Pelvic Floor Exercise After Birth

 There are various conditions associated with pelvic floor dysfunction, including stress incontinence, pelvic or abdominal pain, sexual dysfunction (plus lack of sensitivity) and in extreme cases pelvic organ prolapse (when one or more of the pelvic organs move downwards into the vagina).   All of which can be treated by performing some very simple pelvic floor exercises as part of your after delivery exercise regime.

Many women believe that stress incontinence is part and parcel of becoming a new mother. However, this is absolutely not the case.  Not only is it an unnecessary sacrifice, it can also have adverse effects on both physical and mental wellbeing.  When we refer to stress incontinence, we mean a small leak of urine which occurs due to additional pressure being placed on the abdomen.  This can be caused by anything from a cough, to jumping up and down.  As such, many new mums stop exercising altogether and make changes to their daily routine to avoid embarrassment.  This not only affects fitness, it can be very demoralising and result in anxiety or even depression.  It is believed that one in three new mums will suffer with stress incontinence as a result of childbirth.  By toning the muscles it is possible to rebuild the strength of the pelvic floor, thereby regaining control over the body.

Strengthening the muscles in the pelvic floor can not only treat pelvic floor dysfunction, it also aids recovery and speeds up the entire healing process.  A common souvenir from labour is the bruising and swelling of the perineum.  Working the muscles in the pelvic floor improves blood circulation to the perineum, which effectively reduces this tissue damage.  Additionally, pelvic floor exercise helps to stave off problems in the future.  Regardless of whether or not you are struggling with a condition currently, your muscles will undoubtedly be weaker than they were prior to pregnancy.  Without performing postnatal exercises, it is likely that you will suffer some form of pelvic floor dysfunction during your lifetime.

After six weeks you will have your postnatal check.  It may be worth making an appointment with your doctor or physiotherapist prior to this if you had an assisted birth, experienced a severe tear, or were leaking urine in your first six weeks of pregnancy.  If, six weeks after giving birth, you are still struggling with manual pelvic floor exercises, are in any pain, or still leaking urine, it is essential that you tell your doctor.  Please don’t put it off; it may result in further complications.

Remember; don’t rush into anything too strenuous!  We know how much pressure new mums put on themselves to get back into shape, but be careful not to do too much too soon.  If your pelvic floor feels heavy it is important to slow down.  We know that your main priority now is your child.  However, in order to take care of them, it is essential that you keep taking good care of yourself!

How can I strengthen my pelvic floor postpartum?

You will almost certainly have engaged in pelvic floor exercises throughout pregnancy, and perhaps even beforehand.  However, if this is not the case don’t despair; it’s never too late to start!

If you’ve never exercised your pelvic floor before, it is essential to locate exactly where it is in the body.  The easiest way to do this is to stop yourself mid-stream next time you go to the toilet.  The muscles that contract to stop the flow of urine make up part of the pelvic floor.

Now you know exactly where they are, these simple exercises can be performed to gradually rebuild your muscle strength;

• Squeeze your anal passage as if restricting wind
• Squeeze the urethra as if stopping the flow of urine
• Whilst lying down squeeze the pelvic floor muscles, lifting inwards and upwards

Manual pelvic floor exercises can be carried out as soon as one or two days after giving birth.  You may experience a lack of sensitivity to begin with, but be patient and persevere; it won’t be long before you notice a change.

We recommend performing these exercises once or twice a day initially; however this can be gradually increased over time. If you experience any discomfort or pain, relax and try again later. It can take between three and six months to have you feeling like you’ve got your pre-pregnancy body back.

Kegel8 can help 

The Kegel8 Mother Nurture Electronic Pelvic Toner and Labour TENS is not only designed to strengthen the pelvic floor prior to pregnancy, it also delivers TENS pain relief during labour and rebuilds muscle strength after giving birth.  So, whether you’re planning a repeat performance or just want to get back to your pre-baby self this unit is the perfect choice to aid your postnatal recovery, whilst getting you in shape!

Although manual exercises are highly beneficial, they may not strengthen all of the muscles that make the pelvic floor. In fact, manual pelvic floor exercises target just 40% of this muscle group whilst using an electronic pelvic floor exerciser can target 90%. Manual pelvic floor exercises can also be performed incorrectly.  This can lead to increased pressure on the pelvic floor and abdomen.  Research suggests that over 50% of women don’t understand how to perform an effective pelvic floor muscle contraction.  If you are concerned about carrying out pelvic floor exercises after childbirth, our Kegel8 Mother Nurture Electronic Pelvic Toner and Labour TENS could be the perfect solution for you.

The Kegel8 Mother Nurture works simply with the insertion of a probe to strengthen and tone the pelvic floor muscles.  We recommend using once or twice daily for optimum results.