Improving pelvic floor - what did you do?

[PelvicFlaws]

OK, name changed for this!

Disgracefully, first born DD's 2.6 now and I haven't done anything about it but I know my pelvic floor is weak and I'm worried I'm going to have trouble in the future. In my defence, I tore horifically and then my stitches tore again and I had to go around with an open wound (TMI alert - and yes, they couldn't do anything) for ages while it healed. It was so bloody depressing. Gah!

What can I do now? Anyone used any of those devices? The kegel excercising things? And would you recommend?

Thanks!

Thanks for the reply gussiegrips - love your name btw, now that I get it

I definitely got the 'bulging' when I was coughing so badly with my chest infection. Don't get it so often now I will remember the awfulness time of that to spur me on with my exercises.

Interestingly (to me anyway) after reading this thread on Saturday, I notice that if I am about to sneeze or cough when I am walking around I stop and clench my thighs together - not quite crossing my legs but the same effect. I hadn't noticed I felt the need to do that before. I remember my mum doing that when I was younger and wondering what the hell she was doing but now I know!

Yes, thanks for the response gussie, i always thought you had to do ten 10-second clenches which is very difficult/boring/i lose count/i forget what i'm meant to be doing. One ten second clench is much less onerous.

So to confirm - one ten-second-clench, ten one-second clenches and one lift going up and down three floors. I think i can manage this .

Pantone - yep, definitely! There's no difference, from a physiological point of view, between using Adult Thingies and Medical Thingies. Some folk find it less embarrassing buying something from Anne Summers than from Boots - who cares? Just as long as it makes you #doyerblardyexercises.

Bertha - yep, using the muscles that make your thighs clench will in itself also make your pelvic floor muscles contract. Clever you!

If you get inot the habit of clenching your bits every time you sneeze it cuts down on the leaking.

Janek - there's not actually one agreed "prescription" for exercises. As long as you are doing fast and slow twitches you'll improve. and, yep, what you wrote is what I meant.

10, 10 3 works because it's easy to remember and covers all the muscles. "We won't pee with a 10, 10, 3"

Am working on my book...

I had really bad stress incontinence after my 2 dss were born... Going back to dancing helped a bit, but I've recently started cycling and that seems to have helped tremendously. I managed to actually jump on the kids trampoline the other day..

I'm going to try what gussie recommends though, I deffo don't do enough kegels.

All the women I run with wear running knickers or proper running shorts. No-one ties anything round their waist. Surely that would slow you down and make you faff about.

I don't quite get the tampon idea. Surely a tampon goes up your fanjo but the wee comes from another bit?

Ach, I was being a bit facetious, Andy. But, about 30% of female track athletes who haven't had kids report themselves as having experienced stress incontinence regularly.

Athletes have a surprisingly high incidence - and very few of them seek help. It depends on the sport, but trampolining/long jump/gymnastics - about 80% incidence. I find that really shocking.

Tampon works because it sits in your vagina and the neck of your bladder sits on the other side of your vaginal wall - so it's a bit like a splint wodging everything in place. So, when you run the neck of your bladder is supported by the tampon pushing up from inside your vagina, therefore the downward pressure is less. These women notice they leak less when using a tampon, so use it even if not menstruating. It does work - but, obviously, can be a little drying which isn't awfully comfortable, and, potentially, could cause thrush etc. even mentioned on NHS website

Gussie - I'm being facetious too, because I'm so annoyed with this problem. Sorry for being a sarcy mare.

OP - how are you getting on?

Interesting gussiegrips - I found a mooncup had the same effect, but without the drying.

Sawraight, Andy. Not sarky, and it is a horribly wearing problem - I do understand.

Good luck today.

Now, all of you - go and #doyerblardyexercises!