A Healthy Pelvic Floor Through All Stages of Pregnancy and Beyond with Dr. Ryan Bailey

Dr. Ryan: [00:00:00] I think the most important thing is to feel empowered within your own body, but what we don’t understand as we go into this is that our past experiences, if we played sports, if we had any injuries, if we had previous surgeries, all of these things can influence then our pregnancy and even our ability to conceive and what maybe our birth may look like and how we then heal afterwards.

And so, taking a deep dive into your history and understanding the complexity of that, and then bringing that into, okay, now these are the action steps that you can do. 

Hope: Do you want to wake up feeling like you’re stepping into who you’re meant to be? Into the best possible version of you? What if I told you that the key to your best life, health, and happiness are all around you?

You just have to find what works for you. I’m Hope Petrazza and I believe that there isn’t just one way to live a healthy and meaningful life And that all you need is a [00:01:00] little inspiration to make changes that last from the inside out each week I’ll be sharing tangible tips and inspirational interviews to help you on your journey These are the steps to take to improve your life and live with purpose.

This is hopeful and wholesome Hey y’all, welcome back to hopeful and wholesome today. I have on the show. Dr. Ryan Bailey She is a physical therapist and she helps women Bring balance to their body while preparing them for conception and pregnancy. She helps them stay active and pain free. She provides a lot of education and just empowerment.

So you know what to expect. You know how to prepare your body for the before and the after. She has lots of great actionable tips and strategies for all of you who maybe are currently Pregnant or maybe those who are, you know, have new babies or maybe for those of you who are still kind of dealing with some of the aftermath of having a baby.

So this is for all the ladies out there. Lots of great stuff from Dr. Bailey. Y’all enjoy. Okay, y’all, let’s get going. I’m [00:02:00] super excited to bring on Dr. Ryan Bailey today. So, selfishly, these topics are especially relevant to me right now, so, but I know there are a lot of ladies out there eager to learn more about pre and post natal care of their bodies.

So, thanks so much, Dr. Bailey, for chatting with me today. I’m really happy to have you. 

Dr. Ryan: You’re welcome. Thanks for having me. 

Hope: Okay. So, the things that you do as a physical therapist are kind of centered around the before, the during, and the after of pregnancy. Kind of educating and treating women. So I would say that most of the things that you’re teaching, nobody tells you, right?

You just kind of go to the doctor and they’re like, okay, it’s good. They just kind of leave you in the dark, right? You go to your monthly appointments and then they tell your baby’s okay. And that’s about the extent of it. 

Dr. Ryan: Right. 

Hope: Can you give kind of a bird’s eye view of what you do to help support women and pregnancy and kind of that extra, I would say education is probably an accurate word that you’ve helped them in. 

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, absolutely. And education is a great word [00:03:00] because it’s so much of what I do is education and really teaching women about their own bodies and being really confident in their own bodies. So in terms of What I do as a physical therapist, I’m really a movement expert.

I’m a muscle and bone and, and nervous system expert. And so I take that and we kind of look at the body through this very specific lens of, okay, so you want to conceive, you’re now pregnant and you’re going to give birth and then postpartum and how the body changes through that period. And how we can support those changes so that we don’t have to deal with very common problems within the movement system.

So problems like pain, especially pelvic pain, incontinence where we’re peeing our pants, diastasis recti, prolapse. So very common issues [00:04:00] that actually can be avoided and or prevented. If we learn more about our bodies, so that’s what I do. 

Hope: Yeah, right So let’s start with the before we’ll kind of go in order here, right of the sequence of events. So let’s look at the before so you’re teaching Your patients or your clients that there are certain things that they can do to kind of prepare themselves for pregnancy, right?

So what are a few things that women can do in this before period to kind of prepare their bodies? 

Dr. Ryan: Absolutely. So there’s a lot that we can do and, and really, I think that, I think the most important thing is to feel empowered within your own body. What we don’t understand as we go into this is that our past.

Experiences. If we played sports, if we had any injuries of we had previous surgeries, all of these things can influence then our [00:05:00] pregnancy and even our ability to conceive and what maybe our birth may look like and how we then heal afterwards. And so taking a deep dive into your history and understanding the complexity of that And then bringing that into, okay, now these are the action steps that you can do.

