271 - Pelvic floor health and myths, with Leslie Parker

  This week on the show, I have Leslie Parker joining me.   Leslie Parker has been a Physical Therapist since 2000 and has a special focus on pelvic health. As a pelvic floor specialist, she specializes in Women's Health including bladder, bowel, and pain dysfunction to include prenatal and postpartum care. She also works with women with breast and reproductive cancer in a variety of ways including lymphedema care. Over the years she has expanded her focus to include both men's and children's pelvic health as well.    In 2012, she developed the Seacoast's premiere Pediatric bladder and bowel program, Pediatric Elimination Therapy (P.E.T.) at Wentworth Douglass Hospital. She then opened her own Physical Therapy practice in Eliot, Maine.    Leslie published her first book, "The Art of Control; A Woman's Guide To Bladder Care" in June 2015, which hit Amazon's #1 Best Seller rating during the first week it was published. She did this as she was recovering from breast cancer, bilateral mastectomies, and chemotherapy.    She treats women, men, and children with pelvic floor dysfunction which typically presents as bladder issues (leaks, frequency, getting up at night to pee, pain, BPH, etc), bowel issues ( leaks, constipation, IBS, incomplete emptying, pain, etc), and pelvic pain (vaginal, rectal, tailbone, endometriosis, IC, low back, hip, penile, etc). She is in the process of launching a community membership for women for "all things" pelvic floor.  In this episode, Leslie shares that we should know about our pelvic floor muscles. She talks about: The different stages of our lives where we might encounter bladder issues (pregnancy, post-partum, menopause, and everyone in between!)  How the pelvic floor muscles support our organs. How the pelvic floor stops things from coming out (pee, poop, gas) and how it lets things in (tampons, speculums, vibrators). What tight vs loose, weak vs strong pelvic floor really means.  The common symptoms of pelvic floor issues.  Six main tips for a healthy pelvic floor.  Why you should stop doing Kegels (it's not for everybody!).   And so much more!   Links mentioned in the episode:  Find out more about Leslie here. Download Leslie's free guide on The 6 Steps to Bladder Control here. Jump on the waitlist for her new community membership for women here.  Click HERE to check out her book on Amazon.   Connect with Leslie on Facebook, or Instagram. Leslie's email: [email protected]  You can also listen to Leslie's podcast with her son here. To contact Julia, email: [email protected].  Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide. And join the email list there too.  Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.