Tips for Mums
Some things for mums to try at home as soon as they feel able:
Whilst feeding your child, imagine you are trying to stop yourself passing urine or wind. Squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles (PFMs), closing and drawing up the three passages. Hold the squeeze for as long as you can up to 10 seconds and then relax. Do not hold your breath! Repeat up to 10 times. You can try this exercise when standing too, e.g. whilst washing up. It is also important your PFMs can react quickly to stop you leaking when you cough, sneeze or laugh. Tighten them as quickly and strongly as you can and then relax fully. Repeat this up to 10 times. Try doing both sets of exercises three times a day for the rest of your life. Tighten your PFMs before and during any activity requiring effort. Strong PFMs help maintain bladder and bowel control, prevent prolapse of the pelvic organs and they help to increase sexual enjoyment. Weakened PFMs are a common cause of mild incontinence and leaky bladder - read our notes here.
NB. If you are struggling to feel your pelvic floor muscles working; arrange a one-to-one session with one of our physiotherapists, as the muscle has often been so stretched during pregnancy and then childbirth that the sensory nerves in the muscle are not working as well as they could.
- Maintain your posture by using your core muscles: stand tall with your shoulders back, pull in your lower tummy and pelvic floor muscles a little way whenever standing or walking.
- Brisk walking is an excellent form of exercise. You can do this while pushing the pram or out shopping.
- Dance to music with your child. Children love to watch and are often eager to join in.
- If you take the children to school and it's within walking distance, leave the car at home. If travelling to work by car or public transport, park a short distance away or get off a stop early and make a brisk walk part of your travelling routine
- Play active games in the garden such as tag or catch.
- Take up cycling, swimming and tennis as family activities. Having friends and relatives with you to watch children can give you the time you need to do a few lengths in the pool
- We encourage mothers to enrol in a reputable Pilates class with qualified instructors to help with flexibility, breathing control, core stability exercises, pelvic floor, posture and body awareness.