So some very simple things. Would be that the other really important thing is to understand the areas of the body that are going to be most affected by Pregnancy the area that’s most affected by pregnancy is our trunk and our pelvis, right? Even deeper than that our pelvic floor and our abdominal muscles 

So we really want to understand where our baseline is first with those muscles Are they tight?

Are they really weak already? You know, so, so you can start to create that foundation with the muscles that are super, super, super important, not only for supporting you in pregnancy, [00:06:00] but also for your birth because they have a really powerful impact in birth, as well as for your recovery afterwards. So, that, knowing your history so you can address any issue that may come up, and then knowing what your baseline is for your pelvic floor and your core, I would say would be the biggest ones to start off with in the very beginning.

Hope: And do you have specific ways that you can help people? I guess strengthen those areas the core and the pelvic floor I mean, I know those are kind of you know, especially what I do. We do a lot of pilates at my studio So we’re all about the core and pelvic floor, but these are people who aren’t you know pilates experienced, what are some things that people can do to, to help build those areas.

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, well I love Pilates and I, that’s one of the, um, forms of exercises that I teach my patients. Yeah, yeah, I’m prenatal and postpartum Pilates certified, so it’s, yeah. So, it’s, what I [00:07:00] really bring into how I teach my patients is, Not necessarily having to chunk out the time to do, say, Kegels or to just do, you know, abdominal exercises.

It’s learning how to incorporate using your muscles functionally throughout the day. And just by doing that, you’ll start to strengthen them. 

What I mean, but first you need to understand where they are and how to contract and relax them. We, a lot of the times, just contract our pelvic floor and our abdominals, right?

We suck everything in and it’s just all tightened up. And we really need to also know that those muscles need to lengthen. It’s also a big role for being able to go to the bathroom, to be able to have a baby. So we really want to make sure that they lengthen. And then applying that, like I said, to our daily activities whenever we’re going to pick something up.

Okay, how do I incorporate my pelvic floor? [00:08:00] And the way that I really like to teach the pelvic floor for someone who’s never even thought about the pelvic floor at all is the entire pelvic floor. So when we are all sitting, we are all sitting on our pelvic floor and that gives us a kind of an idea of where our pelvic floor is.

And then we think of our pelvic floor like a diamond from the front at the pubic bone to the back at the tailbone and then out to the sides at the sit bones. So now we’ve got our reference points. And what I like to imagine is when I exhale, because when we exhale, that is when our pelvic floor wants to shorten already because it moves with our diaphragm.

So we go with our exhale and we think okay I am going to draw all four corners all four sides up towards my heart as I exhale like a jellyfish That’s a good visual. I like that. Isn’t it? I love that visual Oh, and so that’s gets just gets you to start the process of understanding Okay, [00:09:00] where is my pelvic floor?

Can I even tune into it and get it to contract? And then you want to do the reverse when you inhale, you want to let that go and allow all four corners, all four sides to splay back out and really lengthen and release. And then at the same time, we would start to bring in the abdominals. I like to think from the pubic bone to the tailbone, we’re zipping up.

And then above that, above the belly button, we want to try to bring our ribs together. So we’re getting the entire abs involved, really tapping into more of the transverse abdominus. while we’re contracting the pelvic floor. And just by incorporating that, like I said, say 80 percent of the time throughout our day at even a 50 percent or less intensity of contraction, you will start to see improvement in how your body actually uses those muscles.

So, that’s really kind of how I get them to start [00:10:00] using them outside of exercise. 

Hope: Yeah. I love the functional approach. That’s good. Because I think that’s the other thing, too, is people are like, well, I have to remember to do my Kegels every day, or whatever, you know? So just using it throughout the day, that’s such great advice.

Yeah. 

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, exactly. Especially once you are a mom, too, and like you have so many things that are going on and that you have to process. Right, exactly. And Kegels aren’t functional. I mean, they’re good. They’re good. They’re great. Do I give them to my patients? Sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. But, yeah, it’s, you know, we have to know that we are moving beings, and so using our muscles, you know, symbiotically together and with movement is really gonna be so much more powerful for the long run.

