# Pelvic floor in pregnancy and after > The pelvic floor is a layer of muscle that supports your bladder, bowel and womb, and pregnancy stretches it. Pelvic floor exercises in pregnancy lower the chance of leaking wee: start with quick squeezes, then slower holds. Leaking is common and you don't need to stop being active. - Type: Guide - Topic: Pregnancy & Early Parenthood › During Pregnancy - Status: test content, not reviewed yet - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/pelvic-floor-in-pregnancy-and-after - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **The pelvic floor is a supportive layer of muscle** under your pelvis that holds up your bladder, bowel and womb [1]. - **Training it in pregnancy lowers the chance of leaking wee,** in pregnancy and after birth [2]. - **Start with quick squeezes, then slower holds,** and ask a midwife, doctor or physio to check your technique [3][4]. - **Leaking is common, and you don't need to stop exercising because of it** [5]. - **If leaking carries on, get advice** from a doctor, midwife or physio. ## What is the pelvic floor and why does it matter in pregnancy? The pelvic floor is a set of layers of muscle and connective tissue along the base of your pelvis [6]. It forms a bowl that supports and controls your bladder and bowel [7], and it supports your womb [1]. It helps you hold in wee, wind and poo [6]. These muscles work gently most of the time and harder when pressure in your abdomen rises, for example when you cough, sneeze or lift [7]. During pregnancy they are stretched and may become weak [6]. Pregnancy and childbirth are established risk factors for leaking wee, which is common in women and can lead some to stop exercising [4]. That is why your pelvic floor is worth a little time. Pelvic floor exercises are rarely reported to cause harm [9]. Healthcare providers are advised to shape any plan around your health, what you're able to do, and safety for you and your baby [8]. If you're pregnant, ask your midwife or doctor which plan suits you. ## How do you do pelvic floor exercises? Tighten the muscles around your back passage as if you're trying to stop yourself going to the toilet. At the same time, draw up around your vagina and urethra as if you're stopping the flow of wee [3]. - **Start with quick squeezes:** tighten, then let go straight away [3]. - **Then try slower holds:** hold for as long as you can before you relax, building up towards a count of 10 [3]. Holds of no longer than 10 seconds are also suggested [10]. - **Breathe normally** and don't pull in your stomach [10]. - **How often:** suggested amounts include three sets of eight squeezes every day [3], or building up to 10 repeats of each type of squeeze at least 3 times a day [10]. These exercises work best with guidance: they are effective when done with a trained professional [4]. So ask a midwife, doctor or physio to check your technique. Keeping going is often the hard part. Lack of time, convenience and boredom get in the way, while encouragement from others and digital tools help [11]. Linking a set of squeezes to something you already do, such as meals, gives you an easy cue [3]. If the exercises cause pain, ease off. If the pain persists, see a midwife, doctor or physio. > **Try this:** This week, do one set of eight squeezes at each meal. Start with quick squeezes, then slower holds, and breathe normally. ## What if you leak when you exercise, cough or laugh? Leaking when you cough, laugh or exert yourself is the most common type around pregnancy and birth [12], and it is common: about 1 in 3 women leak wee after having a baby [13]. A lot can be done to reduce or prevent it, so you don't need to suffer in silence or feel embarrassed. Pelvic floor training is the best-supported first step. In women with this kind of leaking, many more who did the training reported cure or improvement than those who had no treatment or an inactive one [14], and it is recommended as the first treatment [5]. In pregnancy, one point is different. Training helps prevent leaking in women who aren't leaking yet [2]. Whether it treats leaking that has already started in pregnancy isn't clear yet [9]. If you're already leaking, raise it with your midwife, doctor or physio. You don't need to give up being active. No one is advised to stop exercising because of leaking, and mild-to-moderate activity such as walking tends to lower the risk, while more leaking is linked with higher-impact activities [5]. Keep up gentle activity such as walking, and start your pelvic floor exercises. If leaking is getting worse, or high-impact activity makes it worse, ease off to gentler activity and get advice. If leaking carries on despite the exercises, ask a midwife, doctor or physio for help. In some places you can refer yourself to a physio. ## When to check with a health professional If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. Some pregnancy conditions mean exercise should be avoided or only done with your care team's agreement, so check with your midwife or obstetric care provider if you have a known condition [15][16]. A bulge, or a heavy dragging feeling inside the vagina, is worth raising with a doctor, midwife or physio. After birth, you can ask a doctor, midwife or health visitor about any physical problem at any time. For anything else that is sore or uncomfortable, ease off, and get advice if it persists. