Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that help hold up your bladder, uterus, and bowel. These muscles are stretched during pregnancy and birth – which can
sometimes lead to weakness or dysfunction after birth.
Making your pelvic floor muscles will help with:
Better control when you go to the bathroom.
Avoid problems like organs moving down in your pelvis.
Help keep your hip and back joints steady.
There are 2 ways to squeeze your pelvic floor exercises:
Long Squeezes:
Take a breath in and then out.
When you breathe out, squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles. Hold it for 8-10 seconds, then relax.
Let the muscles relax before the next breath.
Do your long squeezes again. Rest between each one until your muscles feel tired.
Do this 8 – 10 times, twice a day.
Try to hold for 10 seconds, and repeat 10 times.
Short Squeezes:
Squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles fast and strong. Then relax and lower them right away.
Do this 8 times, twice a day.
If 8 times is too hard, start with 4 or 6 times.
If you had a tube (called a catheter) to help you wee, start these exercises after it’s taken out.
Try to do them three times a day. It might take up to three months for your muscles to get strong again.
Download the NHS Squeezy app to help you with an exercise guide and to set reminders
