I want to ask you something.
When was the last time you truly paid attention to the floor of your body?
Not your belly.
Not your back.
The actual floor.
The base of your pelvis.
The hammock of muscle that holds everything above it in place.
For most of us,
The answer is never.
We live above it.
We ignore it.
Until it stops working the way it used to.
If you are here,
You probably know what I mean.
That catches you off guard.
A sneeze at the wrong moment.
A feeling of heaviness down there.
That was not there before.
You are in the right place.
And I want to tell you something before we begin.
What happened to your pelvic floor is not a failure.
It is physics.
A human being passed through you.
Or was lifted out of you.
The forces involved are extraordinary.
The fact that your body needs time and care to recover is not weakness.
It is biology.
Let me introduce you to this part of your body.
Because most women have never truly been told.
What the pelvic floor is.
Imagine a hammock.
A wide,
Layered sheet of muscle.
Stretching from your pubic bone at the front.
All the way back to your tailbone.
And from one sitting bone on the left.
To the other on the right.
This structure has three openings in it.
For the urethra,
For the vagina.
And for the rectum.
And it does more than most people realize.
It controls your bladder and bowel.
It supports your uterus and organs from below.
It plays a role in sexual sensation.
And it stabilizes your entire spine and core with every movement you make.
During pregnancy,
This structure bore the weight of your growing baby for nine months.
The hormones of pregnancy loosened its connective tissue deliberately.
To allow the pelvis to open.
And during birth.
It was stretched to dimensions it had never experienced before.
If you had a cesarean,
Your pelvic floor was still affected.
The Weight of Pregnancy.
The hormonal changes,
And the surgery itself.
All impact this area.
You are not exempt from pelvic floor recovery simply because your baby was not born vaginally.
The good news is that the pelvic floor is muscle.
And muscle.
Responds to training.
Whether you are six weeks postpartum or six years out,
This work will help you.
Before we begin.
Find a comfortable position.
You can do this lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
You can do it sitting upright in a chair.
Choose whatever feels most accessible to your body today.
If you are lying down.
Let your arms rest by your sides,
Palms facing up.
Feet hip-width apart.
Lower back in its natural position.
Not pressed flat,
Not exaggeratedly arched,
Just comfortable.
If you are sitting,
Feel both sitting bones making contact with the seat.
Feet flat on the floor,
Spine upright but not rigid.
Take one breath in through the nose.
And one long breath out.
Let your body settle.
We begin.
Before we strengthen anything,
We need to find it.
This is where most pelvic floor programs fail women.
They skip straight to the kegel and assume everyone knows how to do it.
Most do not.
So we start here,
With awareness.
Place one hand on your lower belly,
Just above the pubic bone.
Place the other hand on your ribcage.
Take a slow breath in through your nose.
Feel your ribcage expand outward under your top hand.
And feel your lower belly gently rise under your bottom hand.
Now,
Notice what happens at the very bottom of your pelvis.
If you are paying close attention,
You will feel a very subtle downward movement.
A slight letting go.
The pelvic floor gently descends on the inhale.
Try it now.
Breathe in slowly.
Can you feel that gentle softening at the base?
Do not force it.
Just notice.
Now,
Breathe out slowly through your mouth.
And notice what happens at the pelvic floor.
It naturally lifts.
Very slightly.
Like the trampoline rebounding.
Out,
And notice the natural lift.
This is the breath pelvic floor connection.
Your pelvic floor is already moving with every single breath you take.
It has been doing this your whole life.
We are simply bringing your attention to it.
Three more breaths.
In,
Feel the gentle descent.
Out.
Feel the natural lift.
Out.
Out.
Good.
Now,
We make that lift deliberate.
Imagine you need to stop the flow of urine midstream.
That inward and upward squeeze around the urethra.
That is part of your pelvic floor.
But also notice the muscles further back.
Imagine you are trying to prevent yourself.
From passing wind.
That's squeezing.
Lifting sensation around the back passage.
That is also your pelvic floor.
And the middle.
The vaginal opening itself.
A gentle drawing inward.
Front,
Middle,
And back.
