Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Exercises

You are about to learn all you need to know about pregnancy pelvic floor exercises. Also known as Kegel exercises. They are incredibly important as they make the muscles of your pelvic floor stronger. And trust me, I did my PF exercises throughout my pregnancy and it helped me during my postpartum recovery.

Let's get straight to the point - doing your pelvic floor exercises will help you to prevent, or reduce, the severity of incontinence. Its is important to continue doing your Kegels all the way into your third trimester.

Once you know how to do Kegel exercises, you can do them anytime and anywhere. In the car. Waiting in line at the shops. In the privacy of your own home. The hard part is doing them correctly.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

I want you to watch this short 1 minute video to get a simplified answer to 'What the Pelvic Floor is.'

Did You Know that Kegel Exercises are Pelvic Floor Exercises?

During pregnancy and after childbirth, your pelvic floor muscles are lengthened and weakened. This can cause incontinence.

Once you know how to do Kegel exercises, you can do them anytime and anywhere. In the car. Waiting in line at the shops. In the privacy of your own home.

Watch this Video on the Pelvic Floor

Signs of Pelvic Floor Problems

1. Losing control of your bowel.

2. Leaking urine when you cough or sneeze.

3. Leaking urine when you exercise or laugh.

4. Pain in the pelvic area.

5. Poor sensation or leaking during sex.

6. Lessened chance of abdominal separation.

7. Constant urge to go to the toilet.

8. A prolapse.

Causes of Pelvic Floor Problems

1. Constant coughing.

2. Supporting the weight of the uterus.

3. A vaginal childbirth.

4. Some forms of surgery.

5. Lower levels of oestrogen after menopause.

6. The pressure of obesity.

The Key Is To Find the Right Muscles

To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. You should ONLY use this method for learning purposes. It is not advised to start and stop your urine regularly.

Or to frequently do Kegel exercises when you have a full bladder. Incomplete emptying of the bladder can raise your risk for a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Tips:

1. Make sure your bladder is empty.

2. Sit or lie down.

3. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles.

4. Hold tight and count for 5 seconds.

5. Relax the muscles and count for 5 seconds.

6. Repeat 10 times.

7. Aim for 3 times a day.

Guided Pelvic Floor Exercises Postpartum

Where are Your Pelvic Floor Muscles?

The pelvic floor muscles are between your pubic bone at the front and your tailbone at the back. They support the bladder, bowl and uterus.

The openings from your bladder, your bowels and your womb all pass through your pelvic floor. They also maintain bladder and bowel control.

What Do Pelvic Floor Muscles Do?

Pelvic floor muscles provide support to the organs that lie on it. The sphincters give us conscious control over the bladder and bowel.

This allows us to control the release of urine, faeces and flatus and allow us to delay emptying until it is convenient. When the pelvic floor muscles are contracted, the internal organs are lifted and the sphincters tighten the openings of the vagina, anus and urethra.

Relaxing the pelvic floor allows passage of urine and faeces.

When Can I start to see a difference?

After 6 to 8 weeks, you should feel better and have fewer symptoms. For some women, it could take longer. If you feel that these exercises are not helping you, keep doing them. Results are not always immediate.

The Mayo Clinic states that Kegel exercises may take several months to have an effect on urinary incontinence.

Signs of Pelvic Floor Strength Improvement

1. Less leakage and fewer 'accidents.'

2. Longer time between bathroom visits.

3. Being able to hold the contractions longer.

4. Drier underwear, without the feeling of always being wet.

Should I Do more Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Exercises with each trimester?

No. As you notice a difference, you must avoid doing more. As doing more (over-training) can lead to straining when you urinate or move your bowels.

Let's Chat About Overactive Pelvic Floor

Note of Caution

Avoid doing Kegel exercises at the same time you are urinating. Doing the exercises while you are urinating can weaken your pelvic floor muscles over time. Or cause damage to bladder and kidneys.

Doing Kegel exercises incorrectly or with too much force may cause vaginal muscles to tighten too much. This can cause pain during sexual intercourse.

What if I experience pain?

You are likely not performing your Kegels correctly if you feel pain in your abdomen (or back).

As you contract your pelvic floor muscles, the muscles in your abdomen, back, buttocks, and sides should remain loose. Please seek professional help when needed.

What if I Stop doing Kegel Exercises?

Like any muscle, if you do not continually strengthen it, it will weaken. Incontinence will return if you stop doing these exercises.

When do I need to seek professional help?

You should visit your doctor or physio anytime you need help or have concerns. If you're having trouble doing Kegel exercises, don't be embarrassed to ask for help.

Your health care provider can help you to learn how to isolate and exercise the correct muscles. If you are not sure you are doing Kegel exercises the right way, book in an appointment with your physio.

