What are pelvic floor exercises?

"Don't forget to do your pelvic floor exercises."

Those words were all I got as I was discharged. No further explanation of what that was or why it was important. This isn't uncommon either, of 2000 women 69% did not speak to anyone in the NHS about pelvic floor health*. All the information I needed was in the book I was given right? The book I lost amongst all the hospital paperwork and new baby stuff. Lost... never to be seen again. Just like the book, those words were lost amongst the vast amounts of information I got at discharge. With information like how to register the birth, what counts as "too much bleeding" and what to do if my baby had a seizure, what seemed like the occasional squeeze was low on my priorities. However, here's why it's more important than I first thought.

The pelvic floor muscles (PFM) span across the pelvis, from the coccyx to the pubic bone, divided into deep and superficial layers. In simple terms, they stretch like a hammock from the tailbone at the back to the front where your pubic bone is, and from one side of your hips to the other. With incontinence causing 31% of women to dressing differently.

Stress urinary incontinence after childbirth affects up to 38% of women. So if it's so important and so common, why is it not talked about enough, when weak pelvic floor muscles has real life consequences?

Maybe because the idea of wetting yourself, or sometimes opening accidentally opening your bowels, doesn't seem like a great topic of discussion.

Many people talk about having a laugh or a sneeze and feeling a leak; however, it's more than this, sometimes it can be relaxing then feeling like "... oh dang, if I don't get to a toilet right now i'm going to wet myself!". This is sudden compelling desire to urinate is urge urinary incontinence. If this happens often, with or without leakage you may also have an overactive bladder.

Signs you might need to strengthen you pelvic floor muscles include:

Leakage of urine when coughing, laughing, sneezing, or exercising (stress incontinence)
Sudden, strong urges to urinate that are hard to control
Difficulty fully emptying your bladder
Leakage of stool or gas (especially when straining or passing wind)
Feeling of heaviness or pressure in the pelvic area
Pain during intercourse or a sensation of something “falling down” (for women)
General lack of control or support in the pelvic area during movement, exercise, or daily activities

"Simple and easy to do"

Despite all the information and the noise everywhere we turn, pelvic floor exercises can be quite simple and easy to do.

To do the exercises, get yourself into a comfortable position such as lying down with your knees bent or sitting. Imagine you are trying to stop yourself from passing wind and urine at the same time though, please do not actually stop yourself from weeing, doing that causes a whole different issue. Though initially this can help you find the muscles and the kind of motion you want, you just want the sensation achieved of pulling it upwards and forwards and tightening the back passage.

Draw up the muscles and hold for up to 10 seconds (if 10 is too much, start with less and, once the muscles are stronger, try and increase gradually to 10 seconds)
Rest for a few seconds and let your muscles relax
Repeat up to 10 times

Simple enough? Try doing this 3-4 times a day for the first 6 months postnatally (then once or twice a day thereafter). You can remember this by associating it with a task, such as while feeding, warming food or after each time you go to the bathroom. It might feel like a lot at first but your future self will thank you. You've got this! 💕

*1. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists [RCOG}. 2023. https://www.rcog.org.uk/news/rcog-calling-for-action-to-reduce-number-of-women-living-with-poor-pelvic-floor-health/#:~:text=The%20Royal%20College%20of%20Obstetricians%20and%20Gynaecologists%20(RCOG)%20is%20calling,by%20a%20weak%20pelvic%20floor.

Page updated

Report abuse