Hope: Right, yeah, no, totally agree. So with this before period, so we’ve got, you know, the, kind of, the musculature that we’re working on. Is there anything people can do to help with conception, to help improve conception, physically? 

Dr. Ryan: Absolutely. There’s a [00:11:00] lot that you can do. And this is actually a, a very personal topic for me because it took me two years to conceive my daughter because of these issues.

And so the biggest thing to think about is. Well, how is the circulation happening in my body? Okay. And because if the circulation in our body is deterred or blocked in any way, that’s going to impact how our hormones communicate. It’s going to impact the nutrition throughout our body. And so we really need to know, okay, so how is that working for us?

And for a lot of us, because of our, our jobs and how we’re using our bodies, we have a lot tighter muscles than we used to. Because of our sedentary lifestyle, especially around the pelvis because we’re sitting a lot. And so we get really really tight in that area and that is gonna block or diminish our circulation around our reproductive organs.

So, what people can do is [00:12:00] start to stretch. As simple as that. Start to stretch around your pelvis. Start to do some massaging around your pelvis. Start to do some deep breathing and that’s going to start to get things moving. I say breathing as stretching from the inside out. Right? 

Hope: Yeah.

Dr. Ryan: So that’s one of the key things to start to focus on, is getting your circulation up to snuff.

Yeah. Because you can pump yourself as full of hormones if you need to, and you know, you can be eating the best diet, but if your circulation isn’t getting those things where they need to be getting. Then it’s going to be then more challenging for your body to conceive. 

Hope: That makes total sense. Yeah. 

Dr. Ryan: So that’s really, that’s a lot of what I focus on is physically releasing the tension, getting rid of any scarring, adhesions, fascial restrictions.

We get rid of all of that and really open up around the reproductive organs. And I teach my, my clients how to do that themselves [00:13:00] as well at home. So. 

Hope: That’s so fascinating because I think a lot of times, And I mean, this is new information for me. I find it really interesting because I think a lot of times, and of course, sometimes those measures are needed, but people go straight to, like you said, straight to the hormones and they don’t think about anything that they could be doing in their own bodies.

Like that’s amazing. 

Dr. Ryan: Absolutely. And it’s a very simple, simple, I’ll say simple in air quotes, you know, thing to do. But because yes, we are such a medicalized society that we don’t consider that there are natural approaches. As well as we are also a very, you know, in the moment, like, give it to me now, I want the outcome yesterday, um, society that having to then stop, take the time, because it does take time to reverse a lot of these issues.

Right. Like I said, two years for me. I mean, it was. It wasn’t, you know, two years for me to do all of the reversing, but the figuring it all out. [00:14:00] And, and so I think that that is also a deterrent sometimes for people, however, you know, going right to the medical isn’t a give it to me yesterday, you know, so, so yeah.

And by doing these things, it’s also going to set yourself up for pregnancy and birth and for postpartum because. You’re clearing out the toxins. You’re going to be bringing in better nutrition to your uterus, which is going to be helpful for baby. It’s also going to help through birth because now you’re not going to have a lot of tension in that area.

So there’s all of now, all of these great foundational things that you’re setting out for yourself just by thinking, okay, what can I do to help myself conceive? 

Hope: Yeah, that’s awesome. I love that. Okay, so once you’ve got the before, let’s look at the during period, the while you’re pregnant. So, what are things, exercises that we can, that we should be including on a regular basis?

So, of course, regular [00:15:00] exercise is always recommended, but are there specific things we should be doing while we’re pregnant that help prepare us? 

Dr. Ryan: Absolutely. So I already mentioned obviously the pelvic floor and the abdominals. And so really kind of, it shifts, it changes over pregnancy because your goals should also be kind of morphing as you get closer to your birth.

And so in the very beginning, in that first and second trimester, you know, your focus more is, okay, my body is changing. And so how can I support that with more of the strengthening aspect? And so Pilates is great, yoga is great, in a very intentional way of knowing, okay, so I’m going to be bringing in the pelvic floor, I’m going to be bringing in the abdominals, and then through movement.

