Pelvic Floor Strengthening

Get your pelvic floor muscles back in shape! Pregnancy and childbirth have a significant impact on the state of your body, and the pelvic floor muscles in particular can already feel the pressure and strain of a growing baby bump during pregnancy. After childbirth, there may be a general weakening of the muscles, which need to be brought back into shape. Read our tips on how to actively strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and relieve incontinence, prevent haemorrhoids, improve your sexual experience or prevent back pain, which usually takes its toll with the arrival of a baby.

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor consists of a group of muscles in several layers that line the lower part of the pelvis and protect the internal organs. They also form the external sphincters of the urethra, rectum and vagina.

Muscles of the pelvic floor:

• help organs to function properly,
• prevent the uterus from dropping (called a uterine prolapse),
• contribute to correct posture,
• support the proper function of the menstrual cycle,
• involved in the sexual pleasure of women,
• affect the course of childbirth and may also affect pregnancy.

When does pelvic floor weakening occur?

In the later stages of pregnancy and after childbirth, pelvic floor loosening occurs, which results in several difficulties. Most often it affects women who have given birth to a baby with a higher birth weight, multiple babies, or pushed for a long time during childbirth or delivered by caesarean section.

However, problems with weakened pelvic floor muscles can also occur in older women, especially during menopause, when levels of the hormone oestrogen drop, causing the pelvic floor muscles to relax. Sedentary jobs, obesity or long-term stress can also affect their condition.

How to identify a weakened pelvic floor?

Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Incontinence or leakage of urine, for example, when laughing, coughing, walking and exercising.
• Pain in the hips, tailbone, pelvic region or loins may occur without an obvious cause, yet they too may be the result of weakened muscles.
• Leakage of faeces can indicate flaccid sphincters, which can result in traces of faeces on the underwear, even with perfect hygiene.
• Repeated discomfort and pain in the urinary and genital tract.
• A frequent sensation to urinate, which can manifest itself both day and night.
• Feeling too open or stretched (for example, during intercourse).

Tip: However, if you experience pain during sex, your pelvic floor may be tight and we recommend consulting your physiotherapist.

When to start pelvic floor strengthening?

It is ideal to start taking care of the pelvic floor before pregnancy, but even during pregnancy the muscles can be effectively trained.

• In pregnancy, pelvic floor strengthening can affect not only premature incontinence but also the course of labour itself. However, pelvic floor exercises in pregnancy should only be performed up to the 35th week of pregnancy, and after 36 weeks, vaginal aids such as a special balloon with a pump should be introduced.
• After childbirth, it is better to wait until after the sixth week of life before you start pelvic floor strengthening.
• With unwanted leakage of urine, which is not avoidable by both older and younger people, and those not only after childbirth. You only need to exercise your pelvic floor for a few minutes a day and any problems can be significantly improved.

Aids for pelvic floor strengthening

Wondering how to strengthen your pelvic floor in the comfort of your home? You can try Kegel exercises for women or use popular vaginal aids for strengthening the pelvic floor in pregnancy and after childbirth, with which regular exercise will go without saying.

• Special antenatal balloon - this is an inflatable balloon made of medical silicone, which gradually increases the elasticity of the perineum by inflating. It is used to strengthen the pelvic floor in pregnancy until the birth itself.
• Venus Balls - a simple gadget for quick pelvic floor strengthening and effortless exercise.
• Yoni Egg - a pelvic floor strengthening device that works on a similar principle as the Venus Balls. A semi-precious stone on a leather cord is inserted into the vagina, where it actively places a load on the pelvic floor and thus strengthens it. They are usually made of natural materials that require thorough maintenance.
• Vaginal dumbbells and cones - these are small weights in the shape of a tulip bulb or tampon with a loop for easy removal from the vagina. You can find several sizes and types on the market for effective strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles both before and after childbirth.
• Pelvic Floor Strengthener - a specially developed tool to strengthen the pelvic floor after childbirth, which, like the Venus Balls, works on the basis of gentle vibrations.

Tip: A loose pelvic floor after childbirth is quite a common problem. Until these difficulties improve, you can use sanitary products such as incontinence pads or underpants.

