This post is for all of my fellow expecting mamas! Let me know if that’s you and I’d love to connect.
I’ve been lifting weights and training for almost a decade and I’ve never once considered how to breathe for a healthy pelvic floor. I guess I never really had to… until now. 😆
Disclaimer: I’m no expert in pelvic floor health, and this is not medical advice. Please always consult a medical professional for all and any medical advice. I am still 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, but I am an athlete and I can say that hiring a PT who specializes in pelvic floor health while pregnant is money well spent. It’s beneficial for not only pregnancy, but as I’ve been told by my PT, for labor, delivery, and post-partum recovery, too.
Here’s what I’ve learned about proper breathing😮💨:
INHALE ➡️ relax pelvic floor
EXHALE ➡️ contract pelvic floor
I’ve learned that “bracing” and holding your breath in workouts increases the pelvic floor tension. Which was causing me to have to pee 5-6x at night. For labor and delivery I need to know how to “release” my pelvic floor.
When in a workout💪🏽:
INHALE ➡️ down
EXHALE ➡️ up
The mental cues that have been helping me contract and release properly have been:
DOWN ➡️ release
UP ➡️ ‘pull up’ off the floor
Everyone is different in body awareness and experience, so I would suggest hiring a PT who can help you create the right cues and exercises for you! If you’re on this pregnancy journey right now with me, let me know! Did you hire a PT as well?
Also – sheers to the mamas whose bodies are literally growing a human while also juggling 1084729 things in life. You’re the real MVP ????
