These Pelvic Floor and Deep Abdominal Muscle exercises can be done in lying, sitting or standing position. Exercising from day 2 post delivery will aid in the healing and recovery of these muscles as well as reducing pain. Practice these exercises 3 times a day, more often as the strength improves.
Pelvic Floor Holds
- Tighten your pelvic floor muscles as if you are preventing the flow of urine from your bladder and lift up inside your pelvis.
- Hold this action strongly while breathing normally for 3-5 counts then relax.
- Repeat 3-8 times.
- Gradually increase the length of your hold as your strength improves.
- Establish good habits by practising your hold exercises after toileting.
Pelvic Floor Flicks
Same action as above, think about how quickly you will do it, squeeze quickly and strongly, release, relax, think and tighten again. Repeat 3x.
Transverse Abdominal Exercise
- Focus on lower abdomen, spine is long, with a gentle curve maintained in the low back, shoulders relaxed.
- As you breathe out, draw your bikini line in, gently and slowly towards your spine.
- Imagine your hip bones being pulled together. This is a very gentle tightening feeling.
- Hold for 5 counts, breathe normally.
- Repeat 5 times.
- As your muscle awareness improves, hold for longer but keep it gently.
- Remember to think of the string, lift door or balloon.
- Do this when walking - hold for 30 seconds.
Use your muscles functionally. Protect your back/pelvic region by working the pelvic and abdominal muscles together whenever you -
> change your body position, e.g. sit/stand
> lift baby, car seat etc
> laugh, cough, sneeze or blow your nose
> after emptying your bladder/bowel
> exercise.
For the first 6 weeks, focus on the above exercises and begin a walking program. Gradually increase the walking so that by 6 weeks you can comfortably walk for an hour, 3x a week. After that, you will be ready to participate in exercises such as yoga, swimming and other postnatal exercises. For the first 3 months, avoid high impact exercise, longer if you have back/pelvic problems or incontinence.
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