When should I start pelvic floor exercises?

Last reviewed June 19, 2026 by Dr. Sapna Jadhav, General Physician. Sources from ACOG, NHS, Mayo Clinic, CDC, NICE, NIH, Cochrane, and peer-reviewed journals.

Bottom lineYou can start gentle pelvic floor exercises within a day or two of birth, as soon as you're comfortable - they help restore strength, reduce leaking, and support healing, and are safe even after a C-section.

You can start gentle pelvic floor exercises very soon after birth - often within the first day or two, as soon as you feel comfortable. They're one of the safest and most beneficial things you can do for recovery.

Why start early

Pregnancy and birth stretch and weaken the pelvic floor muscles that support your bladder, bowel, and uterus. Gentle exercises help restore strength, reduce leaking, and support healing. Starting early and keeping it up makes a real difference.

How to do them

• Squeeze the muscles you'd use to stop yourself passing wind and urine
• Lift and hold the squeeze for a few seconds, then fully relax
• Do short, quick squeezes too
• Aim for several sets through the day, building up the hold time as you get stronger
• Breathe normally - don't hold your breath or clench your buttocks

After a C-section

Pelvic floor exercises are still helpful after a C-section, since pregnancy itself loads the pelvic floor. They're gentle and won't strain your incision.

When to get help

See a women's health physiotherapist if you leak urine or poo, feel a heaviness or bulge in the vagina, or aren't sure you're doing the exercises correctly.

Femora helps you build pelvic floor exercises into your recovery routine.