I think that sometimes people get a little bit nervous about adding in anything that might be a little bit more strenuous on the body, like weightlifting, or HIIT exercises. Those are also very safe, especially if you’ve been doing them previously. But even if you haven’t, if you don’t have [00:16:00] any major medical issues, they’re great to do.

I think one area of the body that, other than the pelvic floor and the core, that is widely missed during pregnancy is actually your upper back. Because We just, again, we’re such a society where we sit and we’re very forward thinking and so we round when we get really tight in the chest. Well, then that just continues during pregnancy because of our posture and then it continues afterwards because now we’re holding baby.

So I think that that’s an area of the body that really is It’s overlooked in terms of doing exercises for. And so incorporating pelvic floor core with upper back exercises is a really great way to prepare for pregnancy. And then the functional exercises is really, really important to do squats, lunges, even twists, which, you know, a lot of people are worried about actually doing twists, but if done properly is [00:17:00] really great for the body in pregnancy.

Hope: Yeah. Speaking of that, I know there’s a lot of misconceptions about what to do and what not to do when you’re pregnant. I know in the studio we get this a lot. People tell us things that they can’t do and I’m like, But can’t you? What are some myths you can debunk about things that pregnant women should or shouldn’t do?

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, so twisting is definitely one of them. So, if you are taught how to do a twist properly, it’s totally safe to do in pregnancy. I think the biggest concern is the pulling on the uterus, that’s usually what people are told. But if your abdominals are able to, to support you through that movement as well as your pelvic floor, it’s not going to be pulling on the uterus at all.

And we want to support that twist because our spine needs that. Um, so twisting. Planks, I think are another one that are kind of a don’t do that type of exercise and again [00:18:00] You know as long as you are able to manage the pressures within your body While doing a plank, you don’t have to stop it weightlifting, especially very heavy weightlifting.

I mean certainly If you’ve never done it before, I would not advise it starting in pregnancy, but if you’ve been doing it and you can manage the pressures, that’s the biggest thing, I think, where a lot of these myths come from, is that you should just stop all of the exercises that are strenuous on your body and that are just too much because you’re going to be jostling the uterus around.

But really what you have to do is you have to focus in on, okay, I’m going to try this exercise. If I don’t see any doming in my belly, if I don’t feel any downward pressure in my pelvic floor, that means I’m able to manage the change in pressure within my trunk. And so I can do this exercise. 

Hope: Yeah. Yeah.

Dr. Ryan: So I think that that just debunks just saying no to almost everything, [00:19:00] you know, in regular exercise. 

Hope: Yeah. I think with that comes a little bit of, or maybe a lot, I guess there’s people of body awareness too though, because a lot of people don’t recognize right when their abs are doming or if they’re losing that pressure on the inside.

So is there anything that, So for people who maybe aren’t as body aware as, like, movement people, like me or you, so what are some things that they can look for to know if they’re doing it correctly, right? 

Dr. Ryan: Yeah. So if they, a really great. visual, like I said before, was the doming in the midline of the belly.

So if let’s say you’re getting off of the couch and you’ve been leaning back and you sit up from being on the couch and you see like this little bump in the middle of the belly, especially above the belly button, Then you know that your abs are not able to contract enough to hold in essentially your guts.

And so they push out along what’s called the linea [00:20:00] alba. And that’s a sign of the, of a diastasis recti, or at least a dysfunctional tissue along the midline. And so that’s really one big key sign to look for. If you don’t get that and you feel that your belly is drawing in, kind of hugging baby from in front, then great, your abs are working for you.

Another sign is that downward pressure into the pelvic floor. So if you feel like you’re almost bearing down, or if you’re holding your breath a lot. That is going to be a lot of pressure down into the pelvic floor, and so you may feel like things are just. Almost coming out when they’re not yeah, but it almost feels that way like this big big pressure downward Um almost like you have to feel like you have to go to the bathroom or maybe you’re sitting on something It’s like there’s just downward that is another sign where your pelvic floor is not able to manage that pressure So that’s something that you would want to look for and then think about doing the reverse Of that [00:21:00] lifting up right and actually that reminds me of Something I wanted to address beforehand with the going through the pregnancies of the types of exercises to focus on as you get into the third trimester We really also want to focus on the lengthening of the pelvic floor and that bearing down actually in a very controlled manner So starting to do exercises mostly breathing exercises in the third trimester to focus on the lengthening of the pelvic floor is Really important to start to focus on. 

