Pelvic Floor Exercises After Birth: A Step-by-Step Guide

Note: This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP about your own recovery.

Introduction:

Start pelvic floor exercises after birth as soon as they feel comfortable. Squeeze as if you’re holding in wind and stopping a wee, lift, then let go fully. Do long squeezes (hold for up to 10 seconds) and short, quick squeezes, building up to 10 of each at least 3 times a day, breathing normally.

Your pelvic floor is a sling of muscles at the base of your pelvis. It supports your bladder, bowel and womb, and helps you stay dry when you cough, sneeze or lift. Pregnancy and birth stretch these muscles, so they often need some help to get strong again.

The good part? These exercises are free, quick and can be done anywhere. Nobody can tell you’re doing them.

The short answer

You can usually begin within the first few days, very gently. If you have stitches or had a catheter, wait until your midwife says it’s fine and the catheter is out. Start lying down, where it’s easiest, and build up over around 12 weeks.

This matters after every kind of birth. A caesarean doesn’t spare the pelvic floor, because the weight of pregnancy pressed on it for months. So mums who had a C-section need these exercises too.

For a wider view of the first year, from sleep to scar care to returning to sport, read your first-year postnatal recovery guide. This page focuses on one thing: getting your pelvic floor working well again.

Why it matters

Bladder and bowel leaks after birth are common, but common doesn’t mean you have to live with them. Many women find symptoms improve with regular, well-done exercises.

[Chart: Bar chart titled “Pelvic floor problems after pregnancy in England”. Two bars: “Urinary incontinence at 3 months after pregnancy” = about 1 in 3 women (33%); “Anal incontinence at 6 months after birth” = about 1 in 7 women (14%). Y-axis: % of women. Source line: Department of Health and Social Care, 19 October 2023.]

These numbers come from the government’s announcement of a national pelvic health service. They show why it’s worth starting early and keeping going, even when you feel fine.

How to do them: step by step

Here is how to do pelvic floor exercises after birth, in the way NHS physios usually teach them.

1. Get comfy. Lie on your back with your knees bent, or on your side. Rest a hand on your lower tummy.
2. Find the right muscles. Imagine you’re trying to stop yourself passing wind and stop a wee at the same time. Squeeze and lift inside. You should feel a gentle tightening and lifting, not a push down.
3. Do long squeezes. Squeeze and lift, then hold. Start with what you can manage, even 2 or 3 seconds, and work up to 10 seconds. As you hold, take regular breaths.
4. Let go fully. Relax completely for a few seconds between each squeeze. The letting go is as important as the squeeze.
5. Do short squeezes. Squeeze and lift quickly, then let go straight away. These help your muscles react fast when you cough or sneeze.
6. Build up. Aim for 10 long and 10 short squeezes, at least 3 times a day.

A few common mistakes to avoid:

• Holding your breath. Keep breathing in and out.
• Squeezing your bottom, thighs or tummy hard. Keep these relaxed.
• Practising by stopping your wee on the toilet. This can upset normal bladder emptying, so only try it once to find the muscles, if at all.

Do	Avoid
Breathe slowly and steadily through each squeeze	Holding your breath or bracing your tummy
Start with short holds and build up week by week	Forcing long holds that make your muscles shake
Rest fully between each squeeze	Staying half-tight all day
Stop and ask for advice if it hurts	Pushing through pain near stitches or a tear
Keep going once leaks stop	Giving up after a few weeks

If you had a perineal tear (a tear in the skin and muscle between the vagina and back passage), go extra gently at first. Your midwife can tell you when pelvic floor exercises after birth with stitches are fine for you.

Your 12-week progression

Once squeezes feel easy lying down, move to harder positions. This simple plan shows how many women build up.

Weeks	Position	Long holds	Short squeezes	Add
0–2	Lying on back or side	3–5 seconds, 5–10 times	5–10	Gentle breathing; stop if painful
3–4	Sitting upright	5–8 seconds, 10 times	10	Squeeze during feeds
5–8	Standing	Up to 10 seconds, 10 times	10	Squeeze while the kettle boils
9–12	Standing and moving	10 seconds, 10 times	10	“The Knack”: squeeze before you cough, sneeze or lift your baby

The Knack is a useful trick. You tighten your pelvic floor just before a cough, sneeze or lift, which may help stop leaks. Keep going after 12 weeks. Many physios suggest making it a lifelong habit, like brushing your teeth.

What NICE recommends

Did you know? NICE guidance says health professionals should “Offer a programme of supervised pelvic floor muscle training for at least 3 months to women (including pregnant women) with stress urinary incontinence or mixed urinary incontinence”. Source: NICE NG210, recommendation 1.6.14, December 2021. nice.org.uk/guidance/ng210

“Supervised” is the key word. Having someone check your technique often makes a real difference.

