How to do pelvic floor exercises

Pregnancy and childbirth can place a huge amount of pressure on the pelvic floor, and recovery can look different for everyone. Alongside pelvic floor exercises, understanding how these muscles work and how to support them postpartum can make a real difference.

Pelvic floor exercises are frequently discussed on the Mumsnet forum as a beneficial tool to manage incontinence, support recovery after childbirth, and maintain pelvic health during ageing.

Read on for guidance on pelvic floor recovery, symptoms to look out for, and when to seek extra support, with expert advice from Elodie Poissenot, Women’s Health Physiotherapist at My French Physio.

What and where is the pelvic floor?

Women’s Health Physiotherapist, Elodie Poissenot, explains, “The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues that sit at the base of the pelvis, like a supportive hammock. It holds up the bladder, uterus and bowel, and plays a key role in everyday functions - from bladder and bowel control to core stability, sexual function, and managing pressure when you cough, lift or run.”

What happens to your pelvic floor during pregnancy and childbirth?

According to Poissenot, “During pregnancy, a lot changes. Hormones make the tissues more elastic, but also less supportive. As your baby grows, the increasing weight places more load and stretch on your pelvic floor. At the same time, posture and breathing adapt, which can change how pressure is managed through your body.”

She adds, “Childbirth then has its own impact. With a vaginal birth, the pelvic floor can stretch up to 2.5 to 3 times its normal length. There may be tearing or an episiotomy, which can lead to some muscle weakness or scar tissue affecting how well the muscles work. In some cases, nerves can also be compressed, making the pelvic floor feel less responsive or even numb for a while.

“With a C-section, there’s no vaginal stretching, but that doesn’t mean the pelvic floor is unaffected. It has still carried the load of pregnancy, and can sometimes remain quite tight or overactive if it hasn’t been able to fully relax. On top of that, abdominal surgery impacts the core muscles, which normally work closely with the pelvic floor for support.”

Join the conversation

Start a new discussion about your postpartum journey and get support from the Mumsnet community

What are pelvic floor exercises?

Pelvic floor exercises (sometimes called Kegels) are exercises that help improve pelvic floor function, and they can also help during childbirth and postpartum recovery. But they don’t just relate to pregnancy. According to Poissenot, "Pelvic floor exercises can help significantly with symptoms like incontinence, prolapse, and painful sex - but the mechanism depends on why the symptoms are happening."

How do you know if you’re doing pelvic floor exercises correctly?

As Poissenot explains, “Doing pelvic floor exercises correctly should feel subtle, controlled and coordinated with your breathing, not like a maximal ‘clench everything’ effort.

A correct contraction often feels like:

A gentle lift and squeeze internally as if the muscles are closing and lifting around the vagina/anus
A drawing upward rather than pushing down
Lower tummy gently engaging naturally (very gently and always soft - no hard tension or bulging out)
Normal breathing continuing (exhale when you squeeze; inhale when you relax).

It should not feel like:

Bearing down or pushing
Buttocks gripping hard
Inner thighs squeezing together
Holding your breath
A strong abdominal brace
Pain or cramping.

One of the most important parts is also the relaxation phase. After the contraction, you should feel the pelvic floor fully let go and soften again. The muscles need to move through their full range at every squeeze.”

Pelvic floor exercises: step by step

You can do pelvic floor exercises whether you're sitting, standing or lying down - whatever feels most comfortable for you. According to the NHS, you should do a combination of long and short squeezes. Pelvic floor exercises can be done as follows:

Long squeezes

Tighten the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine. Imagine lifting the muscles up and in towards your vagina
Hold the squeeze for up to 10 seconds while breathing normally
Relax the muscles fully and breathe normally for 5 seconds
Aim to repeat 10 times, fully relaxing in between each contraction

Short squeezes

Squeeze your pelvic muscles tight and hold for 1 second
Relax the muscles fully and breathe normally for 5 seconds
Aim to repeat 10 times, fully relaxing in between each contraction.

How long will it take for pelvic floor exercises to work?

If you do pelvic floor exercises regularly, you should begin to notice the results within a few months. Stay consistent and carry on doing your exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, even when you notice them starting to work.

When should I start doing pelvic floor exercises?

You can start gently as soon as you feel comfortable. Pelvic floor exercises can benefit many women, whether pregnant or not, and you can do these exercises anywhere, whether you're lying in bed or brushing your teeth.

The benefits of pelvic floor exercises aren’t just limited to postpartum recovery. Keeping the pelvic floor healthy and functioning well can help support bladder and bowel control, and may also enhance sensation during sex for some people.

Starting pelvic floor exercises before or during pregnancy may help reduce the risk of urinary leakage during and after pregnancy.

During pregnancy and birth, the pelvic floor muscles also help support the bladder, bowel and growing baby. After childbirth, gentle pelvic floor exercises may help support recovery by improving circulation and restoring muscle function.

Stopping peeing mid-flow can occasionally be a useful way to identify your pelvic floor muscles, but it shouldn’t be used as a form of exercise.

How often should I exercise my pelvic floor?

Pelvic floor exercises work best when done regularly and consistently, but it’s important not to overdo them. Aim for a few short sessions throughout the day, focusing on both tightening and fully relaxing the muscles afterwards. According to the NHS, “You should aim to complete 10 of each exercise (10 long and 10 short squeezes) 3 times per day. You might not to be able to do this straight away, but you can build up to it.”

Because the exercises are subtle, they can easily fit into everyday life. Linking them to a daily habit can make them easier to remember.

It’s also important to remember that pelvic floor health isn’t only about strengthening. Learning how to properly relax the muscles matters too, particularly during pregnancy and birth when the pelvic floor needs to release as well as contract.

