Tag: pelvic floor postpartum fitness

Pelvic floor health during pregnancy plays a bigger role in how you feel, move, and recover than most people are ever taught. As an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist, I see this gap in education constantly. Many moms only hear about the pelvic floor once something feels “off,” yet these muscles are foundational to strength, confidence, and long term recovery.

Whether you are currently pregnant or navigating postpartum fitness, understanding your pelvic floor can help you move with more ease, feel more supported, and return to exercise with confidence rather than fear.

What Is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a net of muscles that sits at the bottom of your pelvis. Imagine a supportive hammock or trampoline that holds up your internal organs, including the bladder, uterus, and rectum. These muscles are not separate from the rest of your boy. They are an essential part of your core.

Your core is often described as a canister or cylinder. The diaphragm is the top, the deep abdominal muscles wrap around the sides, the back muscles provide support, and the pelvic floor is the “floor” of that system. When the pelvic floor is working well, it responds automatically to breathing, movement, and load.

This is why pelvic floor health during pregnancy is about much more than doing Kegels. If you want to explore alternatives, you may enjoy reading 5 Pelvic Floor Exercises That Are Not Kegels, which dives deeper into functional options to strengthen your pelvic floor in a holistic way.

How Pregnancy Changes the Pelvic Floor

During pregnancy, your body adapts in incredible ways. As the uterus grows, it places increasing pressure downward onto the pelvic floor muscles. Over time, these muscles may become stretched and lengthened as they support the weight of your growing baby, amniotic fluid, and placenta.

This stretching is normal. It is not a sign that your body is failing. However, without intentional support, these changes can impact coordination, strength, and recovery later on.

Pelvic floor health during pregnancy is closely connected to posture, breathing patterns, and how to move through daily life. This is one reason core-focused training matters, especially during pregnancy. The Importance of Core Strength During Pregnancy is a great companion read.

Pelvic Floor Health in Postpartum Fitness

After birth, the pelvic floor does not automatically return to its pre-pregnancy function on its own. Muscles may be tender, fatigued, or slow to respond. This is true whether you had a vaginal birth or cesarean delivery.

This is where many moms begin experience leaking, especially during higher impact movements (think: running, jumping, or surprise sneezes).

Postpartum fitness should focus on rebuilding coordination first, then strength. Jumping straight into high impact exercises without restoring this foundation can contribute to leaking, heaviness, or core instability.

There are many myths around bouncing back quickly after birth. Adapting Your Fitness Routine for the Postpartum Phase provides gentle guidance on a safe return to exercise and strength, once cleared by your healthcare team.

Why the Pelvic Floor is the Floor of Your Core

The pelvic floor works in sync with your breath. When you inhale, it gently lengthens. When you exhale, it naturally recoils and lifts. This rhythm supports everyday movements like standing, lifting, and walking.

If the pelvic floor is not coordinating well with breathing and core muscles, symptoms can show up. These may include leaking during exercise, feelings of pressure, or difficulty engaging your core.

Supporting pelvic floor health during pregnancy and postpartum is not about gripping or clenching. It is about learning how to relax, respond, and generate strength when needed.

3 Pregnancy-Safe Pelvic Floor Strengthening Moves

These movements focus on awareness, coordination, and functional strength. Always move within a pain-free range and follow guidance from your healthcare team regarding readiness to exercise.

1. Pelvic Floor Breath (Seated or Side Lying)

This is a gentle awareness focused exercise that teaches the pelvic floor to move with your breath.

Sit comfortably or lie on your side. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your ribs and belly to expand. Imagine the pelvic floor softly lowering. As you exhale, feel a gentle lift through the pelvic floor and deep core, like drawing a blueberry upward.

This is not a hard squeeze. Subtle engagement is enough.

2. Quadruped Core and Pelvic Floor Connection

This move integrates gentle activation with movement.

Start on hands and knees with a neutral spine. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, lightly engage your pelvic floor and deep abs while maintaining spinal alignment. Hold for a few breaths, then relax.

This position reduces pressure and helps build coordination that carries over into daily life.

3. Supported Squat with Breath Coordination

This exercise focuses on strength and coordination and can support labor preparation.

Hold onto a stable surface or use a box or chair for support. Inhale as you slowly lower into the squat, allowing the pelvic floor to lengthen. Exhale as you stand, gently lifting through the pelvic floor and core.

This mirrors how your body manages pressure during functional movement and birth. For more labor supportive exercises, explore Preparing for Labor: Exercises That May Help.

When to Seek Additional Support

If you experience persistent leaking, pelvic pain, heaviness, or discomfort during exercise, it may be helpful to work with a pelvic floor physical therapist. Seeking support is proactive, not a sign of weakness.

Always defer to your healthcare provider for clearance before starting or progressing exercise during pregnancy and postpartum. Your body’s needs are individual, and honoring that is part of strong recovery.

Continue Supporting Your Pelvic Floor

If you want structured, guided support beyond individual exercises, my programs are designed to meet you exactly where you are.

Bump-to-Baby supports you through pregnancy and into postpartum with intentional core and pelvic floor focused training.

Core and Restore: No Leak Physique is ideal for postpartum moms who want to rebuild strength, improve coordination, and feel confident returning to workouts without fear of leaking.

I created both programs to prioritize pelvic floor health during pregnancy and recovery, without extremes or pressure to rush. During my postpartum period, I experienced Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD), and used my experience and science-backed pelvic floor strengthening to design an exercise program that helps you rebuild a stronger, healthier pelvic floor and core to support a busy life without leaks!

Final Encouragement

Your pelvic floor is not fragile. It is adaptable, responsive, and capable of supporting you through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood when trained with intention.

Strong recovery starts with understanding your body and giving it what it needs, one breath and one movement at a time. You’ve got this, mama!