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Dr Kayla • Pelvic Floor PT

@dr_kayla_dpt

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✨changing what it means to prep for pregnancy
🌱pelvic floor physical therapist
📍sf-based
before pregnancy challenge ↘️

POSTS STORIES REELS

as a pelvic floor physical therapist, so many women come into my clinic already working out. they run, they lift, they do yoga. and they’re genuinely surprised when I tell them that most of the time that’s not enough to prepare for pregnancy.

being “in shape” and being truly ready for pregnancy are two different things. what pregnancy asks of your body — the load on your pelvic floor, the demand on your core, the stability requirements of your hips and pelvis — is very specific. and the general workouts most women are doing leave big holes where your body can compensate.

a left hip that works a little bit harder than the right one. upper abs that engage more than your lower abs. breathing that doesn’t quite reach your pelvic floor.

small things that can create big problems (like pain, leaking, and prolapse) during pregnancy

as a pelvic floor PT, when I assess someone’s pregnancy readiness, I’m looking for old injuries that have not healed 100%, muscle imbalances, hip mobility and stability, breathing patterns, and joint load tolerance.

the good news? all of this is completely addressable, especially in the window before pregnancy, before your hormones change and there’s added stress on your body.

right now you have the time and the capacity to actually build the foundation that pregnancy will rely on!!

if you want to head into pregnancy feeling strong, prepared, and confident  ✅ comment BEFORE
and i’ll send you more info about my before pregnancy program, designed for women who are thinking about getting pregnant in the next 3-12 months

and if you’re new here, hi I’m Kayla! i’m a pelvic floor PT working to change how we approach and support our bodies around pregnancy. if you’re thinking about trying to conceive soon-ish, follow along @dr_kayla_dpt where we chat all things pelvic floor physical therapy, pregnancy prep that actually fits into your life, and low-tox living. let’s be besties ♡ by @dr_kayla_dpt

1️⃣ they stay hydrated- the more hydrated you are, the more flexible your tissue is, and the less likely you are to tear. ~90 oz of water per day is recommended 💦

2️⃣ they can relax their pelvic floor on command (if you’re wondering what this means, then most likely you can’t do it yet)

3️⃣ they know how to maximize the opening at the bottom of their pelvis (you can use this when you’re pushing, more room for your baby = less likely your tissue tears)

4️⃣ they push in a position that’s NOT on their back (i.e. lying on their side, on hands and knees, holding the back of the hospital bed, etc)

5️⃣ they start perineal massage in their third trimester

if you want to know if your body is ready for labor & get a personalized next step in your birth prep

✅ comment QUIZ

and I’ll DM you a two minute quiz that offers immediate clarity- no guesswork required ✨

You’re doing great,
Xo Kayla

#pregnancy #laborprep #laboranddelivery #birthprep #pelvicfloorpt by @dr_kayla_dpt

Hey November 🍁

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women’s health, ttc, trying to conceive, pregnancy, pregnancy prep, preconception, fertility, trimester zero, fertility journey, pelvic floor physical therapy by @dr_kayla_dpt

A haunted house but it’s just women’s health facts… spooky 👻

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women’s health, pelvic health, preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, trying to conceive, ttc, fertility, endometriosis by @dr_kayla_dpt

leaking is never normal‼️(even though it is pretty common)

leaking with running, or any type of exercise, is something i help women with almost weekly— here are the exercises i showed my patient who was leaking every time she went for a run:

🌱thread the needle: this variation is an amazing stretch for your mid back while also kicking on your external obliques and serratus anterior

🌱bear twists: we’re working on core and pelvic floor endurance here while also getting isolated pelvic movement (pelvis moving while rib cage stays still)

🌱running drill: this exercise activates all the muscles that need to engage mid stance during your run. the focus is on good balance, outer hip activation, and mid foot strength!

🌱mid foot mobilization: the middle of your foot needs to be able to move when you walk/run to allow your hips to rotate and your pelvic floor to lift up and support your bladder. when you have a stiff mid foot, your pelvic floor can’t do it’s job as well as it should be able to

🌱mid foot strengthening: once you have mobility in your foot, you want the muscles that move that area to be strong and have great endurance. this is one of my favorite exercises to accomplish that :)

working on your breathing, core, hips, and foot often is the perfect combination to eliminate leaking with your day to day activities or with exercise!

remember, leaking is always your body asking for a little love and support (and often, we can make small changes that have a big impact)

let me know what questions you have!

