In France, perineum strengthening goes way beyond your classic Kegels, and it’s taken very seriously by the doctors.
I remember, after having given birth to my daughter in NYC, the doctor saying that nothing “goes in” for six weeks following the birth. No bath, no tampons, no nookie, no nothin’. Here, in France, the story is a little different.
No advice on what goes “in” or “out” following the birth, but it’s out of the question to do any sort of physical activity until you have first done your perineum reeducation, and then your abdominal reeducation.
In other words, if you’re French and if you’re up for it, you can jump right back in the saddle the same week you gave birth (why deprive yourself or your partner of l’amour?), but you must complete your 20 sessions of perineum and ab work before you contemplate, say, bending at the knees.
You will be enlightened as to what a perineum actually is on your very first visit with the specialized physical therapist or midwife. It’s not simply, for instance, a small membrane that sometimes tears or gets cut when you birth a 9-pounder. Nooo. When you see the model, you understand that it’s a huge hammock of muscles that stretches from one hip bone to the other and curves upward to hold all your organs in place.
Following the enlightenment, comes the practical. The gloves come on and the therapist’s fingers go in, stretching first this way, then that way, in a sort of finger split as you are requested to squeeze the fingers back together. This is to make sure you know exactly which muscles are to be utilized so you don’t make the grave error of squeezing the wrong ones. There are many muscles down there.
Then out comes the “sonde.” That’s a … a … how do I say this? … sort of a stick with metal bands around it and a cord that plugs into the machine, which then jolts your perineum into submission. It basically tightens the muscles without you doing anything. (Insert every French husband’s joke about how there is no need to buy a “sonde” when there’s a perfectly good one at home). Contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t hurt when inserted properly but it kind of buzzes in a not-so-fun way if the sonde slips down too low.
After about 10 minutes of this where you’re just lying there, holding it in place, and trying not to roll your eyes at how ridiculous you feel, it’s time for you to whip that perineum into shape yourself.
The sonde is still attached to the machine, but now a path appears on the screen, sort of like a yellow brick road, and you’re supposed to follow the path. When you squeeze, a blue line appears and goes up and down in function with how hard you’re squeezing. Your job is to follow the yellow brick road by making the blue line go up and down (squeeze more or less) in order to stay on the path.
“It’s like playstation for moms!” said my first PT with delight.
The PTs who do this remind me of sex-education teachers. They are completely at ease with themselves and the natural functions of the body.
I had one brag about her perineum prowess in “climbing the spiral staircase” and how happy that made her partner. I’ll leave that to your imagination (or your eyes shut tight and your hands clapped over your ears, shaking your head nooooo).
You leave these sessions tired. Seriously – it’s a workout – and you don’t want to sneeze out of turn until your muscles have had a chance to rest. But after 10-15 of these sessions, twice a week, you’ll feel like you’re 20 years old again and can sneeze, laugh and trip with the best of them. Next up in postpartum healing: the government-paid sit-ups.
Then, and only then, are you allowed to bend at the knees.
This is an original post to World Moms Blog from our writer in Paris, France, Lady Jennie. You can also find her blogging at A Lady in France.
Photo credit to Spec-ta-cles. This photo has a creative commons attribution license.
I am thinking i need a vacation in france and some of those sessions. They should have vacation packages catering to women with weak pelvises. lol Actually am serious. Not laughing at all.
Hey – THIS is the start-up company idea I’ve been waiting for! hee hee
I need to go to France postpartum!! Two words: stress incontinence. TMI? 🙂
Oh dear, I think my entire post is TMI! (grin)
When I went to my first session and came back I described it to my husband like playing Atari down there. It was definitely an experience, and I loved when the the therapist told me I had to do this to make sure nothing fell out with the second baby, hm, really? Now after just having had my second in France, I’m looking forward to my re-education classes.
And nothing has fallen out yet? 🙂
Well, after having three, I can say it’s not far from the truth. Although … if only the babies themselves would fall out at 40 weeks instead of needing to be induced, that would be a step up.
Oh. My. God. I am doing kegels as I write this, hoping beyond hope that I can hope to compete with the French ladies (I can’t). But NOW we know the secret to every French woman’s chichi look: she’s glowing from the inside–it’s those sonde workouts that keep them all trim. Yet another reason why living in France is better than living in the Middle East. No post-partum sonde workouts in UAE–just abayas!
Don’t worry – I live here, and I can’t compete either.
Yes, I’m sure in the middle east NOTHING goes in the nether regions. At least not anything talked about. 😉
This… sounds brilliant! Waaaaaay better ideas about taking care of what you’ve got… instead of going the current American “trendy unnecessary surgery route” of Vaginoplasty. UGH!
Okay now I had to go look up vaginoplasty and be confronted with some graphic photos. I hope no one does a search on my computer any time soon and see the recent results. Even attaching the bladder (don’t know technical term), which is not a cosmetic surgery, doesn’t always work in the long run. Exercise is definitely the way to go.
My sister was horrified when I told her we don’t have perineum re-education in the UK. ‘Do you want to be pissing yourself by the time you’re 40?’ she said. The idea of going to see a specialist to do this is distasteful to a lot of non-French people, which seems odd to me, but what do I know, I am French.
It does highlight something I notice more and more in England, which is the general lack of preventative medicine. Like the fact that my 5.5 months old baby has not got her own paediatrician, or that she was seen by a doctor at her 8 weeks check-up and that’s it (unless you count getting her weighed by the health visitor, which I don’t because they are not medically qualified). Weird.
