Do you need to strengthen your pelvic floor?

Pelvic floor exercises during and after pregnancy?

Boy do health professionals go on about it!

Well actually, 1 in 3 women wet themselves post-pregnancy from pelvic floor weakness.  Imagine if that was you? Maybe it is.  Basically we are those health professionals that thinks it’s a big deal and so should be thought about and brought into the forefront of women’s health, especially post-partum health when you consider the rates of pelvic floor trauma large or small.

So yes, it’s important and you are important and shouldn’t feel like there is no possibility of change.

When you pelvic floor doesn’t work (no sugar-coating)?

• leak urine when you cough, sneeze, lift, laugh or do exercise
• be unable to control passing wind (I actually had this while pregnant-t’was a tad embarrassing)
• feel an urgent need to empty your bladder or bowel
• leak bowel motion after you have been to the toilet
• have trouble cleaning yourself after a bowel motion
• find it hard to pass a bowel motion unless you change position or use your finger to help
• feel a lump in your vagina or a sensation of dragging (mostly at the end of the day), which could mean that one or more of your pelvic organs might be sagging down into your vagina. This is called pelvic organ prolapse
• painful sex

Don’t be worried though, despite this list.  You can work on preventing this stuff!

So what is the pelvic floor?

Basically, it’s a hammock type structure of muscle and other tissue that spans between your pubic bone at the front and your coccyx at the back.  This hammock supports your bladder, uterus and bowel.  It has 3 holes in it for the openings for each of the structures to the outside (like that was a mystery!)  Obviously we all would prefer this hammock to stay in good knick.  That least above is not so appealing!

COMMON MYTHS (are these your thoughts too?)

• Pelvic floor exercises are done by stooping and starting your wee flow.  So if you downloaded the test & exercises you would know this to be false.  It is a test that should no be performed more than once a fortnight!
• Now that I am pregnant, the damage has been done.  Simply not true.  We can and should practice pelvic floor through life.
• Pelvic floor muscles are easy to do.  You actually have to really concentrate to do them properly.  But it is worth not wetting yourself in public…right?

If you need to speak to someone about a pregnancy issue you are having, our Osteos are available for consultation.  
If this is something you think you need, call on 9859 5059