A Continence Foundation of Australia survey found 98 percent of women don’t do pelvic floor muscle exercises the recommended three times a day. And of the few who do, only half do them correctly. Yes that’s right, you should be doing them 3 times a day! So now you know you should be doing them, it’s time to start doing them – which can be done while seated, standing or lying down. *Lengthen your spine and relax your shoulders. Focusing on your back passage, lift and squeeze upwards and inwards as though you are trying to avoid passing wind, then bring that pelvic floor lift through to the front as though you are also trying to stop the flow of urine. *Lift and squeeze your pelvic floor for as long as possible, aiming to hold for 3-5 seconds, building up to 10 seconds over time. Your shoulders, buttocks, thighs, hands and feet should remain relaxed, and you should continue to breathe as normal throughout the lift. *Rest your pelvic floor for the same amount of time as your lift, before repeating. *Aim for up to 10 holds in one set. Repeat sets twice more throughout the day. A few points to remember: don’t hold your breath and don’t clench your butt, thighs or face. All the lifting and squeezing should be internal. Can you do it?

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* Start with doing your pelvic floor exercises daily. Standing, sitting or lying down. If you don’t know how to do this, book an appointment with a pelvic physio. Once you know you’re engaging the right muscles, tighten them as strongly as possible and hold for five to ten seconds. Try to do this three to five times per day. * Avoid high impact exercises: Running, skipping, jumping. Anything high-impact that puts too much pressure on your pelvic floor should be avoided until you have regained strength. Opt for pregnancy and post natal friendly exercise classes like Babes n’ Bellies, Baby Boot camp or Pilates * Avoid lifting heavy weights: Heavy lifting can put pressure and strain on your pelvic floor so this should be avoided when your pelvic floor is weak. This can cause further damage to your pelvic floor. * DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT, strain when you go to the toilet: This can put you at risk of prolapse so do your best to eat a balanced diet with fibre to avoid any uncomfortable toilet situations. * Drink lots of water for good bladder health: Your pelvic floor helps control your bladder so a healthy bladder makes this job easier. More questions or after more information? Email us on info@mpfp.net.au

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