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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

were you taught pelvic floor exercises on the ward?

37 replies

nankypeevy · 26/08/2012 20:56

I'm following up some thoughts from this thread earlier:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1546743-Who-here-actually-does-pelvic-floor-exercises

I'm a physio, and, when I was trained, back In The Olden Days, every new mum was seen on the postnatal wards and taught pfexs. I'm not saying it was really effective, the poor woman had been up all night in most cases - but it was (I think) more effective than getting a leaflet in your Bounty bag which seems to be the norm now.

Would you mind sharing whether you were actually taught pfexs, who did it, and what form did it take?

I've got a notion for a revolution - there's far too many women putting up with continence problems 5 years down the line...
tia

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
nankypeevy · 28/08/2012 14:17

Thanks guys, this has been really useful. I was at a meeting today about trying to get some funding for some research - and, I need to do my own research first to prove there's a need.

Seems that there's an inconsistency between what happens on one ward, or another (I'll be bookign onto your one next time, detective) women are aware and seek it advice (thinking of you, sailors) or they know theyshould be doing something, but aren't sure what that is, and they don't quite get around to it - most other people.

It's ridiculous. Why are we all putting up with this?

Still mulling.

OP posts:
cashmere · 30/08/2012 21:30

Nanky a few questions

How many counts of ten, flicks and elevators should we do in a set?!
Should we do ten counts of ten, then ten lots of flicks.... or mix them up?
How many times per day should you do them?

I've also heard it mentioned a couple times that you can do too many- is this true?
Thanks

umboo · 30/08/2012 22:43

i was taught for both dc1 and dc2. but the mw who taught me for dc1 included the full pelvic floor, including the back passage and i don't think many people do that.

nankypeevy · 31/08/2012 09:01

cashmere do one count of ten - it's important to keep the sqeeze on for the entire ten, you should feel your pelvic floor "drop" back after you let go. It's hard to do, usually you manage a squeeze and it gradually eases off during the 10 seconds.

So, one count of ten, ten quick flicks, and one elevator as a set.

There's not much good research into how many repetitions you should do - it seems that pf muscles train slightly differently to your other muscles, though, it's probably the difficulty of assessing and measuring what's going on that has led to the paucity of good information.

So, in the absence of any concrete guidelines - do as many as you can until you start to feel the muscle fatigue. If you get a tired fanjo, you get a free trampoline?

Do as many as you like. The reality is that we forget - there is a bit of work where people THOUGHT they were doing their exercises on the hour, every hour, but actually did them twice a day.

You'll not do any harm - over training is how a muscle strengthens, and you'll get pain in your punani before you over train, so you can't strain your pelvic floor. Or, at least, not by doing exercises...

Try to get an environmental cue - adverts/traffic lights/washing dishes/standing in a queue to prompt you to do them. And, fix in your head, "10, 10, 3" - hold for 10, 10 flicks and 3 floors in an elevator.

umboo that's a good point. There are two big muscles, both of which have the same function, but it can help to gfigure out what you are supposed to be doing if you think about your front and back passages - imagine you are trying not to let out a fart (first date) and trying not to pee yourself (golden anniversary date)

clench on, gals, clench on.

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 31/08/2012 09:08

Was taught by physio in NHS antenatal classes along with some core/posture stuff (in Scotland) plus in aquanatal classes.

NeedlesCuties · 31/08/2012 10:03

I had PFB 2.5 years ago, was told nothing about them in hospital, Comm MW mentioned them afterwards during home visits, but didn't tell me how.

Had DC2 in same hospital last week and had a physio come round with tips and a leaflet to come home with. Not sure if she just came round as this was my 2nd vaginal birth or if she spoke to all mums. I was in side room so didn't see her with anyone else.

cashmere · 31/08/2012 12:42

Thanks thats really helpful.

I'm 27 weeks and have set 3 reminders a day on my phone as I kept forgetting. After having DS I stuck little red dots around the house, (on mirrors, next to tv, door opposite toilet, fridge door, wall opposite bed) and it worked really well.

A few people asked what they were and I just said!
Moved house now so no stickers but will reinstate at some point!

onedev · 31/08/2012 12:45

Thanks for this thread as everything I go to Threads I'm On, I see this & remember to do them Grin

DamePhilippaTalbot · 31/08/2012 13:09

Nanky is trampolining good or bad for the pelvic floor? I have trampolined since school and started back 3 months after dc1, have now had 18 month break while ttc and pregnant, hope to start back in a few months when dc2 will be about 5 months. Have had 2 3b tears and no continence issues, but not sure pf is as strong as i would like - I do do the exercises daily since dc2 8 weeks ago, but cannot yet hold the Aquatone cone in at all.

PotteringAlong · 31/08/2012 13:19

I was taught as part of my discharge on the post-natal ward by a midwife - that was last December

albertswearengen · 31/08/2012 13:25

They couldn't actually come when an immobile woman pressed her button for help so quite frankly the thought of them actually telling us about pelvic floors is laughable. That was Edinburgh 4 years ago.
Plenty of breastfing helpers during the daytime so it might have been better if they had covered all aspects of recovery for the women rather than just breastfeeding.

stoatie · 31/08/2012 21:35

I'm a midwife - we use Perinatal Institute purple notes which have a question regarding post natal exercises. Therefore whenever I see women postnatally (currently in community)I nag ask about pelvic floor exercises a) are you doing any b) do you know how to do them. Invariably end up talking them through exercises, which as I cannot talk without doing as well, leads to a workout for my own muscles Grin

I also explain that stress incontinence is not an acceptable result of childbirth and that if they are having problems to mention it so that we can signpost to appropriate help/services.

Where I trained had a physio for post natal ward but sadly where I am now has cut this service Sad

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