When we work it correctly,
We engage all three.
On your next exhale,
Gently draw up and in across all three areas.
Do not hold your breath.
Do not clench your buttocks or your thighs.
Only the pelvic floor.
Exhale and lift.
Hold it gently for just a moment.
And now,
Consciously release.
Let it go completely.
This release is just as important as the lift.
Many postpartum women have a pelvic floor that is too tight,
Not too weak.
We need both.
The ability to lift,
And the ability to fully let go.
Again,
Exhale and lift front,
Middle,
Back.
Hold.
And release all the way.
Let the muscles soften completely.
One more time,
Exhale and lift.
Hold.
In release.
Now,
We build endurance.
We are going to hold a gentle contraction for 10 seconds.
Not a maximum effort,
About 50% of your maximum squeeze.
A sustained,
Moderate effort.
Why moderate?
Because gripping at full strength.
Will fatigue the muscle quickly.
We want the muscle to learn how to work steadily over time.
Ready,
Exhale,
And gently lift front,
Middle,
Back.
Hold.
Keep breathing normally while you hold.
5.
Halfway 6.
7.
Stay with it.
9.
10.
In release.
Fully.
Let everything go.
Feel the difference between the contraction and the release.
That contrast is the foundation of pelvic floor health.
Again,
Exhale and lift.
1.
Breathe.
5.
6.
7.
9.
Ten,
Release,
Let go completely.
One more.
Lift.
One.
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10.
Release.
Rest.
Let the muscles be completely passive.
This is one of the most powerful pelvic floor exercises you will ever learn.
And almost no one teaches it.
Imagine your pelvic floor is an elevator with four floors.
Ground floor is fully relaxed,
Where you are right now.
First floor is a slight engagement.
About 25 percent.
Second floor is moderate.
About 50%.
Third floor is strong.
About 75 percent.
And the fourth floor is your maximum contraction.
Most women only ever use the ground floor and the top floor.
Either squeeze as hard as they can or let go completely.
The elevator teaches the muscles to work at every level.
And this nuance is what prevents leaking and restores true function.
Starting at ground floor,
Completely relax.
Rise to the first floor,
A very slight,
Barely there engagement.
Just a whisper of a lift.
Hold there.
Notice what 25% feels like.
Now rise to the second floor.
A little more.
About halfway.
Breathe.
Notice what 50% feels like.
Now the third floor,
Stronger.
But not your maximum.
Hold,
Breathe.
This is 75%.
And now the fourth floor,
Your maximum contraction.
All the way up.
Hold 1,
2,
3.
Now,
Come back down slowly.
Third floor,
Slightly less.
Second floor,
Softer.
First floor.
Just a whisper.
Ground floor,
Complete release,
All the way down.
Take a breath.
Feel the full relaxation.
Once more,
Up slowly,
First floor.
Second floor.
Third floor.
Fourth floor.
Hold 1,
2,
3.
Third floor.
Second floor.
First floor.
Ground floor,
Complete release,
All the way down.
The pelvic floor has two types of muscle fibers.
Slow twitch fibers,
Which we have been training with the long holds.
These provide endurance and support.
And fast twitch fibers,
Which respond in a fraction of a second.
These are what prevent leaking.
When you cough,
Sneeze.
Or laugh.
After birth,
The fast-twitch fibers are often the most affected.
This is why a sudden sneeze catches you off guard.
The reflex that should tighten automatically is delayed.
Or weakened.
We train fast twitch fibers with quick,
Sharp contractions.
Not held.
Just in and immediately out.
Ready.
Quick Flicks.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Rest.
Again,
10 quick flicks.
Lift-release Lift-release.
Lift-release,
Lift-release,
Lift-release Lift-release,
Lift-release,
Lift-release,
Lift-release,
Lift-release.
Rest.
Let the muscles be completely passive.
One more set.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Lift and release.
Rest.
Good.
Now,
We train the most important reflex of all.
It is called the knack.
It is simply this.
Contracting your pelvic floor deliberately just before any increase in abdominal pressure.
Before you call.
Before you sneeze.
Before you laugh.