📌 and if you’re new here, hi I’m Kayla a pelvic floor physical therapist who is working to change how we collectively prepare for and move through pregnancy. if you’re ready for upgraded women’s health, want to learn more about trimester zero, or are hypermobile follow along @dr_kayla_dpt by @dr_kayla_dpt

2027 is going to be a magical year ✨

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Trying to conceive, ttc, trimester zero, pelvic floor physical therapy, preconception, fertility, fertility journey, pregnancy prep by @dr_kayla_dpt

We all deserve preventative healthcare!!

In my world of pelvic health, I’ve watched woman after woman experience the moment of “I wish someone told me this sooner”

This pattern is what drove me to create my clinic and is also what drove me to create Before Pregnancy (my pre pregnancy self paced program)

I believe that so much positive energy can be infused into the world when we all have basic information about our bodies and the experiences/transformations they go through ✨

Those moments of feeling like something is wrong with you or running to Claude at 11pm can be eliminated with the right support

If you’re thinking about getting pregnant soon and want to develop a deep connect to and understanding of your body now,
🌿comment BEFORE
and I’ll send you more information about before pregnancy

❤️And if you’re new here, hi I’m Kayla. A pelvic floor physical therapist who’s all about preventative holistic healthcare & upgraded women’s health! Follow along @dr_kayla_dpt if you are too :) by @dr_kayla_dpt

You’ve probably been told to “brace your core” a hundred times… but has anyone ever actually shown you how??

Most people don’t know what a core brace should feel or look like.

This leaves you open to things like upper ab gripping or rectus doming, both putting pressure and stress on your pelvic floor & low back.

During pregnancy, these patterns can get amplified when your abs naturally lengthen, thin, and separate.

If your core is out of balance going into pregnancy, the changes in your abs can show up as back pain, pelvic floor tension, leaking, or a more challenging recovery after birth.

Your deepest ab muscle (aka your transverse abdominis) works as a team with your pelvic floor and is one of the primary stabilizers for your low back.

Learning how to connect to and strengthen this muscle pre-pregnancy is key to preventing back pain and leaking during pregnancy.
 Save this for later & try the exercise on slide 8 to really feel your core!
 And if you want more help preparing your whole body for pregnancy
🌿Comment BEFORE
and I’ll send you details on my Before Pregnancy program, where we find and gently correct these patterns so you can step into pregnancy feeling strong and supported!

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trying to conceive, TTC, pelvic floor physical therapy, women’s health, preconception, trimester zero, pregnancy prep, ab separation, pregnancy abs, diastasis recti, DRA by @dr_kayla_dpt

training your body for pregnancy is beyond underrated!

there are so many (often small) impairments that exist in your body that are waiting to get amplified during pregnancy unless you do something about them now! you are thinking about what you’re eating, the vitamins you’re taking, the toxins you’re avoiding, let’s not forget your physical body in that equation!

here are the exercises i showed my patient this week who is trying to conceive by the end of this year:

🌱split squat with hip internal rotation: single leg strength is key in pregnancy prep because small muscle imbalances side to side are a huge driver of pain during pregnancy. the hip internal rotation is icing on the cake to build mobility that will be needed during pregnancy

🌱plank with rotation reach: strong cores during pregnancy, amazing. strong cores that can also rotate, elite!

🌱oblique crunch: your obliques can get tight and weak during pregnancy, this exercise is a great way to combat that :)

🌱serratus punch with back body expansion: your serratus anterior is the connection between your core and your upper body and is a factor in rib flare and mid back pain during pregnancy. getting amazing deep breaths while this muscle engages feels so so good and is one of my favorite preconception exercises!

🌱dead bug variation: the theme for this patient was core, core, and more core this week! we progressed into this exercise after a two month strength build

pain does not have to be inevitable during pregnancy!! training 3-6 months before you’re trying to conceive can help your body move into this new chapter with ease and confidence.

