Hi this is Dr. Sigri Reyes and as a Women's Health Physical Therapist, I often encounter individuals seeking guidance on how to strengthen their pelvic floor. Whether you're recovering from childbirth, managing pelvic organ prolapse, or aiming to improve bladder control, targeted pelvic floor exercises can make a significant difference. In this blog, I'll share effective pelvic floor strengthening exercises and essential tips for promoting pelvic health. If you would like to personally speak with me about symptoms or questions in general I offer FREEl Consultations please call (240) 484-7757 or email: bumpfitandrehab@gmail.com
Understanding the Pelvic Floor: The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that form a supportive hammock at the base of the pelvis, playing a crucial role in bladder and bowel control, sexual function, and providing support to the pelvic organs. Weakness or dysfunction in these muscles can lead to various issues, including urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, and prolapse.
1.) Rest - Did you know the placenta leaves a dinner plate sized wound after delivery? That's why it's so important to take it easy and rest during the first few weeks postpartum! If that wound were visible everyone in your house would be tending to you! So don't feel guilty or rushed to get out of bed so early in the postpartum journey. During this critical healing period you may experience bleeding, soreness and major physical changes to your body. So do yourself a favor and slow down.
2. Breathing - It’s true what they say, you need to crawl before you can run and it’s no different postpartum. We need to learn the foundation (I.e. breathing correctly, improve mobility, relearn basic movement patterns, etc) prior to getting back to routine exercises, especially if they require heavy weights, high impact like running or jumping or even some calisthenics like push-ups.
If you recently had a baby and are feeling lost, not knowing where to begin your postpartum fitness journey, you’re not alone! Our healthcare system does a good job supporting pregnant women but fails to give us the help we need postpartum. Things that are considered standard of care in other countries, like getting pelvic floor physical therapy, just don’t happen here unless we ask for it ourselves.
3. Relax Pelvic Floor - A tight pelvic floor can happen before or after having had babies and can cause pain with s3x and contribute to leaking. 😬
Try adding these 3 moves to your bedtime routine to help relax the pelvic floor:
🧘🏽♀️elevated child’s pose (60-90 seconds)
🧘🏽♀️happy baby + rocking (30 seconds)
🧘🏽♀️body back expansion (12-15 breaths)
4. Stop Clenching - Want to look and feel better in less than 10 seconds? Stop ✋ clenching your butt!
Clenching your bum rotates your pelvis, tucking it like a dog tucks his tail. In this position, our trunk shortens and the appearance is that of a squished middle.
Feel like you can’t unclench your tush? Try purposely clenching your 🍑 and this should allow the glutes to relax.
Oftentimes I found myself doing this clenching habits randomly throughout the day like (early in the postpartum phase when my body is fighting to stabilize itself)
- pushing my hips against the counter when washing dishes or
- When holding my toddler and resting into my hip
Our bodies find ways to stabilize itself but if we never correct it or move out of that position then we don’t allow ourselves to get stronger.
Essential Tips for Success:
Consistency is key: Aim to incorporate pelvic floor exercises into your daily routine.
Proper technique matters: Ensure you are engaging the correct muscles during exercises.
Gradual progression: Start with a manageable number of repetitions and gradually increase intensity as your strength improves.
Seek professional guidance: Consider consulting a Women's Health Physical Therapist for personalized assessment and guidance on pelvic floor strengthening.
Conclusion: By incorporating targeted pelvic floor strengthening exercises into your routine and following the essential tips outlined in this post, you can begin to take action towards improving pelvic floor strength and function. Remember, patience and consistency are essential on the journey to a healthier pelvic floor. While the exercises in this post will help you to start improving your pelvic floor an in person evaluation with a Doctor of Physical Therapy is recommended to give you specific exercises targeting YOUR symptoms.
So schedule your FREE Consultation today, call (240) 484-7757 or email: bumpfitandrehab@gmail.com