Before you lift something heavy.
We are going to practice it now by simulating a cough.
Place one hand on your lower belly.
Take a breath in.
Just before you cough,
Lift the pelvic floor,
And then cough.
Ready,
Breathe in,
Lift the pelvic floor,
And cough.
Did you feel how the pelvic floor held against the pressure of the cough?
That is the knack.
That is what keeps you dry.
Again,
Breathe in,
Lift,
And cough.
One more.
Breathe in,
Lift,
And cough.
Practice this in your daily life.
Every time you cough or sneeze,
Lift first.
Within weeks,
This becomes automatic.
Now we take everything into movement.
Because the pelvic floor does not function in isolation.
It works with the rest of your body.
If you are lying down,
Come to a seated position now.
Sit toward the edge of your seat.
Feet flat on the floor,
Hip-width apart.
Here is the sequence.
Breathe in to prepare.
As you begin to exhale,
Lift the pelvic floor.
Then lean forward slightly from the hips.
And press through your feet to stand.
Exhale,
Lift,
Lean,
Stand.
Try it now.
Breathe in.
Exhale,
Lift the pelvic floor,
Lean forward,
And rise to standing.
Good.
Now,
Lower back down with control.
Again,
Breathe in.
Exhale,
Lift,
Lean,
Stand.
And sit back down.
One more time,
Breathe in.
Exhale,
Lift,
Lean,
Stand.
And sit.
Return to your comfortable position.
This is the exercise most programs leave out entirely.
And it may be the most important one.
A pelvic floor that cannot fully relax is just as dysfunctional as one that cannot contract.
Pelvic pain,
Difficulty with intercourse.
And urgency can all come from a pelvic floor that is chronically over-tightened.
Holding.
Guarding.
Bracing.
We are going to practice a full,
Conscious release.
This is called a pelvic floor drop.
Take a slow breath in through your nose.
As you inhale.
Consciously,
Let your pelvic floor then soften and drop.
Not a push.
Never bear down.
Simply let go.
Like unclenching a fist you did not know you were making.
Breathe in and let the pelvic floor descend.
And breathe out.
Again,
Breathe in.
Let the floor of your pelvis be completely soft.
Completely passive.
Open.
And breathe out.
One more time,
Breathe in.
Let go.
Let the pelvic floor be as relaxed as the palm of an open hand.
And breathe out.
Stay here for a moment.
Practice this drop whenever you sit on the toilet.
Whenever you feel tension in your pelvis.
The pelvic floor will thank you.
Come back now to a comfortable resting position.
Let your body be completely supported.
Take a few natural breaths.
Let the breath move your body gently.
Ribcage,
Expanding on the inhale.
Releasing on the exhale.
Notice how your pelvic floor is moving with each breath.
That gentle descent on the inhale.
That natural lift on the exhale.
It was always doing this.
Now you can feel it.
Consistency is everything with Pelvic Floor Recovery.
Daily practice,
Even 10 minutes,
Produces significantly better results than longer but infrequent sessions.
You do not need to do all of these exercises every day.
You can rotate.
Long Holds One Day.
QuickFlix,
The next.
Elevator,
Another day.
What matters is that you show up regularly.
And carry the knack into your daily life.
Every cough.
Every sneeze.
Every time you lift your baby.
Lift first.
This one habit will change everything.
Some women notice improvement within two weeks of daily practice.
Others take longer.
Both timelines are normal.
Your body is doing the best it can with what it has been through.
If you experience pain during any of these exercises,
Please stop.
Seek the guidance of a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
Pain is information,
Not something to push through.
There is a particular kind of loneliness in postpartum body changes.
That no one really talks about.
The way you can feel like a stranger in your own skin.
What you did today,
Coming back to your body with attention and care.
Without judgment.
This is how you find your way home.
Not through pushing,
Not through shame.
Through showing up,
Breathing,
And listening.
Your pelvic floor has been silently holding everything together.
Today,
You finally held it back.
Come back tomorrow and the day after.
Your body is waiting for you.
Take a deep breath in.
And let it go.
Slowly open your eyes.
Well done.
