As a women’s health physiotherapist, I often work with women navigating the after effects of birth — things like tearing, prolapse, incontinence, or pelvic floor dysfunction. So many of them wish they’d learnt more about their pelvic floor and how to prepare it for birth during pregnancy.
In this article, I’ll share one simple daily pelvic floor practice (yes, we’re talking about Kegels!) that can support you during birth, your postnatal recovery, and later in life too!
About Danni
Danni Gillham is a Women's Health Physiotherapist and founder of The Wellness Boutique, a physiotherapy and Pilates studio dedicated to supporting women through every life stage — especially pregnancy and postnatal recovery. With a warm, practical approach, Danni is passionate about helping women understand their bodies, trust their inner wisdom, and feel empowered in their health.
Book a consult or learn more at thewellnessboutique.com.au
Connect on Instagram @the.wellness.boutique
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What is the pelvic floor?
Your pelvic floor is a sling of muscles that sits at the base of your pelvis. This powerful group supports your bladder, bowel, and uterus — and during pregnancy, it’s under more load and pressure than ever.
Why do pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy?
During birth, your pelvic floor muscles need to stretch significantly to allow your baby to pass through. By keeping them strong and flexible during pregnancy, you can help reduce the risk of tearing, prolapse, and leakage — and even reduce pelvic floor issues later in life, like ongoing incontinence or prolapse.
Doing pelvic floor exercises (including Kegels) while you're pregnant can help:
- Prevent incontinence (leaking when you sneeze, cough or laugh)
- Reduce the risk of prolapse after birth
- Support your core and stabilise your pelvis
- Prepare for labour
- Speed up postnatal recovery
In short? Training your pelvic floor muscles in pregnancy sets you up to feel more confident, strong and supported during birth and beyond.
What exactly is a Kegel?
Kegels are exercises that involve gently contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles. They can help you build strength, improve muscle awareness, and increase your ability to both activate and release, a necessary skill during labour.
Getting started with Kegels (and common mistakes to avoid)
This is where things can get a little confusing for a lot of people. A common cue like "squeeze like you’re stopping wee" can be helpful, but it doesn’t work for everyone.
It’s also very possible to do Kegels incorrectly. Some people bear down instead of lifting which adds pressure to the pelvic floor (which we don’t want), or over-tense and forget to fully release between squeezes. Others may have an overactive pelvic floor, where the focus needs to be on relaxation, not strengthening.
That’s why working with a trained women’s health physiotherapist is important. We can assess what your pelvic floor actually needs and tailor a plan that supports your pregnancy, birth and recovery.
If you’ve been advised to (or would like to) add Kegel’s to your pregnancy routine, here’s a basic starting point:
- Get comfy—try sitting, lying down or even side-lying.
- Imagine gently closing and lifting the muscles around your vagina and back passage—like you’re picking up a blueberry with those muscles.
- Breathe normally and hold for 3–5 seconds, then fully relax and release those muscles.
- Repeat 8–10 times, once or twice a day.
- Remember: The release is just as important as the squeeze.
How a women’s health physio can help
Every body is different. And sometimes, despite your best efforts, your pelvic floor might be tight, weak, or just not firing as well as it could. That’s where a women’s health physio comes in. We’re able to assess your unique body and help you figure that out.
At The Wellness Boutique, we support women through every stage of pregnancy and postpartum. As part of our signature Bump & Beyond program, we assess your pelvic floor, help you activate it correctly, and tailor your care to suit your birth and recovery goals.
You won’t be left wondering if you’re doing Kegels correctly or if they even work. With expert guidance you’ll know exactly what to do and why it matters.
Don’t wait until after birth
Don’t wait for symptoms to appear after birth before introducing pelvic floor exercises. By starting now, during pregnancy, you can empower yourself with knowledge that protects your body through all stages of life.
Not sure where to start?
We’d love to help. Our women’s health physios can guide you through safe, effective pelvic floor care during pregnancy and long after. Book with a women’s health physio at The Wellness Boutique to care for your pelvic floor.
