The Pelvic Floor Plan
Updated: 2 days ago
Your pelvic floor carries more and more weight for nine months. During birth it has to be able to make room. And afterwards it needs to recover in peace. Each period asks something different. That is why the pelvic floor exercises below are not one long list. You find them as a plan in five steps, moving with you from pregnancy to postpartum. Every step comes with an exercise plan to download.
What your pelvic floor is and what it does
Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that supports your bladder, uterus and bowels like a hammock. It lets you hold in urine and stool, helps keep your pelvis and lower back stable, and plays a part in sex.
During pregnancy it carries steadily more weight, while hormones make the tissue softer. During birth the muscles stretch to their limit to let your baby through. Sometimes a tear occurs in the perineum. After that they need time, and time is the active ingredient here.
Common complaints during pregnancy and after birth
Many women notice something of their pelvic floor during pregnancy or after birth. That makes sense: your pelvic floor takes a lot. Women experience complaints such as:
Urine loss when coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting.
Leaking stool or trouble holding wind, mainly after a tear.
A heavy or dragging feeling in your vagina.
Pain in the perineum, the area between vagina and anus.
Fortunately there is a lot you can do yourself. Well-performed pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy and after birth reduce the chance of complaints. And complaints that are already there can get better too.
The Pelvic Floor Plan was made for exactly that: for pregnant women, with the birth and the recovery afterwards in mind.
How the pelvic floor plan works
The plan moves with your body in five steps. If you are pregnant, you start at step 1. If you have just given birth, you join at step 3. So you do not have to start at the beginning.
1. Preparing, week 20 to 28: getting to know your pelvic floor
This step is about awareness and about building up. Where is your pelvic floor, what do you feel when you tighten, and can you let go completely afterwards? The exercise plan holds quick squeezes and slow five-second holds. You do not have to wait until after the birth: exercising now reduces the chance of urine loss later.
2. Protecting, week 28 to birth: learning to make room
In the third trimester the focus shifts from strength to relaxation. You practise letting go, with your breathing, and with positions that create room. A pelvic floor that can yield during pushing comes away with less damage. Protecting also happens outside the exercises: lift with your legs, do not strain on the toilet, and keep your stools soft.
3. Recovering, weeks 1 to 3 after birth: rest and recovery
Rest comes first, with gentle activation to get the blood flowing and to consciously reach the muscles again. Pushing yourself works against you in these weeks.
4. Reconnecting, weeks 3 to 6 after birth: restoring contact
Many women feel little or nothing in the first weeks. This step is about finding contact again. Gentle tightening and releasing gets the blood flowing, and brings the sensation back.
5. Strengthening, from week 6 after birth: back to your strength
Only once recovery is under way does it become about strength again. Gradually more intensive training to build strength, control and stability, and only if you have no pain.
When to see a pelvic physiotherapist
An appointment around six weeks after birth is never a bad idea. Someone can then assess whether you are recovering the right way and look with you if something is not working. You can also go during pregnancy, for example if you already have urine loss.
Do you have pain in your pelvic floor, pain during sex or trouble with bowel movements? Then a lot of tightening is exactly the wrong approach. Have it assessed first, before you start on exercises.
Tips for sticking with the plan
Attach it to something you already do: brushing your teeth, making coffee, or a feed.
Start small. Three short sessions a day beats one long one a week.
Set a reminder on your phone for the first weeks, until it becomes automatic.
Ask your partner to remind you. Keeping it up together is easier.
Frequently asked questions
When can I start pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy?
From around week 20 you can start with light pelvic floor exercises. The focus is on awareness, tightening and fully relaxing, not on strength training. From week 28, relaxing deserves more attention than strength.
Can I do pelvic floor exercises right after giving birth?
Yes, but rest comes first. In the first weeks after birth it is mainly about light activation and feeling the muscles. Forcing it or training intensively can slow your recovery down.
How do I know if I am tightening my pelvic floor correctly?
A good contraction feels like calmly holding in urine and wind, without tightening your buttocks, belly or legs. Not sure? A pelvic floor specialist can check it with you.
Do pelvic floor exercises help with urine loss after birth?
In many cases, yes. Urine loss is common after pregnancy and birth. Regular, well-performed exercises can support your recovery and reduce complaints.
What if my complaints continue despite the exercises?
If urine loss, pain or a heavy feeling persists, it is wise to see a pelvic physiotherapist. Getting help early can prevent long-term complaints.
Can I do too many pelvic floor exercises?
Yes. Training too often or too intensively can lead to overload or tension. Alternating between tightening and relaxing is essential, especially in the first weeks after birth.
Should I mainly make my pelvic floor stronger?
Not only. Before birth it is just as important that you can fully relax and let go, so your pelvic floor can make room while you push. With an already tense pelvic floor, pain during sex or trouble passing stool, a lot of squeezing is not wise; have it assessed by a pelvic physiotherapist first.
Your pelvic floor has been through a lot, and recovery cannot be rushed. This plan is not there to get you somewhere, but so that in every period you know what helps at that moment.
Some weeks you do everything, other weeks nothing. That belongs to it too.
Love,
Bobby
Sources
Written by Bobby, maternity nurse at Bobby Kraamzorg. Last updated: September 2026.