Hope: That relaxed state of the pelvic floor.

Dr. Ryan: Yes, the relaxed right lengthen state of the pelvic floor is important to start to focus on in the third trimester. Yeah. So yeah, it’s just having the ability to kind of pause and say, how is my body able? To work through this movement if I have pain then it’s not helping if i’m You know feeling like my posture is really off or I just [00:22:00] don’t feel stable Then there’s probably a problem with your your core system And it’s ability to manage those pressures with it, and so that’s what I would look at.

Hope: That’s good. I like those. Those are good visuals. Those are good visuals. So you, in what you do at your clinic, you help all kinds of women, whether it’s natural birth, C section, epidurals. So how does the preparation for each of those different types of birthing plans, how is that different for each? 

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, so it, a little bit.

It’s not hugely different because We really, the support of the body and knowing the areas of the body is really similar because we all, the pregnancy is, is, you know, we’re very similar throughout pregnancy, the changes that happen. But let’s say that between a vaginal delivery and a cesarean delivery.

Okay. So now. The prep is actually looking more at either [00:23:00] the incorporation of the pelvic floor or not. So a vaginal delivery and an epidural, even natural vaginal or epidural or other medication where you can’t really feel anything, it’s really important to understand how to relax and lengthen the pelvic floor in a controlled manner, especially if you can’t feel anything.

And so that preparation is very important. Very centered around, okay, what’s happening with your pelvic floor? Can you open it? Can you let it go? And allowing then also the abdominals to come into it during the contraction. So you’re timing it and you’re practicing that timing. In terms of the cesarean, we don’t have to deal with that.

And so the prep is more really just making sure that they have a really good understanding of contracting the pelvic floor, yes, lengthening it, but not in the controlled bear down sensation, as well as the abs so that then post they can start to bring that back in. And really the preparation for the cesarean is [00:24:00] prepping for the aftermath.

is understanding how to move without using your abs very much, or what to do when you cough or sneeze, or, you know, how to get in and out of bed safely without causing more pain or ripping your stitches. So the prep for the cesarean is, yes, we want to make sure you’re nice and strong because that helps with, with the healing process, but it’s more of the preparing for the aftermath.

And then preparing for the vaginal, any form of vaginal delivery, including VBAC, would be understanding positions that you can use and lengthening out tight muscles that might become a problem. So we really get into, into all of that individually. 

Hope: Okay, awesome. So speaking of postpartum, so Your body’s just been through a lot.

It’s been through a very traumatic Experience. So what is the what would you say be the first thing that we should do to help our body start to heal? 

Dr. Ryan: [00:25:00] Rest 

Hope: That’s good. I like it 

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, so resting is so important for our bodies to heal because Then it’s not having to deal with the extra stressors on us And that is not going to be the possibility for everyone, unfortunately, but wherever you can rest, that’s where I would start.

Beyond rest, usually what I give are breathing exercises so that you can start to again tune into your pelvic floor and your core in support of the healing. Because just by breathing and allowing that movement to happen. And allowing the ribs to move, you’re helping flush out inflammation. Again, you’re improving circulation.

You’re helping the uterus contract back down. And so you’re just, you’re allowing and supporting that healing process. And then the other thing would be, again, learning how to safely move. [00:26:00] So using your breath, even if you can’t feel your pelvic floor and your belly contract, using your breath to move. You know on using your exhale on the effort of the movement And so that’s really really important to also start to think about afterwards So again that you when you are resting you’re maximizing it and then you’re maximizing your healing even through movement. 

Hope: Yeah, yeah, so it’s that Functional movement with the breath.

It’s that combination of the two. I like that. 

Dr. Ryan: Yes. 

Hope: Yeah So what are besides I guess besides the breathing because that’s really good That’s I mean, I think that’s really good advice for anyone. Are there other things that we can do long term to kind of I hate to always use the term, like, get our bodies back, but to kind of feel more like yourself, because you really, you don’t feel like yourself afterwards.

