Surely if you do pelvic floor exercises through pregnancy and have therefore have a firm fanjo, you're MORE likely to tear???

[SpawnChorus]

This is what I was fretting about after my 4am pee. I've been religiously squeeeezing, and have never had bladder issues, despite having two big babies, but I'm kind of worried that my honed and toned pelvic floor is not going to be stretchy enough for DC3 and I'm going to tear again.

Is my thinking logical? Shall I stop doing pelvic floor exercises until after the birth?

[LionstarBigPants]

I think there is a balance. We were warned by Yoga teacher not to over-do them, but you still need some tone there because it is basically holding everything in - and your pushing will be more effective. If you do one or two 'rounds' a day it is probably enough.

[Picante]

No no keep doing them!

[MummyElk]

i'd keep doing them if you ever want to be able to sneeze without peeing/go on a trampoline/etc etc you know the usual stuff?!
You could try perineal massage if you're really worried about tearing, we quite enjoyed it for my first pg and in fact i think it was the only reason we actually had sex in the last few weeks?! TMI? sorry if so.
various discussions on this before but here's one thread i found about it
here
right. waffled on enough. hope that all makes sense! good luck either way though x

[HollyBunda]

keep doing them! The stronger your muscles the easier it is to push, and to CONTROL your pushing. It's usually those who cannot or don't control their pushes that end up tearing.
If you are aware of those muscles and use them to slow down or speed up your pushes, you are unlikely to tear.

[becstarlitsea]

Also, (and someone may knowledgeable might correct me) I think that it is supposed to help healing in case of a tear if you have toned muscles there - something about blood supply?

[SpawnChorus]

Oooh I'm a bit squeamish about the perineal massage thing. I'm feeling DEEPLY unsexy at the moment...in fact quite pathologically repelled by the very notion (sorry DH).

I suppose I really should try it though. Ugh.

Holly - I'm kind of worried about the whole controlled pushing thing. When I had DC2 he literally shot out with one or two humungous and entirely involuntary pushes. I couldn't have stopped pushing if my life depended on it. How can I stop this happening next time? (NB as far as I know my pelvic floor was also in pretty good nick when I gave birth then).

[Roomfor2]

I always thought this too!

But after DC1, I was complimented on how strong mine must have been as I hardly tore at all.....

I think the point is that if they are strong, they will be more capable of holding in the rest of everything that isn't supposed to move about (back passage, etc) while also letting the baby out... IYSWIM

[Roomfor2]

Complimented by the midwife, I should clarify, not strangers in the street...

[SpawnChorus]

roomfor2 - LOL!

[Beccabump]

in pregnancy yoga we were taught lots of strengthening exercises but also how to feel the muscles relaxing to help them 'open' iyswim?

[blinder]

my hypnobirthing teacher (who is also an experienced midwife) said focus on relaxing your pelvic floor, not strengthening it. Do the exercises after the baby is born.

I hope she's right - I haven't done any and I am due in 3.5 weeks!

[kitkatqueen]

I am pregs with no4 ( due in 5 days wooo hooo!) and I have not torn yet. and in spite of trying every time I cannot do pelvic floor excercises when I'm pregs. Literally makes me feel sick.

Osteopath gave me some good ones to do (elevator lift etc) when I was about 12 weeks, can not do them. Will just have to catch up on them once the baby is born again and no in spite of 4 babies in 5 years I don't leak and I can go on a trampoline when I'm not pregnant.

When I'm not pregs I do pelvic floor exercises during every nappy change and breastfeed

Just because it has worked for me doesn't really mean anything tho!

[kitkatqueen]

Thinking about it tho, with all the weight your pelvic floor is carrying during pregnancy should you need to exercise it? Surely its working hard enough as it is?.....

[ErikaMaye]

How do you "relax" your pelvic floor? I'd just about got my head round exercising it!!!

[happyquacker]

think tearing is to do with size of ahem 'the hole' not with pelvic floor (thats what i found anyway)
and crucially pushing when not having a contraction ***

[LackingNicknameInspiration]

becstarlitsea - I got told that doing pelvic floor exercises straight after the birth was the fastest way of helping stitches to heal - and yes, it was something to do with getting blood to the area.

Last thing I felt like doing though!!

[belgo]

Carry on doing your pelvic floor exercises. By doing them you are contracting and relaxing the muscle. A strong pelvic floor helps push the baby out effectively and efficiently and will help get the strength back after the birth.

Kitkatqueen - the pelvic floor muscles are put under a lot of strain during pregnancy and the exercises will help make them strong enough to cope.