They will work closely with you to ensure you are doing them correctly.

There are some physiotherapists and physical therapists who specialise in pelvic floor exercises.

Why Kegel Exercises Matter.

Pregnancy is just one factor that can weaken your pelvic floor muscles. You might benefit from doing Kegel exercises if you:

1. Stress incontinence - Leak a few drops of urine while sneezing, laughing or coughing.

2. Urinary urge incontinence - a strong, sudden urge to urinate just before losing a large amount of urine.

3. Faecal incontinence - leak stool.

When are Kegels less effective?

Kegel exercises are less helpful if you have severe urine leakage when you sneeze, cough or laugh. Kegel exercises aren't helpful if you unexpectedly leak small amounts of urine due to a full bladder (overflow incontinence).

Why are Pelvic Floor Exercises Important for Later on in Life?

Often later on in life, after menopause, a weak pelvic floor can lead to prolapse.

A prolapse is where the pelvic organs move down and push against the walls of the vagina. Performing exercises now to protect your pelvic floor you can reduce the possibility of this occurring.

While you may not directly see the benefits of doing your Kegels, you will later on.

Your body changes greatly after childbirth. A strong pelvic floor will help minimise many of these unwanted changes.

Learning to do them correctly can be difficult at first. But once you know, then you can do them anywhere, without anyone knowing!

DO PF Exercises Sound Confusing?

Yes, at first you may take a while to understand the importance of Kegel exercises and how to do them. But don't worry, you';re not alone! Our team are the experts in prenatal health are here to help you.

Our team includes Women's Health Physiotherapists, exercise physiologists and prenatal health professionals who will guide you through all you need to know.

Here's How I Will Help You

1. Less leakage and fewer accidents.

2. Being able to hold the contractions longer.

3. Longer time between bathroom visits.

4. Drier underwear, without the feeling of always being wet.

5. Increased vaginal lubrication.

6. Improved blood circulation to your pelvic floor.

How Do I Perform these Exercises?

Learning how to do Kegel exercises can be difficult for some. Unlike other strengthening exercises where you distinctly see and feel the muscle being worked.

It takes some practice to perform Kegels correctly. But once you know what the movement feels like, aim to perform Kegel exercises daily.

I want you to breathe deeply and relax your body when you are doing these exercises.

Make sure you are not tightening your stomach, thigh, buttock, or chest muscles.

Some exercises place more stress on the pelvic floor than others.

So, it's important you learn what to do, and what not to do.

Discuss any concerns with your doctor prior or women's health physiotherapist to commencing exercise. This ensures that all exercises and activities are appropriate for you.

When you perform pelvic floor exercises you must use the correct technique to ensure maximum benefit. In my classes, as well as in my online program, I will show you how to effectively activate your pelvic floor muscles.

I will also provide you with pelvic floor routines that consist of short and long holds. I show when you are activating pelvic floors incorrectly. The key is to learn how to 'let go' and disengage your pelvic floor. Watch this instructional video below on pelvic floor.

Pelvic Floor Exercise Tips

1. Perform these exercises slowly, with control.

2. Think about gently activating your pelvic floor not 'squeezing' or 'clenching'.

3. Only complete as many repetitions as you feel comfortable doing. More is not better, it is all about quality and technique.

4. If you are unsure whether you are performing the pelvic floor exercises correctly, book in with a women's health physiotherapist.

5. A physiotherapist will be able to tell you if you are activating correctly. And whether there are aspects of your pelvic floor you need to work on.

Video on Pelvic Girdle Pain Exercises

Questions about Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Exercises

1. What are PF exercises good for?

By doing Kegel exercises you can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. This can help you manage or prevent physical problems such as incontinence. Incontinence is leakage of urine or stool that you can't control.

2. Can PF exercises be harmful?

Doing the exercises while you are urinating can weaken your pelvic floor muscles over time. They may even damage your bladder and kidneys. Also, doing Kegel exercises incorrectly may cause vaginal muscles to tighten too much. This can cause pain during sexual intercourse.

3. How long does it take for PF exercises to work?

It will vary for each person by women commonly experience results, such as improved urinary continence, within three to six weeks of regularly performing Kegel exercises.

4. Can you overdo pelvic floor exercises?

Yes! And i have a great interview with our Women's Health Physio why explain why too much is not a good thing.

5. How do you know if you have a weak pelvic floor?

The symptoms of a weakened pelvic floor include: leaking urine when laughing, coughing, sneezing, or running. Not making the toilet in time. Passing wind when bending over or lifting.

6. How will PregActive help me?

My weekly pregnancy health and fitness program includes pelvic floor workout videos, step-by-step instructions on how to correctly perform pelvic floor exercises and interviews from prenatal health experts. My progressive workouts will allow you to enjoy a speedier post pregnancy recovery.

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