What is the Pelvic Floor?
The pelvic floor is the term used for the group of muscles and ligaments, found around the pelvic area, which support the bowels, uterus and bladder.
During pregnancy and birth your pelvic floor can become weakened. A weakened pelvic floor can lead to incontinence and in more severe cases to prolapse of the inner organs. Proplapse is when the organs start dropping downwards because the pelvic floor muscles are not firm enough to hold them in place.
Why Does the Pelvic Floor Weaken During Pregnancy?
- Extra weight causing pressure on the pelvic area during pregnancy.
- Weakening of the muscles during birth.
- In some cases, the pelvic floor becomes so weakened that it is unable to hold the inner organs properly, leading to pelvic prolapse. The muscles are not doing their job properly.
If you are feeling uncomfortable between your legs, then make sure to check if everything is in its right place. Some women report a feeling like a tampon being stuck. Other women report seeing something pinkish bulging out.
Recommendations for Strengthening Your Pelvic Floor After Giving Birth
- The muscles in the pelvic floor need to be properly trained in order to slowly tighten everything up and into its right place again. Get started with tightening your muscles as soon as you can postpartum, as this will greatly help when going to the toilet. Loose muscles could also lead to hemorrhoids which really isn’t fun.
- Make sure you ask your gynaecologist about it. Most important is to get expert advice about how to train your muscles back into shape.