Pelvic Health in Pregnancy

The videos below offer advice and exercises for pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain.  

The guided exercises encourage gentle movement and strengthening, to help you ease symptoms and stay active throughout your pregnancy. 

The videos progress from the easiest to the more advanced gentle strengthening. In the last three videos you will find some gentle stretching exercises. 

We advise you to complete the exercises for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement in your symptoms or if your symptoms worsen, please talk to your midwife or GP. 

Video 1: Important information before you start

Occasionally, pelvic pain needs urgent medical attention. Please watch the first video carefully as it contains important information. 

 

If you have any of the following bladder or bowel changes, please go straight to be reviewed at A&E (Emergency Department): 

•    It’s getting more difficult to pee 

•    Less sensation when trying to pee 

•    Less sensation when wiping yourself with toilet paper 

•    You cannot empty your bladder or bowel completely 

•    It’s getting more difficult to stop or control the flow of urine 

•    You can’t tell if your bladder is full or empty 

•    Loss of sensation when you poo 

•    Losing control of your bowel or bladder 

 

 

Video 2: Pelvic floor activation

To engage the pelvic floor muscle, tighten the muscles around your back passage (anus) as though trying to stop yourself from passing wind. The exercises should gently work your tummy muscles, but your buttocks, thighs and shoulders should stay relaxed. Do not hold your breath – continue normal, relaxed breathing. 

Aim to engage the pelvic floor muscle as above and try to hold this for up to 10 

seconds. Relax fully (by taking a few deep breaths in between repetitions) and then rest for 4 seconds. Repeat up to 10 times. 

Then engage the pelvic floor muscle quickly and then completely relax the muscle immediately afterwards, followed by a few deep breaths. Repeat up to 10 times. Aim to do these exercises 3 times a day. 

If you are only able to do one exercise daily, make sure you do this one. 

 

 

Video 3: Hugging baby with bump

  • Activate your lower abdominal muscles by bringing your belly button inward and by gently activating your pelvic floor muscles. 

  • Maintain a steady abdominal breathing with your back in a neutral position. 

  • You can place your hands under bump for feedback to check that your tummy muscles are activating. 

  • Hold this position for a few seconds, then relax and repeat. 

  • Try and repeat 10 to 15 times.  

 

 

Video 4: Pelvic tilts

Video 4: Pelvic t ilts  

  • Sitting relaxed on a chair or swiss ball.  

  • Roll your pelvis backwards, rounding through your back, then roll your pelvic forwards, sitting up tall again. Keep your stomach relaxed.  

  • Repeat for 30 seconds throughout the day as needed  

 

 

Video 5: Seated marching

  • Sit on a Swiss ball or chair with your thighs parallel to the ground, your feet flat on the floor and your back in a neutral position.  

  • Activate your lower abdominals by bringing your belly button inward and by gently activating your pelvic floor muscles.  

  • Maintain a steady abdominal breathing while you lift one heel off the ground as you breathe out and lower it back down as you breathe out. Keep alternating between the two heels and try to maintain steady, relaxed breathing.  

  • If you find the heel lifts too easy, you can try and lift one leg as you breathe out. Lower your leg as you breathe in. Keep alternating between the two legs and try to maintain steady, relaxed breathing .  

  • The ball should not move during the exercise.  

  • Hold onto a steady surface if you feel unbalanced.    

  • Continue for 30 seconds, 2 to 4 times a day.   

 

 

Video 6: Knee extension exercise

  • Sit on a Swiss ball or chair with your thighs parallel to the ground, your feet flat on the floor and your back in a neutral position.  

  • Activate your lower abdominal muscles by bringing your belly button inward and by gently activating your pelvic floor muscles (see video No 2)  

  • Breathe in to prepare . W hen breathing out slide one foot forward on the floor. Bring the foot back as you breathe in. Repeat with the other leg. Keep alternating between the two legs and try to maintain steady, relaxed breathing.  

 

If you find this too easy, try straightening your leg out in front of you.   

  • Breathe in to prepare . W hen breathing out lift one foot off the floor , straightening the knee . Lower the foot back down as you breathe in.   

  • Repeat with the other leg. Keep alternating between the two legs and try to maintain steady, relaxed breathing.  

  • The ball should not move during the exercise.  

  • Hold onto a steady surface if you feel unbalanced.  

  • Continue for 30 seconds, 2 to 4 times a day  

 

 

Video 7: Diagonal pull

  • Sit on a S wiss ball or chair with your thighs parallel to the ground, your feet flat on the floor and your back in a neutral position.  

  • Start with your hands on one side of your body, whil e holding a resistance band with both hands. Breathe in to prepare . A s you breathe out, pull the band diagonally across your body. Return to starting position as you inhale.  

  • Maintain slow, steady, relaxed breathing.  

  • Ensure you are completing on both sides.  

  • Continue for 30 seconds on each side, 2 to 4 sets .  

 

 

Video 8: Sit to stand

  • Sit on a chair and put a band around your thighs, just above your knees.  

  • With you r feet slightly apart, stand up, keeping your knees hip-width apart and slightly pushing against the band.   

  • Return to your starting position in a slow, controlled motion, sticking your bottom out.  

  • Do not let your knees fall inwards,  

  • To make it easier, you can add pillows to the chair to increase the height.  

  • Continue for 30 seconds, 2 to 4 times a day .  

 

 

 

Video 9: Wall squats

  • Place the ball between your back and the wall. Standing with your feet apart, slightly in front of you. Slowly bend your knees, keeping them hip-width apart. Slowly return to standing position and repeat.  

  • Only bend your knees as far as is comfortable for you.  

  • Continue for 30 seconds, 2 to 4 sets  

 

 

Video 10: Clamshells

  • Lie on your side with your knees bent and your back in a neutral position. Your feet should be in line with your back and bottom. Keeping your feet together, open and close your knees. Do not roll back, pretend a wall is behind you, stopping you from doing this.  

  • Open your knees only as far as you can in a comfortable, pain - free range.  

  • 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times on each leg .  

 

 

Video 11: Spinal twists

  • Lie on your side with your knees bent, keep the bottom arm on the floor in front of you. Rotate your trunk following your top arm reaching back, opening up the chest. Follow with your head. Maintain the position for 5 to 10 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.  

  • Alternatively, sit on a ball or chair with your knees bent and your back in a neutral position. Turn your shoulders to one side, keeping your pelvis completely still. Slowly return to the middle and repeat on the other side.   

  • 30 seconds, as needed throughout the day  

 

 

Video 12: Cat-cow

  • Start on all fours with your hands underneath the shoulders. Round your back up towards the ceiling , bringing your bump up and let the head and neck drop down, to perform the 'cow' position.  

  • Lift the head and chest simultaneously while letting the stomach sink for 'cat' position.    

  • If you have any wrist pain, place a rolled-up towel underneath your palm or bring your hands out slightly in front of your shoulders.  

  • 30 seconds, as needed throughout the day .  

 

 

Video 13: Child’s pose

  • Start in a tall kneeling position facing a Swiss ball or sofa. Put a soft surface under your knees for comfort. Part your knees to allow room for your bump.   

  • Roll the ball away to stretch your back . I f you do not have a ball stretch your arms out onto the sofa in front of you, and gently let you r tummy lean forward.  

  • For a side stretch, lean to your right side and hold, then repeat to the left side.  

  • Hold the position for as long as you feel comfortable.