Basic ways to activate your pelvic floor muscles: Simple exercises for new mothers in the immediate postpartum period

From fairly early on, my midwife gave me activating pelvic floor exercises as homework. I tell you, I didn’t even know what day I was on, so thank goodness they’re so easy! Let me share some ideas here.

These are basic exercises that new mothers can safely start in the first few weeks after childbirth. By the way, it’s the pregnancy that weakens and stretches the pelvic muscles, so we all need to recover and retrain them, regardless of whether we had a vaginal or caesarean birth. Still, it’s probably best to consult healthcare professional to ensure it’s safe for you in your individual circumstances to start these exercises, and always listen to what your body is telling you about what you can manage!

For Ffffff Sake

The basic pattern of these easiest exercises has to do with breathing deeply and exhaling fffff or shhhh sounds. Do this while tensing the muscles ‘down there’ as if you were  holding in a wee or a fart!

The pelvic floor muscles apparently work in tandem with the diaphragm, so controlling your breathing and particularly using a little bit of effort to breathe out through an ‘obstruction’ with friction helps to activate them! You do sound low-key annoyed while doing this, though, so maybe warn your family members! 😄

Tiptoeing Back To Pelvic Health

After the pelvic floor exercises that required concentration on my breathing and what sounds I was making while breathing out, my midwife wanted me to “progress”. Now, in the immediate postpartum period, life with a newborn doesn’t really feel like it has enough time for much exercise… So imagine my relief when the new exercise went like this: stand up straight, then slowly pull your weight up so that you’re standing on tiptoes. At this point, I was waiting for the next step: what noise do I need to breathe or whatever. No, apparently standing on tiptoes uses not only the core muscles but automatically activates the pelvic floor, too!

Yoga-Inspired Pelvic Recovery Poses

To make the tiptoeing slightly more “complicated”.. Err.. I mean effective, you can do calf lifts, or use some simple yoga poses. The yoga positions “mountain pose” on tiptoes (in Sanskrit: “Tadasana”) or “toe balance” (in Sanskrit ”Prapadasana”) are apparently particularly helpful here. And the good news is that it’s easier to do the basic poses than pronounce their sanskrit names, so don’t be put off, even if you aren’t usually into yoga!

When, where, and why?

About 10 days after my C-section birth, I was encouraged to do some light pelvic floor exercises every day, to establish a consistent routine and gradually build strength. I found it best to make it a habit, just before brushing my teeth, otherwise I don’t think I would have managed to even think of doing any kind of exercise in those first postpartum weeks!

I’d say you can do the breathing exercises for ~2 mins a couple of times per day, right from the off. When it comes to starting with the tiptoeing poses, it’s best to start with shorter sessions, such as 5 minutes a day – especially in the postpartum period. This can help you get accustomed to the exercises and avoid overexertion when you’re still healing.

I managed to get into the rhythm of linking the the tiptoeing yoga-light poses to basic hygiene, like showering. Basically because that was about the only time I was alone and baby-free in the first couple of months after birth! But it also helped me to maintain the training frequency. Then, I could slowly increase duration as the weeks went on.

Overall, it’s important to listen to your own body and not push too hard, too soon. If you experience discomfort, pain, or any unusual symptoms during these exercises, please stop immediately and seek expert medical advice! In general, I’d always recommend talking to your midwife or doctor to find a rhythm that suits your individual situation.

And finally, the tip from my midwife and lots of friends who have older kids: We need to continue doing pelvic floor exercises regularly beyond the postpartum period! Like with any muscles, pelvic health depends on training! These little exercises can benefit women throughout their lives, not just during the recovery phase after childbirth. Pelvic health is vital for overall well-being, affecting urinary, sexual, and reproductive functions. Strong pelvic muscles provide support, prevent incontinence, and can thus enhance quality of life as you get older. So, the challenge is on to find ways to incorporate them into our long-term fitness routines!

Image by PatriciaMoraleda on Pixabay.

OVER TO YOU: What did you do after childbirth to recover your pelvic health? And what do you still do now?