Pelvic Floor Exercises

[jess32]

Hi Everyone!

I know this is going to sound odd.....although I have been completing my Pelvic Floor Exercises I am not sure that I am doing enough or properly, so can anyone please give me some advice in laymans terms what is the best and how often. I already have not great muscles down there so any advice or help would be much appreciated!!

Thanks Jess

[MantaRay]

Jess, due to the pressure baby puts on your bladder, it is very normal to "leak" during pg even with great pelvic floor muscles. So definitely keep up the PFE, but don't worry too much that you will always be incontinent if you are having leaks now.

The best way to check that you are doing them properly, is to put a finger in and try to squeeze it - or put two fingers in and try to squeeze them together. Sounds yucky, but if you do that and get a feel for what you have to do to squeeze your fingers, you will then know if you are doing them right from then on. If you can't squeeze your fingers and can't figure out why, a physio can help you to do them correctly. Basically you tighten all your muscles "down there" without squeezing your butt.

[Alan]

Hi Jess
this may be of some help to you

First get to know what it feels like and how to do it.
When you go to the toilet (for a wee) try to stop the urine mid stream, and hold it for a few seconds. Try to do this 2 or 3 times each time you go to the toilet. After you have mastered this the next step is to not only stop the flow of urine but to pull the urine out of the toilet and back into your bladder (not for real). You can imagine how hard your muscles would have to pull up to do this and that is what you should aim for.
When you know what it feels like and how to do it. You should do the same thing throughout the day. A good idea would be to use a prompt to encourage and remind you to exercise. For example, exercise every time you sit down and before you get up again. After a few weeks you will be exercising without even thinking about it.

And another way:-

Sit on a dining room type chair.
Spread your knees apart.
Lean forward so that you can feel your vulva touching the chair seat.
Now imagine that you have got diarrhoea and are not near a toilet.
Pull up your muscles in you bottom.
Hold your mules in that position.
Next try to lift your vulva of the chair seat by just using your pelvic floor muscles.
Hold that for 10 seconds.
Repeat this about 10 times.
You need to do this at least 8 times a day.