Helpful Resources

Here is a list of books and blogs that I have found helpful to my learning. Most are easy to read and have lots of great information. 



The V Book: A Doctor's Guide to Vulvovaginal Health
Elizabeth G. Stewart and Paula Spencer
- every woman and teenage girl should read this book!

 Heal Pelvic Pain: The Proven Stretching, Strengthening and Nutrition Program for Relieving Pain, Incontinence, IBS and Other Symptoms Without Surgery
Amy Stein

 When Sex Hurts: A Woman's Guide to Banishing Sexual Pain
Andrew Goldstein and Caroline Pukall

 High Oxalate Foods pdf
Dr. Helen O'Connor, MS, RD

 Aligned and Well Blog
Katy Bowman
- how to optimise the function of your musculoskeletal system (and your pelvic floor), great tips for men and women alike. Here is my review of her book "Alignment Matters"

 and in particular for New Mums!
BaoBag Blog
Written by two inspiring Aussie Mums, great information for a healthier home and family.  The BaoBag is also a free gift of natural and organic samples available to new mothers across Australia. 

 For anatomical diagrams, see Pelvic Anatomy!

Popular posts from this blog

Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Part 1

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The risk of Pelvic Organ Prolapse can increase with pregnancy and vaginal delivery, however may occur even without any pregnancies and can even happen to men! What is it?  'Prolapse' comes from the latin word prolabi which means "to fall out". Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) involves the descent of the pelvic organs; the bladder, bowel or uterus, into the vaginal space.  The degree of prolapse is measured on a scale of 0-4, determined by how much the organs have moved toward the opening of the vagina or if they are protruding outside the body. This may be observed by your family doctor, OB/GYN, birth professional or pelvic health physiotherapist by asking you to cough or hold your breath and bear down for 8 seconds to determine the extent of the prolapse.  The female pelvic anatomy (larger pelvic outlet and open space of the vagina) combined with our upright posture makes women particularly vulnerable to this condition. However, men can also experience similar descen
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What's the big deal about walking?

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Turns out that walking is a pretty big deal and is vital for the function of our pelvic floor muscles. Using your own two legs to get around also has unique and widespread benefits throughout the body compared to other forms of exercise such as cycling, swimming, running and even the elliptical or stair climber.  Walking promotes: Bone Mineral Density (preventing osteoporosis)   by repetitively  loading the bones of the lower body and spine in a vertical manner with vibrations from the heel striking the ground Cardiovascular Health by recruiting every single muscle in the body from the small muscles in your feet to your core, shoulders and ribs for optimum innervation and circulation.  Weight Management  as your body is able to burn more fat at moderate, rather than high intensities and heart rates Musculoskeletal Health with a natural frequency and loading to help nourish, rather than burn through the cartilage in the knees and hips and of course... Pelvic Health! 
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The Problem with Kegels

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"Kegel" is the term used in North America for a pelvic floor contraction, named after gynaecologist Dr. Arnold Kegel (I hadn't heard the term before I moved to Canada!) and they are often taught (world-wide) as a strengthening exercise pre and post natally, or for anybody who has a pelvic floor-related problem.  Performing isolated “ Kegels ” (pelvic floor contractions) can be helpful in the short term, especially early postpartum (eg. within the first 48hrs) to improve the control and awareness of the muscle. However, when performed by already hypertonic muscles, Kegels can lead to an even tighter pelvic floor and cause more serious problems to occur throughout the body. Most people with pelvic floor issues are not simply suffering from muscle weakness, but rather from a  tightness  or  shortening  of the pelvic floor muscles (See  Too Long, Too Short or Just Right?  for more info) .  Most often, the muscles need to be released and trained to relax first, prior to
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