You’re like, something just happened to me, and I feel like I’m in, like, a million pieces. So what are, like, some long term things we can do to kind of help feel more like ourselves? 

Dr. Ryan: [00:27:00] Yeah. So, I think a part of that is also understanding how your body responds to hormone change. If you’re breastfeeding, it’s going to take you longer to kind of feel, quote, normal.

So, kind of understanding that and being gentle on yourself in terms of knowing that, okay, I’m just not going to feel physically like I did before. Because of all of the hormone changes that are still happening. Other than that, I think the biggest thing is finding what form of exercise you really enjoy doing, and then building up to that in an appropriate way and in a safe way.

And so taking the steps to, so say running is something that you really super enjoy. Well, Even if you ran prior to pregnancy, or even if you ran through pregnancy, I did during my first pregnancy, you don’t necessarily want to go straight [00:28:00] back out into running. There are studies that show you shouldn’t start until six months post.

So, um, You want to take the steps to lead up to that so that long term You’re setting yourself up for much more success and you’ll feel better for the long term as well So that’s really it’s not necessarily one very specific thing to do for long term And we also have to understand that you know Our bodies are completely different and change and so then harnessing the power within that change and going Okay I’m not going to be back to where I was, but I’m going to be better because, you know, I just birthed a child like that’s a super power, right?

And just being empowered around that and then just, yeah, doing what you really enjoy. And I think that then it just won’t feel like a chore. 

Hope: Yeah. 

Dr. Ryan: And then what I usually always tell people is whatever [00:29:00] exercise that you really love doing always incorporate your core. Regardless of what the exercise is, even if it is like a yin yoga where you are holding in a pose and you are relaxing, you’re thinking lengthening.

So you’re still incorporating your core just in the lengthen state. So, you know, it’s always. We always want to be thinking about how our core is supporting us because it is our core. It’s our foundation and we don’t want a rocky foundation. 

Hope: Yeah, yeah, agreed. That’s great. So, uh, let’s kind of switch gears here and talk a little bit about you.

What got you into this field of more women’s wellness along the lines of physical therapy? 

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, so I’ve been a physical therapist for 11 years now and which is crazy to me. But I really started PT school. After my dad died when I was in undergrad and I took a huge shift from early childhood development [00:30:00] and said, I want to go into the medical world and what’s going to be a good fit for me.

And I really liked the movement aspect of it. So I chose physical therapy. And then when I was in grad school and learning about how we can incorporate PT and who we can help, I started really liking the aspect of helping moms. Cause I liked the kid aspect and then I was like, Oh, but the mom’s like, what’s going on with them?

And so then really in my first internship, my first rotation, I was at an orthopedic clinic. And a mom came in, she had just had her baby and she couldn’t lift her leg. So she couldn’t walk with him. She and this was out in California in the Berkeley area. So hills everywhere. Like she couldn’t do the hills.

It was just. And she, it was awful for her. So I was like, okay, we’re going to figure this out. And it was just the most amazing transformation helping her through a nerve heal because she had a nerve injury, but alignment issues. And it was just, it was fascinating to be able to wrap my [00:31:00] head around all of what happens to your body during birth.

And then another woman at the same clinic that I worked with. She was the same age as me, and she had had two hip replacements already because she had had bilateral hip dysplasia. And so she was newly married, and she was like, What am I gonna do when I try to be intimate with my husband? Like, I can barely move my hips.

So I said, again, We’re going to figure this out, like, we’re going to do this. And so again, just having to wrap my head around bringing in the orthopedic aspect, which I had already learned in school, but then bringing in this whole other realm of women’s health that I had to do my research and find studies because I hadn’t learned about it in school yet.

It just really sparked a flame in me. And then I just continued with that. There was a local PT. Who came and did a weekend course with us and I was like, you know [00:32:00] what? you’ve got me hooked like this is where I want to go and Ironically, she had to move out of state and I actually filled her position so she became my mentor before she moved and then I filled her position at the Clinic that she had worked at and I went straight into pelvic health women’s health And I’ve been there ever since.

Hope: That’s awesome. 

Dr. Ryan: So, and just every pregnancy that I’ve had, every birth that I’ve had, just kind of gotten me even deeper into it and the understanding. And it’s just, it’s so, so fascinating. 

