How to Prepare for Birth: What a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist Wants You to Know

Written By Chelsea Speegle

Preparing Your Body for Birth

You're having a baby — congratulations! For nine months, your body has been changing to accommodate and nurture your growing baby. Eventually, it's time for delivery, and that can bring excitement, anticipation, or anxiety — sometimes all at once.

Every baby, every body, and every birth is different. Whether you deliver vaginally or by C-section, the health and safety of you and your baby is always the top priority. While you can't predict exactly how birth will go, there are proven ways to prepare your body and mind — and keeping an open mind is part of that preparation.

Why Work With a Physical Therapist for Birth Prep?

Many people take hospital-based or online birth preparation classes, but not everyone knows that physical therapists with specialized training in pregnancy and postpartum care can also provide hands-on birth preparation. A pelvic floor PT brings a unique understanding of your body's biomechanics, muscle function, and breathing coordination — all of which play a role during labor and delivery.

What a Birth Prep Session Covers

Perineal Preparation

Fear of tearing is one of the most common concerns for people planning a vaginal birth. Perineal release techniques have been shown in research to reduce both the risk and severity of tearing during delivery. Your physical therapist will teach you when to start, how long to practice, and the proper technique for perineal preparation at home.

Pelvic Girdle Mobility Exercises

Your pelvic girdle moves during labor and delivery to create space for your baby to descend through the birth canal. Exercises focused on opening the pelvis from the top and bottom, along with hip mobility work, can help support smoother transitions during labor.

Pushing Coordination and Positioning

There are multiple techniques and positions for pushing during birth — it doesn't have to be on your back while holding your breath. A physical therapist can teach you pushing coordination that combines breathing and pelvic floor engagement in various positions to find what works best for your body. Practicing multiple positions is recommended in case your provider needs you to adjust during delivery.

Partner Preparation and Support

Birth partners are welcome and encouraged to attend birth prep sessions. Partners can learn sacral compression techniques for pain relief during contractions, breathing coaching strategies, communication tools for labor, and most importantly, how to advocate for the birthing person. These skills help partners feel confident and actively involved rather than standing on the sidelines.

Birth Prep Physical Therapy in Denver

Having a baby is an exciting chapter, but it's normal to feel nervous about delivery. At Pelvic Symphony PT in the Denver Tech Center, Dr. Chelsea Speegle, PT, DPT, PCES provides individualized birth preparation sessions to help you and your partner feel informed, confident, and ready. Contact us today with any questions about pregnancy and postpartum care.

Chelsea Speegle

Dr. Chelsea Speegle founded Pelvic Symphony PT with a simple belief: the body works like a symphony. Every muscle, joint, and system plays its own part, and when they work together, everything functions the way it should. When something is off, her job is to find which instrument is out of tune.

Chelsea earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Loma Linda University in 2017 and began her career in orthopedics, where she quickly recognized how often pelvic floor dysfunction was connected to the conditions she was treating. That connection sparked a focus that has shaped her career ever since.

She has completed extensive advanced training in pelvic health through Herman and Wallace from Level 1 through capstone courses, including pelvic rehabilitation for athletes. Chelsea holds certifications in Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise, trigger point dry needling (Levels 1 and 2), and pelvic floor dry needling. She has received specialized training in men's pelvic health, including male pelvic pain and erectile dysfunction, through Integrated Pelvic Care. She is currently expanding her expertise in low pressure fitness through the teachings of Becky Keller.

Chelsea takes an individualized, whole-body approach with every patient. Rather than treating symptoms in isolation, she assesses posture, breathing, movement, and pelvic floor function to identify what's actually driving the problem. Her goal is to restore confidence and quality of life for every person who walks through the door.

When she's not in the clinic, Chelsea enjoys long distance running, snowboarding, reading, playing the piano and cello, and spending time with her husband, two boys, and their dog and cat.

Doctor of Physical Therapy | Pelvic Health Certified | Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist | Trigger Point Dry Needling Certified | Pelvic Floor Dry Needling | Low Pressure Fitness level 1 and 2

https://www.pelvicsymphonypt.com
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