During pregnancy and after the birth of your baby, exercising will help you manage the changes occurring to your body to improve your general health. Following these exercises below will also help reduce or prevent aches and pains during pregnancy.
Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises/Kegels Exercises
The pelvic floor muscles sit like a hammock underneath your bladder, bowel and womb. During pregnancy, as the weight from the womb increases as baby grows, your pelvic floor muscles are working harder and at risk of developing pelvic floor dysfunctions. There are other factors that can increase the risk like having a vaginal birth, instrumental birth, heavy baby (more than 4kg), third- or fourth-degree tears and a long second stage of labour.
Helping your pelvic floor muscles recover with specific exercises will help reduce and prevent any symptoms.
Please use the Pelvic Floor, Deep Abdominal and Pelvic Tilting Video and the following patient information leaflet for advice regarding how to exercise your pelvic floor muscles.
For further advice on pelvic floor exercises please refer to:
NHS Highland Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise Information Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v731EXFR2k4
Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises Information Leaflet: https://pogp.csp.org.uk/publications/pelvic-floor-muscle-exercises-women
SqueezyApp for Information Leaflets and Videos on Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises: https://www.squeezyapp.com
Please click on the following link for further advice on Bladder, Bowel and Pelvic Floor Concerns
Exercises during pregnancy
During pregnancy, we recommend you keep as active as able.
If you were not active before, start slowly. We recommend daily walks, deep abdominal exercises and pelvic tilting to get started.
If you were already active and your regular activity is not a contact sport and doesn’t make you feel in pain or unwell, you can continue practicing it.
Finally, we have put together some more examples of safe exercises during pregnancy.
Please always consult with your Obstetrics Physiotherapist if unsure where to start.
Exercises after Pregnancy and in the Post Natal Period
Generally, walking, pelvic floor exercises, deep abdominal and pelvic tilting exercises are safe a day or two after the delivery of your baby.
Between six and eight weeks after having your baby, you may return to low impact exercise. Here are some examples.
Always refer to your Obstetrics Physiotherapist for advice and guidance for an individualized programme.
We recommend not starting high impact exercises until after three months from the delivery of your baby to give your pelvic floor plenty of time to recover!
Always refer to your Obstetrics Physiotherapist for advice and guidance for an individualized programme.