BLOG

Pelvic floor

Hypopressives for anxiety - Annmarie's story

I started to suffer with anxiety and obviously that brings in struggling to breathe sometimes and then panic attacks and that kind of thing.

I was also struggling with putting weight on and was mindful that I needed to do some exercise - I wanted to lose weight but also had anxiety going on.

I felt like all the other kind of exercise that I did - swimming, joining the gym, walking - they just never hit the anxiety. 

So I would do them and never feel relaxed or feel calm. And then I would go t…

Read more…

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Solutions part 2

POP solutions (2)

Last week we looked at things you can do in your daily life to help prevent POP or worsening symptoms - if you missed that you can read it here

Today we're looking at possible solutions to helping with symptoms.

Kegels

This is the lifting and squeezing of your pelvic floor muscles in isolation.  Usually includes a series of lifts, holds and pulses

Advantages:

  • easy to fit in
  • no equipment required
  • can do anywhere, anytime

Disadvantages:

  • not everyone does them correctly - may be bear…

Read more…

Pelvic Organ Prolapse Solutions

POP solutions

It's been a while since my first blog about prolapse and a few things have changed since then.  So I thought I'd do a couple of updates

There are two ways you can look at helping with POP symptoms - what can you do to prevent things getting worse and what can you do to make things better.

So first we'll look at preventing things getting worse

One of the key things with this is looking at intra abdominal pressure (IAP)

IAP is the pressure within the abdominal cavity and is reliant on the flui…

Read more…

What is the best exercise for a prolapse?

best exercise for prolapse blog

I was asked a few weeks ago for the top exercises someone could do to help a prolapse. 

My answers were:

  1. It depends
  2. Hypopressives

The thing with prolapse is that it can happen because of so many factors and it's not just about strengthening the pelvic floor. 

And even just pelvic floor strength isn't that simple.

The pelvic floor is made up of layers of muscle, going in a variety of directions.

It has links with muscles inside the pelvis and outside the pelvis.

It has connections all…

Read more…

Pelvic Floor Exercises Mistakes - and how to do it right

pelvic floor myths blog

Myth #1 - Leaking is inevitable after childbirth, menopause and as you age



Little oops moments…
Triple crossing your legs when you sneeze…
Laughing until the tears run down your legs…

It’s funny, until it isn’t.

Incontinence IS more common after childbirth, menopause and with age

But just because it’s common, that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it!


Pelvic floor muscle training and hypopressives both show great results in preventing leaks, no…

Read more…

Everything you need to know about exercise in pregnancy

exercise in pregnancy blog

This should cover all the questions I'm normally asked about exercise and pregnancy, but if you have any questions I haven't covered please ask below!

For most women, exercising during pregnancy will be of great benefit.  You should always seek the advice of your healthcare provider first, especially if you have a higher risk pregnancy or an underlying health issue.  They will then advise you on the type of exercise that is suitable for you.

All the published guidelines and benefits are based …

Read more…

Can you train your abs in early pregnancy?

abs and pregnancy blog

What do you think?  Should you work your abdominals in pregnancy?  Or are they a no-go area?  And if so, what exercises are appropriate.

When I polled people about this recently I had a varied response but most tended towards yes you should, but gently.

My answer is... it depends.

It depends what you think of as the abdominal muscles.  

For most people, it's the ones you can see - the six pack muscles. The guidelines for these muscles (the rectus abdominis) is that there should be no direct …

Read more…

How you can help your pelvic floor

I was asked by someone this week about rehabbing the pelvic floor post birth, in preparation for getting back to running.  I was so pleased that she was aware of the importance of taking her time - things keep popping up in my timeline about postnatal classes where people are running with buggies, skipping and even doing jumping jacks! All of this can have a deleterious effect on the pelvic floor and continuing to overstress a weakened pelvic floor can lead to prolapse.

However taking your time, …

Read more…

Heal your diastasis with food!

I really enjoyed listening to a webinar from Jessica Drummond of the Integrative Women's Health Institute last week.

One of the sections that I was particularly interested in was on postnatal soft tissue and wound recovery - applicable particularly for those with diastasis or a c-section and perineum wound.

My advice nutritionally has always been to use bone broth either in soups or gravies but her information will give you a few more tools to use!

Eating foods that are high in collagen can help t…

Read more…

When can I run again?

If you search the internet for the answer to starting running again after baby you may well be confused by the information out there.  There are some people who are back to their normal regime way before 6 weeks postpartum, others who advocate avoiding all sorts of exercise.  So what's right for you?

First up you shouldn't return to formal exercise until 6 weeks postnatal (8-10 if you've had a caesarean) and you should be getting the all clear from your doctor, although I know some doctors wait t…

Read more…