When were you advised to start pelvic floor exercises

[KatyS36]

Hi all,

I'm 24 weeks into my first pregnancy. I have a fantastic experienced midwife who I trust but was surprised at her response when I asked about pelvic floor exercises - she said I didn't need to do them until after the birth.

I can't decide whether this really is the case, and its her expereince showing through, or whether on this subject she might be amiss. All her advice so far has bordered on the precautionary so I was quite surprised by this.

Advice please!

No one ever advised me to start doing them, but I think I started in the early stages of my first pregnancy, daily exercises, and I still do them every day six years later.

Your midwife is wrong. A strong pelvic floor can help with the birth and can help you get back to normal after the birth.

Whenever you think about it, do them - nearly every book will tell you to start during pregnancy. Even ignoring the function of these muscles during birth, when you're huge and need to wee every 5 minutes you'll be glad of a strong pelvic floor when you have to hang on, or when you cough or sneeze. My midwife first time round said start now, do whenever you remember, and carry on for life

Now, now, now, now, now!!!!

Seriously do them whenever you think of them as alana39 and belgo say!

They are about the most important muscle you can exercise and really good tone helps massively after labour.

What do people actaully do to exercise their pelvic floors?
I clench my internal muscles as if stoppong a wee half way through. I also actually stop the urine flow sometimes.

Does this sound ok?

houmous - stopping the urine flow half way through can lead to urinary tract infections as it can cause back flow of urine.

Look up in pregnancy books or on the internet for descriptions of pelvic floor exercises, or speak to a midwife or physio therapist.

The midwives who run the aquanatal class I attend say its never too soon to start - pre-conception if possible, although I'm not sure if they were joking on that one!

They (the midwifes at aquanatal) say to tense the muscles that you would use to stop yourself from having a wee / trump / poo and to imagine your pelvic floor as a lift, tighten and hold for a short count of 3, then tighten further, as if going up in a lift and hold for 3, then tighten one last time and hold for 3, then slowly go all the way back to 'ground floor'. It always amazes me how much extra tightening is possible!

Sparkly - I think teenage girls should be taught about the importance of pelvic floor exercises during sex education classes. It's all part of female health, pregnant or not.

Take it from one who has to change her knickers regularly throughout hayfever season - start NOW !! I never did any through my first pregnancy - what an idiot . Paying the price now..

puffylovett - I don't know if you are already having treatment, but there is a lot that can be down for stress incontinence including specialized physio. It's well worth speaking to your GP and asking for a referral.

Oh belgo, thanks - I never thought to ask about treatment, I just thought it was my own daft fault.

I'm doing them religiously with this pregnancy and I can feel they're getting stronger, but I'll deffo pop to the GP. Cheers

yes do try and see a physio therapist. Pelvic floor exercises taught correctly can be very effective.

Thanks all, I'm going to go with your advice on this one. My midwife did say she had no objection to me starting earlier, and I quite like skiing moguels

I like sparkleytwinklestoes idea. Do you do then sitting down or standing up?

I was told by my midwife to do them immediately. They prefer that you do them anyway even whilst not pregnant as this helps prevent stress incontinence.

Katy, you can do them either, but I find it easier sitting or reclining (e.g. on bed). You can do them when you're watching telly, driving, swimming (although that does take concentration not too drown ) etc etc

You can do them every time you think about it!

I'm so pleased you posted this. Everytime I logon and see th thread title I squeeeeze.

i do mine any time someone says 'pelvic floor'. It really is that pavlovian.

Oh and when I am getting jiggy I do it. Sometimes I literally count the clenches in my head.

That lift thing is well hard.

I will know when I have got good strength going down there because I will no longer wee when i do a big MS puke

Sympathy Sifuentes - I had that at the end of my last pg, the wee accidents - was most humiliating when poor DH was trying to look after me - the MS pukes were just so damn violent .

If you can't stop puking, the only tip I have is to make sure you drink lots and lots, as the liquid combines with the food and makes it easier for your body to get rid of it, resulting in slightly less violent pukes - and you make sure you have enough fluid of course! On the downside, your bladder is never empty.

You can't win actually, can you?

no but it's true bringing up lumpy food without liquid is truly awful. Mind you it's also awful when you get splashback!

ROFL !!! I forgot about that !! Luckily it's just the sneezing that's getting me at the mo - but the puking and splashback were definite causes of knickers changes a few months back

Lovely Ladies,

As females, we should all do Pelvic Floor Exercises every day, twice a day, our whole lives!

When you are pregnant, the relaxin hormone that allows your stomach muscles to stretch to accomodate your baby growing inside you, also causes all the muscles and ligaments around your pelvis including the pelvic floor to loosen too. So whilst you are pregnant, and until 6 months after you have finished breastfeeding (which is when the last bit of relaxin hormone is thought to leave your body), you need to do them 4-6 times per day! The more positions that you do it in, the better!

It's being female that predisposes you to a weak pelvic floor and being pregnant that exacerbates it!

Doing them now is putting them in the bank for later:)

Personally you should always do pelvic floor exercises regardless if you are pregnant or not. So not really a case of when you should start

I've been doing them whenever I remember since I got my BFP. Midwife and physio both advised starting as early as possible at my early pregnancy meeting and my aerobics instructor makes me do them when everyone else is doing sit ups