Pelvic floor exercises

You should aim to complete as many sets per day as advised by your specialist physiotherapist in different postures.

Long holds

Once you can do the above with ease. Try some small holds. Can you gently squeeze and lift and hold without holding your breath for several seconds and then fully relax and release.

Short holds

Your pelvic floor muscles also need to react quickly to sudden stresses from coughing, laughing or exercise that puts pressure on the bladder. So practise some quick contractions, drawing in the pelvic floor and holding it for just one second before relaxing. Try to achieve a strong muscle tightening with up to ten quick contractions in succession.

Tips

• Get into the habit of doing your exercises during normal day to day activities. For example, whilst cleaning your teeth or waiting for a kettle to boil.
• If you are unsure that you are exercising the right muscles, put your thumb into the vagina and try the exercises to check. You should feel a gentle squeeze as the pelvic floor muscle contracts.
• Tighten your pelvic floor muscles when you feel you might be about to leak -pull up the muscles before you cough, laugh, sneeze or lift anything heavy. Your control will gradually improve.