Signs your pelvic floor may need extra support postpartum

As Women’s Health Physiotherapist Elodie Poissenot states, “Some pelvic floor changes are very common after pregnancy and birth but ‘common’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘normal’ or something you have to live with long term.

The most common signs that your pelvic floor may need support postpartum are:

Urine leakage when coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, or lifting
Feeling a heaviness, dragging, or ‘tampon falling out’ sensation in the vagina (possible symptoms of pelvic floor prolapse)
Difficulty holding gas or bowel urgency
Pain with intercourse or inserting tampons
Ongoing pelvic pain, tailbone pain, or hip discomfort
A feeling of weakness or instability in the core
Persistent abdominal separation (diastasis recti) with poor tension through the midline
Constipation or needing to strain a lot to empty bowels
Feeling like you can’t fully empty your bladder or bowels
Pressure that worsens by the end of the day or after exercise
Lower back pain associated with weakness or pressure symptoms
Overactive pelvic floor symptoms: difficulty relaxing, painful exams, urinary urgency/frequency.

Some signs are more subtle too:

Avoiding jumping/running because it 'doesn’t feel right'
Needing to cross legs before sneezing
Feeling disconnected from your core or pelvic area
Fear of movement after birth.”

Do pelvic floor exercises really work?

For many people, yes - pelvic floor exercises can be very effective when done correctly and consistently. They can help improve bladder control, support recovery after pregnancy and birth, and reduce symptoms such as leaking or heaviness.

But everyone’s body is different, and pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t always caused by weakness alone. If your symptoms aren’t improving, or exercises feel uncomfortable, it’s worth speaking to your GP or a pelvic health physiotherapist for tailored advice.

How do pelvic floor exercises help with issues like incontinence, prolapse or painful sex?

Poissenot advises, "Pelvic floor exercises can help significantly with symptoms like incontinence, prolapse, and painful sex - but the mechanism depends on why the symptoms are happening. Pelvic floor rehab is much more than just tightening muscles.

For stress incontinence (leaking when coughing, sneezing, running, jumping), pelvic floor training helps by:

Improving muscle strength and endurance
Improving timing and reflex contraction during pressure increases
Supporting the urethra and bladder neck better
Improving pressure management with breathing and core control.

For urgency/frequency, the approach is often different:

Relaxation and down-training
Nervous system calming
Bladder retraining
Reducing pelvic floor overactivity.

Pelvic floor muscle training is considered first-line treatment for postpartum and mild-to-moderate stress urinary incontinence, with good evidence showing significant improvement or resolution for many people when exercises are done correctly and consistently.

With prolapse, exercises do not usually “pull organs back up” dramatically, but they can:

Improve muscular support
Reduce downward pressure
Improve symptoms of heaviness/bulging
Improve confidence and function during exercise and daily activities
Help the body manage load more efficiently.

Pelvic floor rehab can meaningfully reduce symptoms and improve quality of life, especially in mild-to-moderate prolapse. Severe prolapse may still require pessary support or surgery.

Painful intercourse postpartum is often linked to:

Overactive/tight pelvic floor muscles
Scar sensitivity
Hormonal dryness (especially breastfeeding)
Fear/guarding after birth trauma.

In these cases, treatment focuses less on strengthening and more on:

Relaxation
Desensitisation
Breathing
Manual therapy
Mobility
Gradual exposure
Restoring normal tissue movement.

Too many Kegels can sometimes worsen painful sex if the pelvic floor is already overactive."

When should you see a pelvic floor physiotherapist?

According to Poissenot, “Pelvic floor physiotherapy helps assess how the pelvic floor and surrounding system are functioning, not just whether the muscles are ‘strong.’ It can be extremely valuable postpartum because many symptoms that people assume are ‘normal’ after birth are actually treatable.

A pelvic health physiotherapist may assess:

Pelvic floor strength/relaxation
Coordination and timing
Breathing mechanics and pressure management
Core function and diastasis recti
Scar mobility (C-section or perineal scars)
Posture and movement patterns
Bladder and bowel habits
Exercise tolerance and return to sport.

Treatment is tailored to the individual and may include:

Pelvic floor strengthening
Relaxation/down-training for overactive muscles
Breathing and pressure management
Manual therapy
Scar work
Core rehabilitation
Return-to-running or return-to-sport progression
Advice around bowel habits, lifting, and daily activities.

A big misconception is that pelvic floor physiotherapy is only for severe symptoms. In reality, early assessment can:

Prevent symptoms worsening
Improve recovery confidence
Help people return to exercise more safely
Address issues before they become chronic.

You should consider seeking professional help if you have:

Urine leakage or anal leakage
Heaviness, dragging, or bulging sensations
Pain with intercourse or tampon use
Pelvic pain or tailbone pain
Difficulty emptying bladder or bowels
Persistent abdominal doming or core weakness
Fear of movement or exercise postpartum
Symptoms stopping you from running, lifting, or daily activities
Ongoing pain around a C-section or perineal scar.

There is no need to wait until six weeks postpartum if symptoms are significant. I recommend at least one postpartum pelvic floor assessment for anyone who has been pregnant (including after C-section) because pregnancy itself changes the pelvic floor, abdominal wall, breathing mechanics, and pressure system.”

About the expert

Elodie Poissenot is a Women’s Health Physiotherapist at My French Physio

About the author

Laura Westerman is Deputy Head of Content at Mumsnet, where she oversees pregnancy and baby content and specialises in creating expert-led parenting guides and reviews. With more than 10 years’ experience as an editor and writer, Laura has developed particular expertise in pregnancy, postpartum, baby products and infant safety, combining in-depth research with insights from parents and healthcare professionals to help families make confident, informed decisions.