Inflatable balloon before childbirth

Popular pelvic floor strengthening aids include an anatomically shaped balloon with a pump. It is a medical device that helps prevent the need for an incision during childbirth, activates the pelvic floor and facilitates recovery after childbirth. Its great advantage is also the support of intuitive behaviour during childbirth. Aniball and EPI-NO are the most common brands on the market.

How to use the balloon before and after childbirth?

• First, carefully read the instructions directly from the manufacturer of the aid.
• Exercising with a balloon for pregnant women is advisable to be initiated after the 36th week of pregnancy. You can also use it until childbirth and then finally six weeks after childbirth to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
• In the beginning, we recommend exercising lying on your back with your knees bent or lying on your side. Later you can also train while kneeling or squatting. Feel for yourself what position is most comfortable for you.
• Coat the deflated balloon with a layer of lubricant gel and then insert it into the vagina.
• If the deflated balloon in the vagina does not cause discomfort or pain, grip the pump and inflate.
• The size of inflation is very individual. However, try to inflate the balloon a little more with each session.
• To effectively exercise the pelvic floor, it is quite sufficient if you gradually work your way up to a circumference of 25 cm, which is about 10 squeezes of the pump.
• During exercise, try to consciously move the balloon by contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles and expel it without forcibly pushing it by just breathing in and consciously relaxing the muscles.
• Do not exceed the recommended balloon circumference of 25 cm so as to avoid injury. The exercises must not be painful or uncomfortable in any way.
• The ideal training duration is 15 to 30 minutes per day.

Venus Balls for pelvic floor strengthening

Venus balls are a popular erotic aid that increases arousal and satisfaction, but also has a very practical overlap. They contain several metal balls that cause a slight tingling sensation, which is transmitted to the vaginal wall and forces the woman to contract her vaginal muscles.

What are Venus Balls for?

• They effectively and practically without effort strengthen the pelvic floor.
• They help prevent urine leakage/incontinence.
• They promote both natural moisture and blood circulation to the vulva.
• Having sex with them brings about more pleasure and a greater climax.

How to use Venus Balls?

You can use them both before pregnancy and six weeks after the childbirth or whenever you need them.

• Just apply lubricant gel onto the Venus Balls.
• They are then inserted into the vagina in a similar way as, for example, a tampon.
• Wear them for at least half an hour every day, because the balls are effective only when you move.
• After a while, you can replace the balls with a higher number of balls version, which will be slightly heavier.
• You will feel the difference in just a few weeks.

Our tip: For more pleasure and regular muscle strengthening, you can also choose vibrating remote-controlled Venus Balls with adjustable vibration intensity.

How to practice Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor in pregnancy and after childbirth?

• Initially, perform these exercises sitting or lying down with your legs slightly bent.
• Try to keep your spine straight and do not arch your back.
• Tighten your pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds and then relax them.
• When activated, try to pull the end of the coccyx inwards into the pelvis towards the pubic bone.
• Do not strain the muscles with too much force, gentle contractions are sufficient for the exercise.
• Do not hold your breath while exercising.
• Try to keep your buttocks and abdomen relaxed throughout the exercises.
• Repeat the exercise for about 3-5 minutes.
• Kegel exercises during pregnancy and after childbirth can be performed standing, anywhere and anytime.
• Within the first few months of exercising, you will already feel an improvement in sexual experience, posture and relief from incontinence.
• How often should you practice Kegel exercises? Exercise every day for about 5 minutes, even for shorter intervals several times a day. However, do not overdo it with exercise to avoid too much muscle shortening.

Tip: To get a better idea of how the pelvic floor muscles work, try stopping the flow of urine occasionally during urination in the toilet. Then you can better picture which muscles need to be contracted during these exercises.

What not to do with a weakened pelvic floor?

• Do not go to the toilet as a precaution (for example, before leaving the house). It is always better to let the bladder fill first.
• Limit dynamic movement and sports such as running and jumping until you have sufficiently strengthened your pelvic floor.
• Follow a drinking plan to reduce the risk of infection in the urinary tract.
• Do not interrupt urination to strengthen the muscles. We do not recommend practicing Kegel exercises while urinating, as this can harm your entire urinary system and cause, for example, a urinary tract infection.

With a growing bump, it is also important to pay attention to thoroughly strengthening the pelvic floor. Pelvic muscle strengthening aids such as the Aniball prenatal balloon, Venus balls and other great products for mums and babies can now be found on notino.co.uk!