female_health

Pelvic Floor Recovery

33% of postpartum women have urinary incontinence at 3 months. Supervised pelvic-floor muscle training reduces incontinence by 50-70% in 12 weeks (Cochrane 2018).

Nutrition

Pattern

High-fibre + adequate hydration to avoid constipation strain

Foods to emphasise

30+ g fibre/day
2-2.5 L water/day
Probiotic foods

Foods to limit

Caffeine (bladder irritant) > 200 mg/day
Carbonated drinks
Artificial sweeteners

Exercise

Aerobic

Walking and swimming; avoid high-impact 6-12 weeks.

Strength

Pelvic-floor muscle training (Kegels) — 10 reps × 3 sets daily, hold 5-10 sec each. Functional integration: pelvic floor + breath + transverse abdominis with squats, lunges, deadlifts at 12 weeks.

Flexibility

Hip mobility + happy baby pose daily.

Weekly target

150 minutes

Supplements

Magnesium glycinate

200-300 mg/night

observational

Helps muscle relaxation + sleep.

Monitor + cadence

What to track

Daily symptom diary (leaks/day, urge episodes)
Pelvic-floor strength on internal exam at 6 weeks + 3 months

Red flags — seek care

Faecal incontinence → urgent pelvic-floor referral
Heavy bulging vaginal sensation → prolapse assessment
Pain with intercourse persisting > 12 weeks → pelvic-floor physio + GP

Sources

Cochrane Review PFMT 2018
NICE NG123 Urinary Incontinence 2019

Make this plan yours.

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