Hope: It is. No, it really is. And that’s, I mean, you’re doing so much for people because Like I said, I know when I was pregnant the first time, I mean, and I do like to educate myself anyway, that’s just who I am, so I got all the books and all that, so, you know, I could teach myself, but it’s like, all these things are happening, it’s like, they don’t tell you anything, like, you feel like, you feel alone and lost and what’s, you know, what’s happening, so I mean, I think it’s, It’s great that there are practitioners like you that can like really educate and [00:33:00] support and have people do it in an empowered and informed way.

You just, it’s a totally different experience when you know what’s going on. 

Dr. Ryan: Right, right. I mean, we are in our bodies 24 seven and yet we’re not educated on our bodies. It’s just almost assumed that we know and you know, it’s, it’s funny how sometimes I say that. You know, you are your, your own expert on your body.

Like you have to tell me what’s going on. And yet we’re still, it’s kind of that fuzzy area of like, am I really an expert on my body? Yeah. And I mean, to give the OBs and the midwives credit, that’s not their training. 

Hope: Sure. 

Dr. Ryan: Right. 

Hope: Totally. 

Dr. Ryan: It’s not their training. However, how our system is set up is that we unfortunately divide, it’s like we divide and conquer.

Hope: Yes. 

Dr. Ryan: Instead of coming together and saying, okay, your OB or your midwife is, you know, this realm and your PT [00:34:00] is this realm and maybe your chiropractor or your acupuncturist or your nutritionist or your mental health therapist. Like we can all work together because we all have our own specialties and that’s really where kind of the divide is.

It’s like, Oh, you just stay in your own 

Hope: corner. Right, yeah. 

Dr. Ryan: No, we want to work together. 

Hope: Right, yeah. I mean, you need all of the, obviously we need the medical professionals who know what to do. 

Dr. Ryan: Right. 

Hope: When, you know, but it’s, I mean, you need a more holistic, comprehensive approach to things. Yeah. Yeah. I totally agree.

So I do like to end with one more question before I ask you, where can people find you? And I know you’ve got some really great information and you’ve got like some courses and things that people can look at to educate themselves. So where can people find this stuff? 

Dr. Ryan: Yeah, so my website is expectingpelvichealth.com. I’m on Facebook at Expecting Pelvic Health, and I’m on Instagram at Expecting Pelvic Health. Um, so that’s where you can find me. On my website, there, you can find [00:35:00] how to actually work with me. Or, you can schedule some, a free consult call to figure out if we’re a good fit. I do virtual wellness visits as well, so that’s a great way to be able to see me if you’re not close by to me.

And yeah, I have some online resources beyond my blog. I have some freebies, and I have a course. That’s just a self paced What you would follow during your pregnancy into postpartum and uh, it just gives you a lot of what I talked about in terms of the exercises and the functional stuff and Really understanding how your body changes and shifts and how to support that. 

Hope: That’s great Awesome, and I’ll put all links to those in the show notes Everybody can look it up because that’s gonna be super helpful for people So I like to end with the same question for everyone So, what do you think is the most important change people can make or the most important thing they can do to live with purpose?

Dr. Ryan: [00:36:00] I, I feel like the first thing that comes to mind is to be intentional, is to really Even if you feel like you, you know, you are very faith based and, you know, God is guiding you or, you know, it’s just the universe that’s guiding you or whatever, I still feel like if you have intention, I feel like then you, you have a purpose because you are setting that intention and working towards that intention.

And even if it’s small, it doesn’t have to be this big, huge intention. So I feel like. Intention. 

Hope: Yeah. I like it. That’s good. I agree. Intention is good. Living intentionally is. 

Dr. Ryan: Yes. 

The 

Hope: way to do it. Yeah. Well, thank you so much for all of this. This is such great information for everyone. I know I actually have quite a few friends who are newly pregnant, so I know this is going to be super helpful for them during their journey.

So thank you so much, Dr. Bailey for giving all of this great information. I really appreciate everything that you just gave everybody.

Dr. Ryan: Oh. You are so welcome. You’re so welcome. Thanks for having me.

Hope:  Yeah.

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