Just how much pelvic floor exercise do I need?

[Cariad007]

I do about 30 repetitions every day, followed by about 20 quick squeezes and a few long ones. Is this enough or should I be doing more? I'm 33 weeks and although I've been doing the exercises for a few months now I'm aware that time is running away from me!

I have no idea how many but a bit of a silly question here....
How on earth do you know when you are doing them right?? I clearly have no pelvic floor at all (lol) as I can't figure out which muscles to tense.

Hold for a count of 10, then 10 quick flicks in a row, then imagine you've got a lift in your vag and take it up to the first, seond and third floors and then back down again.

Do that, three times a day, every day, until you die. Easy.

If you follow me @gussiegrips on twitter, I'll remind you (I'm a physio, it's not a random fanjo nutjob though, it's late o'clock and I'm wittering on about pelvic floors again

If you're not sure what you're doing - have a look with a mirror, you'll see the, erm, tissue, lifting up as you do the work. Or, mention it to your midwife, she'll be the person to chat you through it.

And, congrats.

That's about what I did with my first Cariad. I never got the lift thing I'm afraid despite trying. Didn't have any problems post birth so must have worked.

I don't do quite as many now as I only remember when driving but at least it's getting done everyday. Will take this thread as a reminder to increase!

On the same topic, does anyone know whether it's still important to do them if having a c section? Thanks

Pregnancy knackers your pelvic floor more than labour Chocolate so yes, definitely still important!

The lift thing is weird, Pasta. I teach people to imagine they've got the Borrowers up their fanjo, and, we're not sure why, but, the Borrowers need to get up to the top floor. Probably for the clearance sale, or something. To be honest, if you are doing the first two regularly then that will be good enough - the important thing is to DO them.

The stats are utterly depressing - a THIRD of women aged 35-55 pish themselves. #doyerblardyexercises has a cure rate of between 70-80%, that's of simple stress incontinence (so, no prolapse or other tricky things adding to the drama)

It staggers me that women just accept this as part of parenthood - especially when it can be helped so easily. Men wouldn't put up with it (mind you, men tend to ignore their dribbly, floppy willy until their mental health is broken)

And, yep, Chocolate, Rock's right. There is no statistical difference in the incidence of incontinence in women over 60 who have had vaginal birth and women who HAVE NEVER HAD KIDS.

Gravity and bad anatomical design - eventually, the whole shebang just falls out. Unless you #doyerblardyexercises!

Besides which, your sexual function's wrapped up with your pelvic floor. So, if you aren't too bothered about becoming a smelly old lady, seek motivation from the fact that a strong pelvic floor = astonishing, toe curling orgasms (ask me how I know)

lol at gussiegrips 'random fanjo nutjob* haha! i just followed you on twitter btw.
So you're recommending 1 hold x 10secs then 10 xflicks?

at the moment i'm doing 10x 4 second holds, 3 times a day. I can feel the muscles getting stronger, when i started off i could barely hold for 2 seconds, my fanjita must have been as loose as anything! shame!!!

Bit TMI, but I find the easiest way to check I'm doing it right it to stick a finger inside so that I can feel the muscles contract. At least I hope those are the right muscles!

As there seem to be some experts here can I ask a question too, please?

Should you hold off doing pelvic floor exercises in the first trimester? I did them religously from about 13 wks last time as was given this advice, and carried on pretty well until found out I was pg this time round. It feels odd to have stopped them, but as I'm now 12 wks am I safe to start again?

My midwife told me to start them asap (at my 8 week appt!!) so i reckon you're totally fine to do them now at 12 weeks, for sure!

I've been pretty rubbish about doing them - just kept forgetting. I'm now 36+3 and regretting not being a bit more on the ball. Is it too late now to feel any benefit, do you think?

Can we keep this thread bumped please?

Every time I see the word 'pelvic floor' I automatically clench... It's very useful

It's never too late MrsPatMustard (love your name!), get squeezing!

Someone also told me that squatting while doing PF exercises makes the relevant muscles easier to find.

It's never too late, it's muscles, if you exercise they will get stronger.

I also dnt know if I am doing them right? How to isolate them from the other muscles as [TMI ALERT]

When I pass wind I tend to leak wee as well I am 32 weeks and have been doing them religiously three times a day

Haven't even started them, I'm due June 1st, when would be the ideal time to start them .... Now perhaps?? Xxxx

I think the sooner the better. I wasn't as religious about them in earlier months but I am now.

Zinher, try sticking a finger in and squeezing. You should then be able to feel the uncles contract.

Muscles, not uncles!

I have heard that you aren't supposed to clench your bum muscles but AGAIN TMI ALERT I find that difficult to do. How do you stop that from happening?

The thing about pf exercises is that they are a bit odd. The scientific way method of bunging in a finger and giving it a squeeze works - though, it doesn't necessarily have to be YOUR finger, or, indeed, a finger. Call it bio-feedback, whatever motivates you is fair enough!

And, yep, you should be able to do the "lift" without your butt jumping about. Or, holding your breath, generally speaking, we like you to breathe.

If it's tricky to get the hang of it, try lying on your tummy with a pillow under your hips - that offsets gravity and will make it easier.

The aim is to hold for a count of 10seconds because there's a reflex inhibition of the urge to pee at 10 secs. So, it buys you time for when you're bursting in the supermarket queue.

Also, ANY leaking of urine is not normal. Obviously, being pregnant is an abnormal load on the muscles, so you can be forgiven that one - but, do keep doing the work. Honestly, it's a no brainer.

Go and google "vaginal prolapse" if you want a motivational image actually, don't do that

Those statistics are scary and interesting at the same time gussie. It's interesting to know it isn't childbirth and pregnancy per say but scary that so many people are affected by this.

Ah, well, pregnancy and childbirth increase the risk, Pasta.

Vaginal birth, especially if you need some sort of tool to delivery the baby certainly increases your risk - as does, bigger baby, longer pushing stage, multiple pregnancy, more than one pregnancy.

But, family history, your weight, smoking, heavy lifting and being hypermobile all have an effect too - so, it's perfectly possible that a woman in her 30s without kids, but from a long line of leaky ladies, who's too heavy, smokes like a lum, enjoys deadlifts and is also a gymnast - well, she's gubbed regardless.

Certainly, if you have your baby through the traditional route you are x3 more likely to be incontinent by the time your baby is 21 than if you had a section.

But, equally, if you have few other risks and you #doyerblardyexercises then you could have a whole brood and still be bouncing on a trampoline without a care in the world.

The thing is to actually DO them. Tricky, I know.

@gussiegrips - I tweet, you twitch your twinkle (baboom tssssh)

Here's a link to the latest evidence based advice. Splendid stuff.

pubmed link

oh no- so if it was a deadlifter before pregnancy it does not bode well??

i'm doing my clenches now! i've become obsessed!!
can definitely feel them getting stronger, although my butt is still moving in tandem. I have, at least, started to breath. Will try the pillow trick later.

Is there any merit to doing the 3 sets in a row, or are you better spacing them out? if we can manage it, is there merit to doing 6 sets a day or is it a waste of time? i peed when i sneezed last week. and i'm only 16 weeks on first pregnancy, not overweight and not a smoker. My fanny might collapse by week 20 unless i'm careful.