to stay active, and to get birth support in the form of a doula or professional birth companion.
By staying active, you give your body the best chance of having an easy pregnancy & birth experience. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends at least 30 minutes of light-moderate exercise 5 times a week during pregnancy.
It is common, but not normal, to experience aches & pains that may interfere with your exercise routine as your pregnancy progresses. Our pelvic floor therapist can help you remain pain-free by training your core & pelvic floor to stay strong during pregnancy & postpartum.
Working with a prenatal chiropractor trained in Webster-technique is another way to decrease pregnancy aches & pains that may limit your fitness routine. You can find a Webster-certified chiropractor in the Tampa Bay metro area by clicking here.
A Doula is a trained professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to their pregnant client before, during and after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. You can find a Tampa Bay based doula by searching Tampa Bay Birth Network’s registry here or using the national registry at Doula Match.
It may not come as a surprise, that we think seeing a pelvic floor therapist during pregnancy is very important! Your pelvic floor therapist can help you prepare for a comfortable pregnancy, easy birth, and a better postpartum experience by focusing on –
~ Using manual therapy to reduce common pregnancy pains such as pubic symphysis pain, sciatic pain, and round ligament pain
~ Teach you core and pelvic floor strengthening exercises to decrease complications related to pregnancy & postpartum such as diastasis recti, prolapse and urinary leaking.
~ Teach you strategies for pelvic movement and labor positions to help you achieve your birth plan, and decrease vaginal tearing.
~ Strengthen your core & pelvis postpartum for healing well postpartum.
Besides the above, our Pelvic Floor Therapist, Sujata Martin OT, is trained in traditional ayurvedic techniques to help restore the muscles of the uterus and abdomen to their pre-pregnancy form. To book a session, or learn more, click here.
Other professionals that may be helpful additions to your birth team are a prenatal acupuncturist, pregnancy massage therapist, mental health counselor, and a lactation specialist.
3. Get Connected
Pregnancy & postpartum come with unprecedented hormonal changes which can cause large ebbs & flows in your mental and emotional health. These changes are easier to navigate by finding a community you can connect with, and if the need arises, reaching out to a mental health professional.
Mothers and families in Tampa Bay have the option of joining one of the free & donation-based classes & groups at the Community Roots Collective, a Tampa-based 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to empower families through education, resources, and connection. Find a listing of Community Roots’ classes & groups by clicking here.
Pregnant and new parents can also find a listing of perinatal resources on the website of the Tampa Bay Birth Network. TBBN is a Tampa Bay based non-profit whose mission is to encourage and educate individuals, families, and professionals that support holistic & informed pregnancy, birth, and parenting.
Their popular Birth & Baby Expo is currently on hold post the coronavirus pandemic.
You can access Tampa Bay Birth Network’s registry of birth professionals by clicking here.
Parents located outside the Tampa metro area can start searching for similar resources by enquiring in local Facebook groups for recommendations.
While finding a community that is experiencing the same changes as you can be very helpful, sometimes additional support is necessary. Research studies show that 20-30% of pregnant & postpartum people experience anxiety, depression, or a combination of the two. Managing these conditions by working with a professional can help both mother & baby have a healthier pregnancy & postpartum experience.
Postpartum Support International is an internationally-recognized non-profit that provides several online support groups for parents. It also has a toll-free helpline number – 1-800-944-4773 – for pregnant & postpartum people needing immediate assistance. Please note that the PSI Helpline does not handle psychiatric emergencies. People in crisis should call their local emergency number or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
You can also find a mental health professional near you by using PSI’s directory of licensed providers. Alternately, you can call your medical insurance provider to find a listing of mental health professionals near you for managing your prenatal or postpartum mental health concerns.
For mothers in communities without many in-person groups and resources, online communities are a great option. Twill Care for Pregnancy is an online community that allows users to access support from other members and professionals like Ob-Gyns, Midwives, and Lactation professionals using the app or desktop interface.
It is our hope that this Guide has been helpful to new parents in Tampa Bat and beyond to feel better prepared for the exciting days ahead! For further support and guidance with having a healthy pregnancy & postpartum, contact us here.
