Pelvic floor exercises

[bagpuss]

Does anyone know of any other pelvic floor exercise apart from the stopping your wee in mid flow one??I have to go to the loo that often because of how much pressure he is putting on my bladder,that I am only dribbling when I get there,there's nothing left in me!!
I thought another type may be more practical,one that I can spend some time during the day doing,and feel like it is actually doing something!

How often should we be doing them for,and is it to late to start them now,as I am hoping that toning my pelvic floor up will help me during labour......

bagpuss xx

 

[sueh]

Hi you shouldn't do your pelvic floor exercises when your on the loo, apparently its bad for you??, you should first try the quick moves exercise, you can do these sittin, standing, lying or even squatting, simply just squeeze the muscles in a set of five quick repitions, as your muscle tone improves you can do them in sets of ten, keep doing this until you can't feel your muscles anymore or until you have reacehd 100 reps (build up to this gradually), then you can move on to tightening of the muscles, when you tense you just hold the muscle for one to two seconds, then release and repeat for a set of ten, you can build the time you flex the muscle from five to ten seconds, do these again about 100 times a day, obviously build up to this. The next stage is the elevator exercise - begin with a relaxed muscle (think of this as the first floor), slowly tighten the muscles as an elevator would go up to each floor, when you reach the top floor of your muscle slowly return to the first floor. Make sure you don't tighten any other muscles like your bum or your thighs, you should be isolating the interrnal muscles and not straining the other ones. At the begining your muscles will tire quickly but like any exercise they will get stronger over time, its not too late give it a go, save you the embarresment This not only helps when pushing the baby out, but it will definately improve your sex life

(i used to be a fitness instructor and i used to incorporate these in lots of post natal and antenatel exercises)

Good luck to you

 

[bagpuss]

Thats great sueh,thanks so much....as I was reading your post I found myself trying the exercises out at the same time I had to titter to myself!!!
I'm finding it a little difficult to try and isolate the pelvic floor muscles,I can feel my buttocks tensing a little at the same time,when I try to prevent that happening,I can feel my stomach tightening a little
I shall keep trying!!Thanks again!

bagpuss xx

 

[hayley]

sueh - you've caught my attention... just read your a fitness instructor and take post natal and antenatal classes.... can i ask a few questions pls...

i'm wanting to join a gym - what kind of classes can i go to? i'm reaching 24 weeks pregnant and didn't do any excercise before!!!! is it too late to start? i'd like to take a few gentle exercise classes and also go swimming.. then when baby arrives i'll start a few bums and tums classes to get my shape back....
x

 

[sueh]

Hi there

No probs, Hayley you can start now but obviously take it easy, the best form of exercise for you is swimming, as its non weight bearing and you can do toning exercises whilst in the water, lunges and squats etc (tone those legs up ready for childbirth), also you can do walking, start off at 10 minutes then try adding on a minute each time until your up to 30 minutes, try pumping your arms while doing it, remember to keep cool, try not to overheat and drink plenty of water.

You can also do weight training (not heavy weights where your straining but light weights) or you can use dyno bands (stretch bands), use the gym ball against the wall to do squats and sit on the ball and rotate your pelvic muscles, if you are weight training always get advice from a gym first. If i was you i'd do swimming (with a couple of toning exercises), walking and try aqua yoga or something like that - good luck let me know how you get on.

Remember take it easy and drink plenty of fluids!!!

Sue xx

 

[Lindsay]

I'm confused, I have heard about pelvic floor exercises but don't know how to do them, I am useless, I need to see a picture, lol!!

Xxx

 

[sueh]

You can't see a picture unfortunately as they are inside!!, sorry to be graphic but they are the muscles that you can grip with , oohh er if you know what i mean , i know you really shouldn't do this but next time you have a wee just try and stop the flow, this will be your pelvic floor muscles or kegal muscles as known in the states, once you have found them do them anywhere, at work, on the bus, doing the washing up, get them nice and strong ready for child birth and also you can do them straight away after childbirth too, try and make sure you do them as it helps control your bladder after, and definately improves your sex life

Sue x

 

[Lindsay]

Thanks Sue, I have been told that you have to lie on the floor to do them and raise your bum off the ground, I can handle what you are saying

Xxx

 

[hayley]

thanks sueh - i'll definalty give aqua yoga a try....

i started doing pelvic exercises the other day... did a few then forgot about them!!! when i do them i tend to tense my bum muscles too hard! if i start off doing pelvic toning lightly will i feel the benefit? in a few weeks will i be able to tense them much harder without feel my bum muscles are doing all the work?

x

 

[sueh]

Yes definately, start off lightly, try not to tense your bum, you will definatley feel the benefits in a few weeks, just keep at them, its like when you start doing sit ups you can only do a few intitially but as your muscles get stronger you can do a lot more!!, keep at them

 

[Dee1985]

i never done them after my first child wish i had of as im not the same down there any more....
but i kept forgeting then my midwife recomend

i make a lil game out of it like when im in the car every time i get to a red light do one and hold it till light goes green

 

[Rosebay]

Hiya,

just thought I'd add that DON'T panic if when you're lying in bed after labour and you try and squeeze your pelvic floor muscles it feels like there is nothing there to squeeze! We had a physio come to our ante-natal groups and she warned us that it might happen but even so it freaked me out! After just 24 hours I felt something return and after a few days I could do the kegels again. My pelvic floor wasn't that good during my pregnancy and it has taken me about 4 months post-natal to get to a point where I can sneeze and not brace myself which I was surprised by but it has got better with the exercises and I have been told that everyone you do counts! I do them when I'm feeding Elliott as I'm sitting down then anyway and can't do much else plus it's easier to remember!

+++

 

[SarahH]

I had an appt at the pyhsio the other day and she told me what to do for the Pelvic Floor excersises. I've been doing them wrong!!

Apparently the most effective way is to lie on your side with your back straight but knees bent. (don't laugh like I did - the pyhsio didn't find it as amusing as I did!!) squeeze your bum as though you are holding in a fart, squeeze your front as though you are trying to hold in a pee and lift your tummy muscles.

I was told to start doing 10 at a time for 5 second holds and build up to 10, 10sec holds.

Hope this helps!

S. xx