This is England. I’ve been told (by non-English) that they’re notoriously lax. The US is much more similar to France in pediatric care.
Oh, and your sister sounds like a blast!
Son: “Mom, what’s that video game you’re playing?”
Me: “Erm…”
😉
hee hee
Yes, this is one of those doctor’s visits where you leave the kids at home.
Wow! I had no idea! I can’t wait to tell my husband. He is already so surprised by what women and their doctors cover here in the US, which is nothing compared to your story 😉
That’s right baby. No stones unturned in this corner of the world. 😉
Um…I’m in my 40s and have had 5 children. Is there no hope for me? I was simply told to “Do my Kegel’s”. Fortunately, I figured it out (and I can proudly sneeze without wetting myself- ha!). But recently my neighbor explained that her sister, who happens to be an OB/GYN in the states, admitted that although she suggests her patients do kegels, she wasn’t actually sure she knew how to do them herself. Sounds like she needs a trip to France – pronto!
Ah yes – we’re back to the start-up company idea hosting weak-perineumed women for a spacation in France to get back into shape. Maybe we can get this doctor on board. 😉
Wow, I can’t believe that this is true! I was a french major and lived in france during and after college but I never learned this tidbit about french life. I am amazed! Did it work and help though? I didn’t want to do anything but soak in the tub for weeks after the birth of my son. Great post and well written too!
Thank you for that! And yes, it does help but like all muscles, if you don’t continue to use them afterwards they lose their strength. So back to the ole Kegals. (Or more playstation sessions).
I too was told the same thing, prenatal and post. After both my children who we had in the early 70’s. My own daughters were told the same thing again in the late the 90’s. I suppose I did not give too much thought to it having no symptoms of anything off. until in these later years.
This did bring up though reminders of physical therapy I went through (endured) after having both jaw joints operated on and I had to re-teach my jaw and facial muscles to stretch again so I could open my mouth. I went from not being able to even get a straw in mouth to being able to get two fingers in through a series of oral stretching exercise my therapist performed and exercises I do to this day to be able to keep my mouth opening.
I’d never heard of this postpartum theory as in France until reading this blog and was quite amused to learn that this type of therapy is so universal.
It makes so much sense to me.
Oh wow, you poor thing with that jaw physical therapy. I suppose the perineum therapy does make sense, even if can feel a little ridiculous. We don’t want our organs falling out.
I was going to be writing a post, soon, about this very topic. Four months, after I delivered my son, we visited my in-laws in Germany. My sister-in-law took me to her therapist for pelvic floor training. It was so great and needed that I cried with thanks to my sister-in-law. I found a place back in Dallas to continue my therapy. However, unlike Germany and France, I had to pay greatly for my therapy back in the States. Thanks for sharing this post!!! http://www.wisemommies.com
http://www.facebook.com/wisemommies
Do write about this – perhaps it needs some drumming up of awareness? I’m really glad you were able to have the therapy done.
What a great insight! I wish they had this therapy here. In the mean time, I guess I will keep doing those Kegals
Hey – kegals are still very effective. That’s what we’re told to do when the therapy is over. (Although I’ve been remiss … ahum).
Amazing how so many were told to do kegals… I was never told any of this and I am in the US. In fact I only properly learned about them when I seriously started Pilates after my first child was born. I do love the idea of the therapy though. That can probably help in so many ways, not only with bladder issues, but possibly with prolapse as well. Most of my family are French and they seem to be much more advanced on women’s health and beauty issues than we are here.
Great post – I can’t wait to read more! 🙂
I’ve heard Pilates is great for the pelvic floor as well.
So, can I order a sonde on Amazon?? =>
Nope. Pharmacy only.
(And yes, I know you’re kidding). 😉
This sounds fascinating. Okay, if I’m being honest, it sounds a little scary too, but hey, if I can bend at the knees with no worry, then I’m willing to do anything. =)
The things we women do to keep it all together!
So interesting, thanks for sharing. I know many American women that suffer with personal laxness relating to their bladder after giving birth a few times. This therapy is certainly not a part of US care, generally speaking.
As I’ve mentioned in an earlier comment, it’s still necessary to keep working at it on your own, but the initial training really does help a lot.
I think this has become one of my favorite posts! I have so many questions for my OB/GYN now…
This is a cultural difference that has many moms wanting to know more!
Great post, Lady Jennie!
Jen 🙂
Thanks Jen!
I am speechless.
But not quite.
I must compliment the French on their deep concern for these muscles.
I truly had no idea.
And now?
Speechless again.
The French are concerned with anything that may affect la vie sexuelle. No playin around in that domain! Such healthy people, these French.
Wow very interesting. I had all kinds of images in my head reading this lol. Here we don’t have that but some tribes have their own traditional remedies and I tried a whole box of 30 days traditional stuffs extracts in pills and it did helped out my healing after c-section.
Now, I’ve never heard of supplements to address this issue, but if it works, then great!
WOW! That blows my mind!
And makes me think that I need to work on my muscle tone.
Can you describe the abdominal reeducation, please? Thanks!
Hi,
It’s pretty basic actually. The ab reeducation is similar to what you might do in a short class at the gym focusing on abs. Although they do have these modules as well that you place on your stomach and which stimulate the muscles to contract on their own. That’s weird – somewhere between tickling and hurting.
But there is a new school of thought and I bought a CD to test it out, which combines kegals and abs to strengthen both at the same time. I think it’s pretty similar to pilates but you really have to think about tightening the perineum at the same time as you do the ab work. Hope that helps.