Pelvic floor strengthening device thingies

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

I feel like I have tried my darndest to improve my pelvic floor. Quick history:

4.5yr old DS was born very rapidly with forceps - episiotomy and 3c tear.

Had a year of women’s physio to try and sort things out, initial problem being couldn’t actually get anything IN to the vag (consensus was that the nerves/muscles weren’t working properly from the shock) - had to use vaginal dilators etc 🤢

Religious pilates - my instructor has given me a personalised plan focussing on pelvic stability and the pelvic floor but I just can’t do it. Nothing is improving 😭

Even tried an exercise class at the local trampolining park, thinking that if I just power through bouncing while weeing myself, after a few weeks things would surely strengthen up. Nope!

Anyway do these devices that strengthen your pelvic floor actually work?? And if so any recommendations? They are SO expensive so I’m reluctant to get one but I have a cough at the mo and I can’t face wetting myself through another whole cough and cold season 😭

Go back to your physio and get another do-able plan.

I’ve spent £££ on physio after a traumatic birth and it helped a lot. There are different exercises if you can’t get on with one, you do need to go back and get another set of exercises. Constant attention is the only way to regain continence.
The exercises can be difficult as they’re so tiny and you need more help to isolate the muscles imo.
Good luck with it- it’s a familiar / embarrassing journey for a lot of us.

Whatever you do DON’T get a jade egg from Gwennie on Goop.

I have a Kegel 8 machine, and it definitely works. I was nowhere near as battered as you are though (I am so sorry, you poor thing). Might be worth giving them a call to discuss? They are expensive, but assuming you are no older than 50, you potentially have 30+ years of incontinence ahead if something doesn’t change. That has got to be worth something to avoid!

Thank you both! Yes I’m 29 so don’t want to be weeing myself for another 50 years!

It became really tricky to get to my physio appointments - trekking to the hospital, I&d either have to take my 1 year old with me (I have another child now, 4 year old is at school of course) or find childcare for him. Unless I find a private physio, I suppose they might have more flexibility, but I would probably end up spending more than a machine costs.

My mid PF muscles seem fine, back are OK but I do have urgency every day - I can’t hold it in.... front muscles I.e. urinary muscles - I have absolutely no control stress-incontinence wise, but no urgency thankfully - I can hold a wee in somehow
. But I absolutely cannot make those muscles move, they are so weak.

Bump? :)

I've used one of these for years and really think they are worth it, not on their own, but in addition to daily standard pelvic floor exercises.

If you can I'd recommend seeing a Women's Physio first. They should assess you and then can advise on exercises and regarding the machines. My physio set a programme tailored to me on the machine that I use.

You should then be able to go away and get on with it and then check back in with them every few months.

I wish you all the best.

Thanks Aniseed. Maybe I need to pay out for both then - machine and physio! And pilates! 😄 aaagh. Surely worth it though in the long run.