What if you didn’t have any pelvic floor concerns?
Wouldn’t that be amazing?
Truth be told, I didn’t think much about my Pelvic floor before kids.
Then.. after twins. Watch out. It became my life’s work.
By the end of this blog, you’ll understand where your pelvic floor is and how to release or contract it to reduce pain for years to come!
But first, where is your pelvic floor?
Pelvic Floor Muscles Female
For women, a pelvic floor is a group of muscles that forms a supportive sling in the lower pelvis.
Watch this video to learn more and see where your pelvic floor is!
#1 You can have a weak pelvic floor
Weak Pelvic Floor Muscle Symptoms
- You’re experience leaking
- Your back, knees, and hips are weak or sore
- You feel no connection to your core
- You may have an abdominal separation
- You possibly had a vaginal birth
#2 You can have a tight pelvic floor
Pelvic Floor Pain
Signs of a tight pelvic floor
- You feel like you cannot take a deep breath
- You can’t release your abdominal area
- Inserting a tampon, finger, or having sex is uncomfortable
- You feel tense, all the time
- You may have constipation
- You may experience leaking
#3 You can relax your pelvic floor
How to relax your pelvic floor muscles
- deep breathing
- rolling or massaging your pelvic floor
- using herbal remedies to reduce pain or spasms
#4 You can have pelvic floor dysfunction
Signs of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
- Urinary and/or fecal incontinence; leaking any amount at any time. Including jumping, laughing, running, and during exercise.
- Urgency: feeling like you have to go to the bathroom NOW or you may not make it.
- Pain in the sacroiliac joint (SI joint) between the sacrum and the ilium and tailbone
- Hemorrhoids
- Uncontrollable gas
- Aches and pains in the hips, back and neck
- A feeling of heaviness or pulling in the pelvic organs, feeling like you’re going to fall out of the bottom
- Pain or discomfort during sex, bowel movements, and urination
#5 You can be doing too many Kegels
Signs of overdoing Kegels
- you have pain when you perform your Kegels
- you still have incontinence/leaking even though you’re practicing your Kegels
- you have pain with insertion
So, How long does it take to strengthen your pelvic floor
It can take about 6-8 weeks to strengthen your pelvic floor. But! Keep in mind, it takes more than pelvic floor exercises to reduce bladder leaking!
#6 Your gut health can affect your pelvic floor health
If you struggle with Dysbiosis or constipation your gut health will be disrupted. When you have poor gut health or inflammation, you’ll feel it in your pelvic floor.
Recurring UTI’s? Your monthly Advil? These medications affect your gut health and therefore disrupt your digestion creating Cystitis and pelvic inflammation.
This can all change when we reduce your daily medications.
#7 Your pelvic floor helps “fix” diastasis recti
Did you know you CAN do sit-ups again after having a diastasis recti? But first, you’ll want to learn HOW to engage your pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor helps “fix” diastasis recti but tightening the gap.
Conclusion
Your pelvic floor can be your source of pain or pleasure. By stretching and strengthening these muscles, you’ll have fewer back pain episodes, less pelvic pain, heal diastasis recti and reduce your risk of a hernia!
Your digestion and gut health also contribute to your pelvic floor health. By reducing your medications, you’ll improve your gut health and save your pelvic floor for years to come!
Have questions? Ask below and I’ll get back to you.
