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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask about your pelvic floor?

57 replies

Barnaclesbrother · 02/02/2018 20:15

A friend told me she has done pelvic floor exercises everyday of her adult life because someone told her age 15 it would improve her sex life!!! I was stunned! I missed this memo! I did them once or twice a week during first pregnancy, my pelvic floor was unsurprisingly a disaster afterwards, so I was a bit better for a month or two, but rarely do them since. Now I’m starting the second trimester with number two and I want to turn over a new leaf. So please telll me, do you do regular pelvic floor exercises, if so what do you actually do ... a few quick squeezes, long ones, how many, how often, any apps you’d recommend to help??

OP posts:
Pfftkids · 02/02/2018 20:56

I don't think many people can Grin get some kegel balls and try them to strengthen your muscles

BrazzleDazzleDay · 02/02/2018 20:59

We've all just done two minutes while reading this op so well done, will ya pop another thread up in the morning, and again tomorrow night and so on Grin

Mine isn't too bad, def not as tight, but have been brutalised 3 times with forceps so I'm quite forgiving of myself. I do tend to do them if sprawled on the couch though not as often now I must admit.

DickTERFin · 02/02/2018 21:01

I read something a while back by a woman who is an expert in vaginal health and she said something interesting.

She claimed that more often than a weakness in the pelvic floor, she sees women who are "clenching" to much and this is as bad and can also cause prolapses. She recommended doing both muscle workouts and pelvic/vaginal relaxation exercises.

I think she said something like, the vagina needs to strong and supple but not "tight" and the notion of tightness can be quite detrimental to pelvic health - I'll have a search around and see if I can find it again and post it up.

ChristmasAddict · 02/02/2018 21:08

I have two prolapses after a back to back delivery and had pelvic floor physio. She said my pelvic floor was actually fine, my issue is my fascia which she said can't be fixed. I have the Squeezy app so do them daily. I am also going to start swimming again as she recommended that :)

PinkElephant1 · 02/02/2018 21:13

OP can you link to the POGB website. I've tried googling but no luck. I suspect I also have issues!

PerryPerryThePlatypus · 02/02/2018 21:15

I had a great pelvic floor and d my excercises until after the menopause. About a year or so after my periods stopped I started not being able to hold a wee, jump, sneeze. All scans and examinations were fine. Apparently it's quite common.

Original poster
Barnaclesbrother · 02/02/2018 21:16

Pinkelephant - It’s POGP - pelvic obstetric and gynaecological physiotherapists...

OP posts:
WeShouldOpenABar · 02/02/2018 21:17

Dickterfin is right and I think over tight pelvic floors are overlooked. I heard similar advice as a teen and ended up with continence issues due to over tight muscles, every exercise I did to earnestly correct the issue made it worse. I have to take care to relax everything fully which is harder to do in as many discrete situations as it involves a lot of deep breathing

seizethecuttlefish · 02/02/2018 21:20

I'm pregnant and been meaning to do pelvic floor exercises. Thanks for the reminder. App downloaded and 10 long, 10 short done!

BrazzleDazzleDay · 02/02/2018 21:23

Well I never, overdoing it?! I have the weakest bladder ever, have a fucked myself over?

WeShouldOpenABar · 02/02/2018 21:26

Brazzle try and see a physio if you can, if not look up the sniff flop and drop technique and replace your pelvic floor exercises with it to see if it helps.

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 02/02/2018 21:28

I read that doing squats and having strong glute muscles was more important, I've certainly noticed a difference since I started doing more squats and no longer rush to put on a pad before a run Blush not in a hurry to repeat my last hcp assessment of my pelvic floor where she stuck two fingers inside me and told me to 'clench like I would if dh were inside me' HmmShockConfused very weird moment!

Lana1234 · 02/02/2018 21:30

I've not done them nearly enough as I should have done after giving birth 5 months ago. Midwife told me at the time to do them every time I was feeding DS as a way to remember to do them. Good idea but 100% did not remember to do them 😭

BrazzleDazzleDay · 02/02/2018 21:31

weshould I have been humming and hawing recently about going to see my gp about it, im 31 so its a bit ridiculous, have always had a fairly weak bladder though I guess. Even worse, ive done my back in and of course, my muscles do NOT work atm Angry

Sniff, flop and drop made me chuckle though... off to google

AdoraBell · 02/02/2018 21:33

I never did anything to help my poor pelvic floor until I started Pilates in my mid forties. It’s now awesome 😎 DD will be doing Pilates from next month, I won’t mention the sex aspect. They Do Not want me talking about sex, unless they instigate the conversation of course.

halfwitpicker · 02/02/2018 21:35

Never done them. Fanjos fine.

AdoraBell · 02/02/2018 21:38

Shock at that ZigZag

I had a smear done last year and the nurse made the mistake of letting go of the speculum to get the brush. The bloody thing made a cracking noise as it hit the wall Blush

bobstersmum · 02/02/2018 21:39

I bloody hate doing them! I feel like such a weirdo clamping my fanjo repeatedly for no apparent reason other than to stop my pee coming out when I cough or sneeze or to stop my womb falling out or whatever. I've had 3 babies and despite hardly ever doing them I think it's OK down there.

purplepandas · 02/02/2018 21:53

I am never quite sure what I am supposed to be doing. how the hell do you know if you are doing them right? I am sure I am not. My abs move and they clearly should not.

KatyN · 02/02/2018 21:55

I am so glad someone mentioned over tightness because I can tell me worst moment ever story..
I had my first child. Ventouse, prolapse, he had been in nicu generally life a bit shit. Was at physio having my lahlah examined and physio has a couple of fingers up to measure the damage. Baby then starts crying so physio rocks the pram with her other hand.
She then turns to me and tells me to try and relax.
After a few more sessions I teased her about how hard it is to relax in That situation,

As for pelvic floor, I do mine when my prolapse plays up. And if I have a cold and need extra strength from the sneezing!!

AdoraBell · 02/02/2018 22:02

Purple imagine you are stopping your pee midflow. That’s the pelvic floor.

Plaintrainrain · 02/02/2018 22:06

I do it about twice a week.
I squeeze for as long as I can,have a little rest,then repeat another 4 times squeezing for as long as I can with a little break in between each squeeze.Then I do 20 short squeezes with a break after,then repeat another 4 times.
The good thing about pelvic floor exercises is that you can do it whilst sitting down having a coffee.just squeeze whenever you think about it,then build it up to a regime.

JoeyMaynardssolidlump · 02/02/2018 22:09

Well have to say after 5 babies and now 49 my sex life is better then it’s ever been.

Never did pelvic floor exercises it’s all a myth.

Sort your man out or take control yourself and don’t rely on the physical. It’s the mind that counts Wink

Jenijena · 02/02/2018 22:10

When I saw a physio she said the best sensation is trying to hold on a fart, rather than a wee. Used the muscles in a different way, it’s more effective that way.