📌 and if you’re new here, hi I’m Kayla a pelvic floor physical therapist who is working to change how we collectively prepare for and move through pregnancy. if you’re ready for upgraded women’s health, follow along @dr_kayla_dpt by @dr_kayla_dpt

pain, leaking, and prolapse don’t have to be inevitable parts of pregnancy!

if you work to correct the spots in your body that are putting stress of your pelvic floor, your low back, and your hips pre-pregnancy, you significantly reduce your risk of pain showing up during pregnancy itself (hey trimester zero 👋🏼)

here are the exercises i showed my patient this week who is preparing for baby #2 after having hip pain and SPD during her first pregnancy:

🌱thoracic extension: tightness in your mid back can put a lot of stress and pressure on your low back and down onto your pelvic floor. this release feels great after sitting at a desk all day!

🌱reverse clam: hip internal rotation is key during pregnancy to help prevent hip pain & sciatica

🌱adductor plank: weakness in your inner thighs is one of the biggest drivers of SPD during pregnancy, this exercise helps build strength & improve load tolerance through your adductor tendon

🌱adductor rock back: tightness in your inner thighs also contributes to SPD, i love this adductor mobilization to address tension

🌱RDL with hip internal rotation: this variation on a RDL is functional and great to take your glutes through their full range of motion (strengthening them in all positions!)

pain does not have to be inevitable during pregnancy!! training 3-6 months before you’re trying to conceive can help your body move into this new chapter with ease and confidence vs stress and fear.

📌 and if you’re new here, hi I’m Kayla a pelvic floor physical therapist who is working to change how we collectively prepare for and move through pregnancy. if you’re ready for upgraded women’s health, follow along @dr_kayla_dpt by @dr_kayla_dpt

Your core is more than your abs. It’s a whole team: your diaphragm on top, your pelvic floor on the bottom, and your deep abs and back muscles wrapping around the sides.

When you are constantly training the front part of your core, but the back side is “stuck” in one position, you’re leaving yourself open to pain AND making it more difficult to build a strong functional core.

To get a good core brace, your rib cage needs to expand in every direction, including backward. That’s what we call back body expansion.

A lot of us lose it. We sit a lot, we brace our bellies, we breathe high into our chest. Over time the back side of your rib cage gets stiff and stops moving.

Why this matters: when your back ribs can’t move, other areas pick up the slack, which can show up as:
✨ Mid back pain ✨ Low back pain ✨ Rib flare ✨ A core that feels weak or disconnected no matter how much you train it ✨ Extra pressure on your pelvic floor

This is extra important before/during pregnancy as a growing baby makes it even more difficult to get good back body expansion.

The good news is back body expansion is something we all can learn and incorporate into our workouts (and day to day life!)

Try it: Rest in child’s pose over a ball or a stack of pillows. Let your belly soften. As you breathe in through your nose, imagine your back ribs moving up towards the ceiling. Breathe out slowly and let everything relax.

Happy breathing ♡

📌And if you’re new here, hi I’m Kayla! A pelvic floor physical therapist who wants to make it the norm for women to prepare their bodies and nervous systems before pregnancy. if you’re thinking about getting pregnant soon-ish, wanting pelvic floor PT that actually fits into your life, and a ready for a new ear of women’s health, follow along @dr_kayla_dpt by @dr_kayla_dpt

Your inner thighs might be the most overlooked muscles in pregnancy prep 👀

So many women come to me mid-pregnancy with sharp pain at the front of the pelvis, pain rolling over in bed, or that “my pelvis is splitting” feeling when they get dressed in the morning.

Often, their adductors have been quietly asking for attention long before pregnancy ever started!

When these muscles hold onto tension, they pull on your pelvis and pelvic floor. When they’re weak or uneven side to side, your pelvis loses some of the support it needs as your body changes.

Neither of these means something is wrong with you. It just means there’s an opportunity to give this area some care now, while you have the time and space to do it gently ✨

If you try the tests and exercises in the video, let me know how they went!

And if you’re new here, hi I’m Kayla! A pelvic floor PT working to help you prepare for pregnancy (trimester zero anyone??). If you’re thinking about trying to conceive soon-ish, follow along @dr_kayla_dpt where we chat all things pelvic floor physical therapy, pregnancy prep that actually fits into your life, and low-tox living ♡ by @dr_kayla_dpt