Wondering if you can prepare for labor? Struggling with Pelvic Floor issues? Unable to figure out your pelvic floor? Wondering what the hype around core stability is about? Take a deep dive down there with @downttheredoc on Instagram, Dr. Marcy Crouch. Dr. Marcy talks you through the pelvic floor, what makes it susceptible to injury or dysfunction, and its 3 functions: support, continence, and its roles in sex. She takes you through the orchestra of the core, and the concept of synergy as a means of accessing true and optimal core stability. By explaining the biomechanics of the core and pelvic floor, she describes her top tips to re-establishing and training the pelvic floor contraction, using her favorite functional kegel technique, and common strength and conditions principles. Furthermore, she provides insight into enhancing your pelvic floor awareness through easily accessible tools and what you should do if you are leaking pee! Finally, Dr.Crouch takes the hot seat as she debunks popular myths, advocates for prepartum and postpartum resources, and presents the research around preparing for labor. Hear out Dr. Marcy and explore it all, now!
We also mention PaleoValley (affiliate link) throughout the episode. No joke, Doc Jen & Dr. Dom take these EVERYWHERE and they are their go-to when they’re feeling peckish. For a complete protein, whole food, and all-natural snack. get your 100% grass-fed beef stick or superfood bar for a discount using code “OPTIMAL” at checkout (affiliate code).
4:27 – Insight into Marcy’s passion
7:34 – Pelvic floor. Its functions and what it is
11:08 – Synergy between the pelvic floor and core
14:21 – Functional Kegels
16:57 – Using fingers and tools to explore
19:31– Pelvic floor dysfunction postpartum should not be normalized
22:47 – Leaking pee? What should you do?
25:26 – What you can do to prepare for birth
29:21 – Can you prepare for a painless birth?
32:25 – Power of addressing the whole picture
36:46 – Learn more with Dr. Marcy
Dr. Marcy Crouch 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, and 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 her community, as well as continuing education courses for PTs, both nationally and internationally, and has taught at the university level. Marcy has worked in private practice and hospital outpatient clinics in Texas, California, and Oregon, and now lives in Alabama. She has owned a successful clinic, built a following on social media as @thedowntheredoc, spoken at national events, contributed to popular blogs and magazines, and is having candid and powerful conversations about women’s health and how we NEED to do better.
After being in the clinic for over a decade, she decided to create programs designed for mothers and birthing persons everywhere. She is the founder of The DT Method™, an online program that is the NEW standard for birth prep and recovery. She is changing the way women are preparing for their births and elevating postpartum care for all. #novaginaleftbehind
She is the mother of 2 amazing boys and has first-hand experience of pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. She loves a good glass of wine, horses, belly laughs, and drives a minivan shamelessly.
Find her on IG @thedowntheredoc and subscribe to her community to learn more than you want to know about vaginas, motherhood, and everything in between.
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