Exercising the pelvic floor during pregnancy

The pelvic floor is one of the areas of the body that needs the most care, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. Do you know what its benefits are? We explain everything in the following post. Read on!

How can you exercise the pelvic floor?

The pelvic flooris an area of the body thatsupports certain organssuch as the bladder and rectum. And what happens if it weakens? We could end up suffering fromurinary or faecal incontinence. This is what happens to1 in 3 women, who experience urine leakage after childbirthdue to weakening of the pelvic floor.

Tostrengthen the pelvic floorand avoid the faecal or urinary incontinence we mentioned earlier, it is necessary to exercise it with routines such as the following:

• Pelvic floor physiotherapy

This treatment has been used in Spain for more than a decade andmore than 60%of women who have tried it have experienced a noticeable improvement. In cases where there is no improvement, the gynaecologist should refer the patient to a specialist urologistto carry outvaginal surgery.

• Perineal massage

Perineal massageis a technique carried out aspreparation for childbirth, to improve elasticity in the perineum. Likewise, this techniqueminimises the risk of pelvic floor tearing after birthand helps avoid the need for an episiotomy. This massage should be carried outevery day for 10 minutes,using natural oils, and can be done by yourself, your partner or someone else.

• Kegel exercises

Just as perineal massage is key, so too isa series of exercises to strengthen and tone the pelvic floor muscles, known as Kegel exercises. In the same way, doing these exercises, which shouldbe carried out after perineal massage, offersmultiple benefitssuch as:

• It reduces urinary incontinencewhich often worsens because of the pressure the baby places on the bladder, both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
• It makes labour easier and helps prevent possible tearscaused by it.
• It increases blood circulation and reduces the likelihood of haemorrhoids.
• It encouragesincreased sexual pleasurethanks to the toning of the vaginal muscles.

How are Kegel exercises done?

First of all,tighten the muscles upwardsas if, while urinating, you were trying to stop the flow of urine. Next,repeat 10 contractions lasting 5 seconds each. Finally, try to increase the routine gradually until youreach 20 seconds per contraction, because thelonger it lasts, the strongerthe muscles will become.

Incontinence during pregnancy and postpartum

Urinary incontinence is very common during pregnancy and postpartum, as women experience changes in their bodies that affect the urinary system. During these stages, anything from the occasional slight leak to more frequent loss of urine may occur, so it is important to combine pelvic floor recovery (Kegel exercises, physiotherapy) with the use of specific protection for urine leaks, which is more absorbent and secure than conventional menstrual pads. That is why we recommend Tena.

During pregnancy, for day-to-day use and very light leaks, you can use TENA Discreet Mini Magic, an ultra-thin panty liner for small drips, while TENA Discreet Ultra Mini is suitable when leaks are a little more frequent.

Postpartum, if leaks are moderate and you want the feel of normal underwear, you can opt for TENA Silhouette Blanco with a low waist or TENA Silhouette Crema with a high waist, absorbent pants that adapt to the body and offer reliable protection with a more elegant and discreet design under clothing.

Postpartum rehabilitation

During the postpartum period, proper recovery is extremely important. This will help us care for the pelvic floor, asthe birth of the baby may have caused a tear. There are a series of measures we can follow during the postpartum period to care for the pelvic floor:

• Avoid major physical exertion.
• Havea pelvic floor assessmentbefore carrying out any activity.
• Strengthen the abdominal muscles.

Elvie Entrenador Suelo Pélvico

This product is designed for women who want to exercise the pelvic floor during pregnancy and postpartum. It includes a micro USB charger along with a user guide. In addition, the package comes with1 wireless charger case, a cover andincludes an APPthat you can use to improve your exercise routine. On the Farmaciasdirect website you will find a wide catalogue of products designed for women both during pregnancy and postpartum. Do you have any more questions about the pelvic floor? Get in touch with our team of pharmacists forfree advicethat is completely personalised.