9 Natural Ways to Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

Exercise and lifestyle changes are key when it comes to strengthening your core and combatting pelvic floor dysfunction. Consider these natural options to treat PFD.

1. Kegels: The tried and true pelvic floor exercise
Usually when someone thinks pelvic floor exercises, Kegels come to mind. These easy exercises simply require you to flex as if you’re trying to stop your urine flow, hold for a few seconds, then release and repeat. You can do these periodically throughout your day and increase the time you hold the flex.

2. Kegels 2.0: Try this pelvic floor exercise during intercourse
In addition to adding an extra layer of sensation for your partner, Kegels during sex benefit you much the same way they do if you’re just sitting in your chair at the office. Kegels during intercourse increases blood flow and arousal, so they’re a win-win for everyone!

“A lot of women, after childbirth, feel like their vagina is not as tight as it was before and they want to have surgery for that,” urogynecologist Dr. Juraj Letko wrote on the University of Chicago website. “But strengthening the pelvic floor muscles with kegel exercises can make it a little bit more taut. It might be tighter because women are better able to contract their muscles, and that might improve sensation. Even if it’s psychological, it can help women feel better about their pelvic floor, so there’s a positive benefit.”

3. Bladder training
While it sounds like potty training for grown-ups, bladder training consists of peeing only at predetermined times. Over time, practice waiting longer and longer in between urinating.

Bladder training also uses urge suppression techniques, like distraction, deep breathing or a series of rapid-fire Kegels to relax the muscles around the bladder when the urge to pee arises between scheduled potty breaks.

4. Bilateral knee drop exercise
Also known as bent knee fall-outs, this exercise strengthens the deep core muscles, which in turn strengthens the pelvic floor. This video demonstration illustrates the proper way to do a bent knee fall-out.

5. The bridge
Lay on your back with your knees at a 90-degree angle. Push through the bottoms of your feet and lift your hips from the ground while at the same time squeezing your pelvic floor muscles. Repeat. Bonus: This one can also work your glutes.

6. The standing pelvic tilt
Try this exercise to strengthen your lower back and pelvic floor muscles, and also strengthen your core. Stand straight with your back against a wall. Push your lower back against the wall, hold that position, and repeat.

More from Mom.com: What Are the Benefits of Pelvic Floor Exercises?

Much can be said for small dietary tweaks here and there when it comes to changing how your body functions and heals. If you’re having issues with your pelvic floor, diet may be a factor.

7. Limit coffee and other caffeinated beverages
A 2022 study found that caffeine intake can contribute to bladder leakage and other pelvic floor problems, so it makes sense to limit your consumption.

But for many moms, coffee intake is a non-negotiable. Start small if you can; rather than having that third cup of coffee in the afternoon, improve your diet so that you don’t feel that midday slump. Protein and carbs at lunchtime should keep you full and alert longer througout the afternoon.

8. Keep drinking water
When you’re worried about having to pee all the time, it’s natural to think that drinking less water is a good idea. Unfortunately, this method will backfire. Dehydration makes for more concentrated urine, which aggravates the bladder, causing muscle spasms. Stay hydrated!

9. Limit triggering foods
Certain foods can trigger bladder irritation, causing you to need to urinate more often. Citrus fruits, alcohol, spicy foods, dairy and artifical sweeteners could exacerbate an already weak pelvic floor.

If you notice a correlation between what you eat and how much you pee or experience incontinence, consider keeping a food journal to determine your triggers.

If you experience worsening symptoms of PFD such as heaviness or pressure in your pelvis, significant incontinence issues, have difficulty urinating, or tissue comes through the vagina indicating prolapse, it’s time to consult your physician. Or, if your pelvic floor issues are otherwise seriously impacting your life, consider consulting with a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor issues.

Brook Cavalla is a mom of four with a background in exercise science who experienced pelvic floor dysfunction that ultimately led to pelvic organ prolapse.

“I experienced and endured the grueling frustrations of peeing my pants during both exercise and simply sneezing for far too long before taking it upon myself to get to the bottom of my pesky bladder leakage and fix it,” Cavalla wrote on her blog, Struggles of a Fit Mom. “Coming from a pre-physical therapy background, I knew I could find solutions to my challenges without surgery so I decided to seek help from a pelvic floor physical therapist.”

Pelvic floor rehab may include massage, bladder training, specially designed exercises and biofeedback. One of the benefits of rehab is that your therapist will assess your unique body, potentially finding other physiological reasons for your pelvic floor issues, such as muscular tension in the abdomen or thighs.