The Postpartum Vagina (Pt. 2) with Marcy Crouch

The Juna Women Podcast is a weekly discussion where Juna Founder, Sarah Kuhn, talks to Moms about their health, work, parenting, and all the different ways they’re keeping it together.

This is Episode 022, The Postpartum Vagina (Pt. 2) with Marcy Crouch.

In this episode Sarah talks with Marcy Crouch, a women’s physical therapist specializing in the pelvic floor.

They talk about postpartum stuff like getting cleared for sex after pregnancy, prolapse, how to retrain your bladder, and abdominal separation.

In part 1 of the interview, (you can listen to part 1 here) they talked about postpartum care in the US and the rise of PTs specializing in pelvic floor help, pelvic floor health and importance of a functional core and the ways we can work the pelvic floor through breath work and exercise. They also get into pubic symphysis diastasis, painful sex, episiotomies, perineal massage, and perineal tearing.

If you are pregnant and the word pelvic floor is a little foreign to you both of these episodes are a must listen. If you’re not foreign to the pelvic floor, you’ll STILL learn a lot!

the postpartum vagina part 2 podcast

Listen To This Episode

02:30 – Kegels, kegels, kegels. What they’re good for, how often to do them, and what else you can do to prepare your pelvic floor for childbirth.

08:50 – How to retrain your bladder after pregnancy and childbirth.

17:25 – The magic “6-week” postpartum mark – why it’s recommended and why it’s the magic number.

30:31 – What is prolapse? Pelvic organ prolapse is a disorder in which one or more of the pelvic organs drop from their normal position. It is caused by injury to the muscles or tissues that support the pelvic organs. The main cause of this injury is pregnancy and childbirth, especially vaginal childbirth. Other causes include prior pelvic surgery, menopause, and aging.

40:48 – When’s the right time to start exercise again? The girls discuss how it will look different for everyone.

43:15 – All about diastases. How to discover if you have it, and what to do.

50:15 – Crunches during pregnancy and postpartum

About Marcy

marcy crouch pelvic floor

Marcy L. Crouch, PT, DPT, CLT, WCS received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California in 2010. She then completed a Women’s Health Residency program in Dallas, TX where she focused on all aspects of pelvic floor dysfunction, pregnancy and postpartum musculoskeletal issues, and breast cancer rehabilitation. She then obtained her WCS, which identifies her as Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health Physical Therapy.

She has taught pregnancy and sexual health courses in the community, as well as continuing education courses for physical therapists both nationally and internationally. She is also active in the Section on Women’s Health of the American Physical Therapy Association, having served on the Student Special Interest Group as well as leadership roles over the last few years. She is a 2012 recipient of the APTA’s Emerging Leader Award, and has taught at the University of Portland as an adjunct faculty member in the Biology Department.

Marcy has worked in private practice and hospital outpatient clinics in Texas, Northern California, and Oregon, and now lives in Southern California and is the proud owner of Restorative Pelvic Physical Therapy, INC. Her passion lies in treating complex pelvic pain and pelvic floor dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, and the obstetric and postpartum population, as well as treating patients undergoing SRS and transitioning from male to female. She is a manual therapist, and although manual therapy is one important component of her work, she also believes in the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to treating chronic pelvic pain, and the incorporation of different disciplines and expertise to offer the best care possible for patients. She believes in educating patients and empowering them to become active participants in their care. Her aim is to develop unique and personalized programs of therapy to best suit patients’ needs and goals.

She is the mother to two amazing boys, and she has first hand experience of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. She’ll help guide your care with professional and personal experience, and knows the demands of motherhood. Your program will be uniquely tailored to you, with manageable and realistic exercises and goals. All therapy, no fluff.