Pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy: a thoughtful starting plan

What can exercises help with?

Pelvic floor training is often included in pregnancy care to support bladder control. A Cochrane review published in 2020 found that pregnant women who were not leaking and undertook preventive training probably had fewer leaks later in pregnancy. Evidence for treating existing pregnancy-related leakage was less certain, and longer-term findings were limited.

That distinction matters. Preventing a problem and treating an established symptom are different questions. If you already leak, tell your midwife so you can discuss appropriate assessment and support rather than assuming the preventive routine is all you need.

Keep your expectations practical: learning the movement, following a suitable plan and asking about symptoms. This article does not promise an easier delivery, no tearing or a particular recovery speed.

Learn the lift and the release

Health New Zealand's pregnancy exercise guidance describes closing around the back passage and vagina, lifting inward, then relaxing. Keep breathing and avoid turning the attempt into a buttock squeeze. Do the exercise away from urination; stopping urine flow is not a practice routine.

Ask your midwife or pelvic health physiotherapist to help if the sensation is unclear. Your first useful question may be “How do I know I have let go?” rather than “How many can I do?” Write down the starting amount, rest periods and how to progress, especially if a previous pregnancy or pelvic condition has left you with different advice.

Our technique guide can help you understand the instructions you receive. It cannot check the movement for you.

Choose a position that stays comfortable

Supported sitting or side-lying can avoid the need to spend a long time flat on your back. The NHS advises avoiding prolonged flat-back exercise in later pregnancy and stopping activity if you feel uncomfortable or unwell. A growing bump may change which positions work for you.

Do not treat a position change as losing progress. You are trying to practice a specific movement comfortably, not earn a harder version. If you have pelvic girdle pain or another restriction, ask which position your team recommends. The guide to exercise positions explains general differences, but pregnancy advice takes priority.

Make a small plan you can revisit

Choose a reminder that survives changes in your day. If morning nausea makes an early session impractical, discuss a more workable schedule. If you have been given a programme, keep that one set of instructions rather than combining several online routines.

A simple weekly note can contain four entries:

• Practice: the routine you were actually able to follow.
• Comfort: whether the position and movement remained comfortable.
• Symptoms: any leakage, pressure, pain or emptying difficulty.
• Question: one thing to clarify at the next maternity contact.

This is a communication tool, not a scorecard. A new symptom is useful information even when you have followed the plan exactly. Avoid making your routine harder just because the pregnancy is further along.

At your next visit, mention any instruction you have found difficult to follow. A plan that works on paper may need adjustment around nausea, sleep, work or caring responsibilities.

When should I speak to my maternity team?

Leeds' perinatal physiotherapy service describes help for bladder and bowel leakage, prolapse symptoms and pregnancy-related pain. Ask about local support if these concerns affect daily life. Pain during pelvic floor practice is a reason to pause and ask for individual advice.

Bleeding, suspected amniotic-fluid leakage or regular painful contractions are reasons to stop exercise and contact your maternity service promptly. ACOG includes these in its pregnancy exercise warning signs. Do not assume a new watery leak is urine if you are unsure. Severe symptoms such as chest pain or marked breathlessness need emergency care.

Keep your maternity contact details easy to find. Knowing where to get advice is part of a useful pregnancy exercise plan, alongside any daily practice.

Common questions

Sources & further reading

The guidance above draws on these public health and clinical resources, consulted October 24, 2026. Sources support general education; they have not reviewed or endorsed Pelvic Gym.

1. Cochrane: Pelvic floor training during pregnancy and after birth
2. Health New Zealand: Exercise during pregnancy
3. NHS: Exercise in pregnancy
4. Leeds Teaching Hospitals: Perinatal physiotherapy
5. ACOG: Physical activity during pregnancy and postpartum