Not sure you’re doing them right?

Lots of women aren’t sure, and that’s normal. A pelvic health physiotherapy assessment can check your technique in private, at home in Glasgow or online.

Want a proper check? Book a pelvic floor check: home visit £110 (60 min) or online £45 (30 min), and you pay after the session.

Tips to make it stick

The hardest part of pelvic floor exercises after birth is remembering to do them. Try these ideas:

• Link them to feeds. Every time you sit down to feed, do a set of long squeezes.
• Use nappy changes. Do 10 quick squeezes while you change your baby.
• Kettle time. Squeeze and hold while you wait for the water to boil.
• Try an app. The NHS-recommended Squeezy app sends reminders and guides your timing. We look at whether pelvic floor apps really help in a separate guide.
• Keep a simple tally. A tick on the calendar each day helps you see progress.
• Check in each month. Notice if leaks, heaviness or control are getting better.

Red flags

When to get help

See your GP, or ask about your local NHS pelvic health service, if you notice:

• a feeling of heaviness or dragging, or a bulge in the vagina (possible pelvic organ prolapse)
• leaking that is getting worse, not better
• any loss of bowel control
• pain when doing the exercises
• blood in your urine

Call NHS 111 for urgent advice, or 999 or A&E if you feel very unwell, have heavy bleeding or a high fever. Exercises can help many women, but they are not a guaranteed fix.

Leaks that only show up with sport are common too. Our guide to leaking when running covers that next step. If your pain is more at the front of the pelvis, read about SPD and pelvic girdle pain.

Key takeaways

• Start gently in the first days after birth, once your midwife is happy.
• Do long squeezes (up to 10 seconds) and short squeezes, 10 of each, at least 3 times a day.
• Relax fully between squeezes and breathe normally.
• Progress from lying to sitting to standing over around 12 weeks.
• If you leak, NICE recommends at least 3 months of supervised training.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start pelvic floor exercises after birth?

You can usually start gently as soon as it feels comfortable, often within a few days. If you had stitches or a catheter, wait until your midwife says it’s fine and the catheter has been removed. Begin with a few soft squeezes lying down, then build up slowly.

How long should I do pelvic floor exercises after giving birth?

Ideally, for life. Most women notice changes after a few months of regular practice. If you are leaking, NICE recommends at least 3 months of supervised pelvic floor muscle training. After that, a few sets a day keeps the muscles strong as you get older.

Can I do pelvic floor exercises with stitches?

Usually, yes. Gentle squeezes are generally fine with stitches and may help blood flow to the area, which supports healing. Keep them soft and short. If they cause pain, stop and ask your midwife or GP to check your stitches before carrying on.

Should I do pelvic floor exercises after a C-section?

Yes. Your pelvic floor carried your growing baby for months, whatever way you gave birth. Start gentle squeezes once your catheter is out. You can pair them with our C-section recovery exercises for a safe, staged plan through the first 12 weeks.

Can pelvic floor exercises help prolapse after birth?

For many women, yes. Regular pelvic floor exercises after birth may ease symptoms of mild prolapse, such as heaviness or dragging. Get checked by your GP or a pelvic health physiotherapist first, so you know what you’re dealing with. NICE supports supervised pelvic floor training as a first step.

How do I know I’m doing them right?

You should feel a squeeze and lift inside, with your breathing, tummy and bottom staying relaxed. If you feel a push down, or you can’t tell, that’s a sign to get checked. A pelvic health physio can assess your technique and adjust the exercises for you.

See a pelvic health physio in Glasgow

Regular, well-done pelvic floor exercises after birth are one of the simplest ways to look after your body. Start gently, build up over 12 weeks and keep going. If you’re unsure or still leaking, our HCPC-registered, DBS-checked physios can check your technique at home, with no GP referral needed and no cancellation fee. For more on the whole first year, go back to your first-year postnatal recovery guide.

• Book a home visit: we offer home physio in Glasgow and across the UK. First visit £110 (60 min), follow-up £99, or 5 visits for £450. Book now.
• Not sure yet? Start with an online consultation for £45 (30 min), or WhatsApp 07782 610 633 with a question.

Sources

• Department of Health and Social Care, National pelvic health service to support women (19 October 2023): https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-pelvic-health-service-to-support-women
• NICE NG210, Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non-surgical management, recommendation 1.6.14 (December 2021): https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng210/chapter/Recommendations
• NHS, Your post-pregnancy body: https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/your-post-pregnancy-body/