At pregnancy week twenty-three, doing pelvic floor exercises helps prevent pelvic floor disorder after childbirth. KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) shares several simple pelvic floor exercises.
Simple pelvic floor exercise: Squeeze, hold, release!
You can do pelvic floor exercises in any position at any time. The easiest way to start off with these exercises would be to:
- Lie flat with your knees bent
-
Squeeze and hold those muscles for about 5-10 seconds
- Then
release them for 5-10 seconds
- Do about 10 repetitions of this daily
When you have mastered this technique, you can try doing it in a variety of positions, sitting up, standing, even while waiting for the MRT or bus. There is no excuse not to do a simple exercise that can help you prevent potential incontinence after pregnancy.
Advanced pelvic floor exercise: Pelvic lifts
As you get even better, you can vary your exercise routine by doing pelvic lifts.
- Lie flat with your knees bent
-
Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles
- Slowly
raise your pelvis and butt
-
Maintain this position for 5-10 seconds and
- Gently go back to the starting position 1 while
slowly releasing your pelvic muscles
This exercise will also help to tone your bottom.
Not sure if you’re doing it right?
Always consult a physiotherapist. They are experts at such exercises and can be very helpful in correcting your technique and helping you ensure safety and avoid injuries whilst doing pelvic floor exercises. After pregnancy, once you have recovered, you may resume pelvic floor exercises for 2-3 months.
Ref: M19
