Midwifery 101: Pelvic Floor Exercises

Also known as the “invisible workout” (no one can tell when you’re doing it!), pelvic floor exercises are easy to fit into your day to day routine. This post will hopefully teach you how to make the most of your pelvic workout.

Pelvis floor disorders such as incontinence are strongly associated with women and pregnancy, with 34% of women reporting some incontinence postnatally.

There is significant evidence that pelvic floor exercises can help to prevent incontinence, especially if practiced during your first pregnancy.

So how is it done?

You can do this exercise whilst stood, sat or lying down.

Imagine that you’re trying to stop yourself from doing a wee and passing wind. It should feel like you’re drawing the muscles up and inward, like there is a string pulling them up.

Try and hold the muscles up for around 10 seconds, breathing normally, then relax. Don’t worry if you can’t manage the whole 10 seconds, it will come with practice!

Repeat this up to ten times, three times a day for optimum pelvic training.

Top tips:

Remember to breathe normally throughout, never hold your breath!

Try not to squeeze your legs together or over-tighten those buttocks.

You should feel your lower tummy muscles tightening too, this is good.

Be gentle, raise the muscles nice and slowly.