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. In pregnancy and after birth, some signs need the midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away, even when they seem mild: bleeding from the vagina, fluid leaking, regular painful contractions, the baby moving less than usual, pain or swelling in a calf, a bad headache or changes in vision [15]. If you have regular painful contractions, stop exercising and seek advice. Call your local emergency number for heavy bleeding, chest pain, severe breathlessness or collapse. ## Quick answers ### Is it normal to leak wee after having a baby? It is common: about 1 in 3 women leak wee after having a baby. A lot can be done to reduce or prevent it, and you don't have to put up with it quietly. Pelvic floor exercises are the best-supported first step, and a midwife, doctor or physio can help. ### Can I still go for walks if I leak? Yes. No one is advised to stop exercising because of leaking, and gentle activity such as walking tends to lower the risk of leaking. If high-impact activity seems to make leaking worse, switch to gentler activity and ask for advice. ### How long does it take for pelvic floor exercises to work? No exact time has been shown. The programmes recommended are supervised by a trained professional, use strong squeezes close to your maximum, and last at least 8 weeks. Regular practice over weeks, rather than a few days, is the aim. ## Sources 1. Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. Pelvic health. https://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk/our-services/womens-services/maternity-services/choices-place-birth/pregnancy-information/pelvic-health 2. Davenport MH et al. (2018). Prenatal exercise (including but not limited to pelvic floor muscle training) and urinary incontinence during and following pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099780 3. Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. Pelvic floor exercises. https://www.surreyandsussex.nhs.uk/our-services/womens-services/maternity-services/your-pregnancy-journey/pelvic-floor-exercises 4. Mørkved S, Bø K (2014). Effect of pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy and after childbirth on prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2012-091758 5. Bø K, Nygaard IE (2020). Is Physical Activity Good or Bad for the Female Pelvic Floor? A Narrative Review. Sports Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7018791/ 6. Healthier Together. Pelvic health. https://www.healthiertogether.nhs.uk/pregnancy-and-birth/pelvic-health 7. Dynamic Health NHS. Your pelvic floor. https://www.dynamichealth.nhs.uk/help-and-advice/pelvic-health/your-pelvic-floor/ 8. Wu Y et al. (2025). Interventions for Maintaining Pelvic Floor Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review. Physiotherapy Research International. https://doi.org/10.1002/pri.70077 9. Woodley SJ et al. (2020). Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7203602/ 10. NHS. Your post-pregnancy body. https://www.nhs.uk/baby/support-and-services/your-post-pregnancy-body/ 11. Gui Z et al. (2026). Barriers and facilitators to pelvic floor muscle exercises among postpartum women: A meta-synthesis based on the capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior (COM-B) model. Midwifery. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2025.104695 12. Diez-Itza I (2026). Urinary incontinence during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Nature Reviews Urology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-025-01091-x 13. Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Pelvic health. https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/services-we-offer/maternity/about-your-pregnancy/pregnancy-health/pelvic-floor-health/ 14. Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC (2018). Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6516955/ 15. Meah VL, Davies GA, Davenport MH (2020). Why can't I exercise during pregnancy? Time to revisit medical 'absolute' and 'relative' contraindications: systematic review of evidence of harm and a call to action. British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102042 16. Mottola MF et al. (2018). No. 367-2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogc.2018.07.001 --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/pelvic-floor-in-pregnancy-and-after). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.