Why Mums Don't Jump

If I gave you a diagram of the female pelvic anatomy, would you know where to find a labia, clitoris or urethra? Don’t feel bad if the answer is no. I mean, it’s just not something we were really ever taught. But maybe we should have been?

In this episode, Helen catches up with the pelvic physio Tiffany Sequeira (@gynaegirl) who's on a mission to educate! Sex, fannies, willies, wee and lots, lots more... is how she describes what she does. 

Helen and Tiffany discuss a pelvic floor curriculum, how pelvic health could be more inclusive, the pitfalls of talking sex on social...and how to move beyond euphemisms.

Tiffany Sequiera is @gynaegirl on Instagram
Ellie Jack Illustrations is @elliejackillustrations on Instagram and the graphics mentioned in this episode can be found here.

You can find Helen @whymumsdontjump on Instagram and Twitter or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

A hypertonic pelvic floor is where the muscles are so tight they can’t relax. It can happen after childbirth. It can be incredibly painful. And we can add it to a long list of things we’ve never heard of but probably should.

In this episode, Helen is joined by the award-winning broadcaster and journalist Emma Barnett who says a hypertonic pelvic floor is one of the ‘most upsetting’ things she’s ever been through. Emma’s not afraid to smash stigmas. She's literally written the book on periods and spoken openly about living with endometriosis. But a tight pelvic floor? She’d just never come across it.

Helen and Emma talk about awareness, a need for research and how ‘women’s issues’ don’t always get the platform they deserve.

Emma presents Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4 in the UK and is a regular on BBC 2's Newsnight
You can find Emma's book 'It's About Bloody Time. Period.' here
She's @emmabarnett on Instagram and @Emmabarnett on Twitter

For more information on hypertonic pelvic floor listen to:

• Pelvic Floor Problems 101  
• Sarah's Story

Find Helen @whymumsdontjump on Instagram and Twitter or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

To find a pelvic health physiotherapist in the UK, Emma mentioned Mummy MOT or you could try the Squeezy Directory

For more information and support about Endometriosis, go to Endometriosis UK

You thought it was all over. It is now! Helen rounds off the series with Rachel Horne, News Presenter for The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio. Rachel gives an honest and moving account of traumatic birth, facing up to her urinary incontinence, marathon training...and screaming in the woods.

'Having incontinence issues because you've had children is part of the story, but you've got to get to the next chapter where you fix it!'

Rachel's instagram: @rachelhornerainbow

www.whymumsdontjump.com
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump

Helen catches up with her 'Pop Club' - three friends with pelvic organ prolapse who keep each other smiling. There's talk of difficult births, pelvic pain, surgery and pessaries...and bonding over broken vaginas at a local coffee shop.

Find more: www.whymumsdontjump.com
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump

Helen meets the freelance writer, Sarah Haselwood, who's lived with pelvic pain since the birth of her first son 7 years ago. Sarah talks about her traumatic birth, her long journey to diagnose a tight pelvic floor and the jaw-dropping treatment which gave her back her life.

Sarah is @corporatetokids on Instagram and @CorporatetoKids on Twitter
Sarah's website is: https://corporatetokids.com/

Find more: www.whymumsdontjump.com
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump

How do you find a new path to fitness when prolapse or incontinence is holding you back? How do you get past The Fear and learn to move again? How do you break a sweat without losing your insides? Helen meets Emma Brockwell, a specialist women's health physio, co-writer of the first guidelines for postnatal women returning to running and co-founder of the pelvic health campaign, Pelvic Roar.

'You need to move. You can move. You possibly just need a bit of guidance as to how to start.'

Website: www.whymumsdontjump.com
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump

Emma Brockwell, Physiomum website is here
Emma's instagram: @physiomumuk

Other links from episode 6:

Returning to running postnatal - guideline for medical, health and fitness professionals managing this population

Pelvic Roar

PopUp (Hayley Shevener)

Squeezy App

Holistic Core Restore

Elaine Miller (aka Gusset Grippers) is @gusset_grippers on Instagram

Helen meets the London author, Luce Brett, who became incontinent after the birth of her first son. Luce talks about dealing with the shock and embarrassment of urinary incontinence and prolapse at the age of 30. She shares her journey through physio and surgery, her thoughts on turning the stigma on its head...and measuring wee in a takeaway cup.

'Stigma can't bear it, if you name it'.

Luce's book 'PMSL: Or How I Literally Pissed Myself Laughing and Survived the Last Taboo to Tell the Tale' is available on pre-order here and released on June 25, 2020.

Half of women over 50 have pelvic organ prolapse
One in three women over the age of 25 have symptoms of prolapse or incontinence

Website: www.whymumsdontjump.com
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump

What are the mental health implications of pelvic floor dysfunction? How do you get your head around the emotional impact of conditions like prolapse, incontinence or pelvic pain and find a new happy? Helen meets Dr Rebecca Moore, a perinatal psychiatrist and co-founder of the campaign Make Birth Better.

'We don't give women the time and space to talk about these injuries, which I think is crazy.'

Website: www.whymumsdontjump.com/useful-links
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump

Dr Rebecca Moore Website: www.doctorrebeccamoore.com
Instagram: @drrebeccamoore

Make Birth Better: www.makebirthbetter.org 

The Masic Foundation: www.masic.org.uk

The Manchester actress, Ainsley Howard, invites Helen over to her house for this week's episode of Why Mums Don't Jump. You may know her as the voice of Fizzy in the animated TV series, Digby Dragon. She's also a mum to a pre-schooler with a second baby on the way and she explains why she's not afraid to talk about her experience of incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

'I'm 36. I don't want to wear a pad in case I sneeze or cough. I don't feel ready for that yet!'

Website: www.whymumsdontjump.com
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump

If you're new to leaks and lumps, this is the place to start! Helen and the Manchester-based women’s health physio, Katie Syrett, romp through some of the most common pelvic floor problems. They go back to basics on incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic pain, as well as discussing what really happens during a physio assessment and what we can expect from (shhh) menopause.

Website: www.whymumsdontjump.com
Instagram: @whymumsdontjump
Katie's website: www.knsphysiotherapy.co.uk