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Prenatal exercises for Pelvic floor during Pregnancy

pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy

pelvic floor muscles during pregnancyIf you are pregnant, you certainly need information on pelvic floor exercise during pregnancy. Prenatal exercises for pelvic floor muscles can lead to easier birth and recovery, preventing uterine prolapse and leaking urine or incontinence.

Related Reading: Female Urinary Incontinence

During pregnancy there is increased pressure on the pelvic floor, and childbirth can stretch and damage the pelvic floor muscles. Also during pregnancy, hormones soften all the ligaments and muscles of the pelvic outlet so that the baby’s head can be pushed out during birth. It is important to do pelvic floor exercises to strengthen these muscles.

What is my pelvic floor? Why is my pelvic floor so important? How does pregnancy affect my pelvic floor? How do pelvic floor exercises help me?

pelvic_floor_muscles

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor consists of layers of muscle and ligaments that stretch from the pubic bone to the end of the backbone (coccix) and from side to side. Look at the red band in the picture and visualise it as a stretchy soft basket that supports your growing baby in the uterus. Firm, supportive pelvic floor muscles help support the bladder, womb and bowel, and to close the bladder outlet and back passage.

Why is my pelvic floor so important?

The muscles of the pelvic floor are responsible to bear the increasingly growing uterus during pregnancy, stop leakage of urine from the bladder and wind or faeces from the bowel. The muscles actively squeeze when you laugh, cough, lift or sneeze to help prevent any leakage. They also have an important sexual function, helping to increase sexual awareness for both yourself and your partner during intercourse.They are left weakened due to the excessive strain during pregnancy and child-birth and if left unattended may often lead to leaking urine or incontinence and/or prolapse among women after child-birth.

How can exercising the pelvic floor muscles help?

Exercising the pelvic floor muscles can strengthen them so they give the correct support. This will improve your bladder control and improve or stop leakage of urine. Like any other muscles in the body, the more you use and exercise them, the stronger the pelvic floor muscles will be.

Related Reading: Placenta Privia

When to start pelvic floor exercise?

You can start during pregnancy and continue after birth. You could learn to practice the Pelvic floor exercises from a qualified Prenatal exercise expert. They would also guide you about the Dos and Don’ts related to pelvic floor exercises to avoid any infections and related issues.
Do your pelvic floor muscle exercises every single day. Have faith in them. You should begin to see results in a few weeks if you are exercising correctly – but don’t stop then: make the exercises a permanent part of your daily life.
Related Reading: Diastasis Rectii (pelvic floor complications)