It’s so important to understand that “normal” and “common” are not the same thing.

Let’s start with something I say to every single mum who walks into my classes, or joins online: you are not being dramatic, and you are not alone. Pelvic floor dysfunction is incredibly common — but that doesn’t mean it should be accepted as an unavoidable part of motherhood or ageing.

So many women live with symptoms for years, quietly adjusting their lives around them, before ever seeking help. In fact, research shows women wait an average of 6.5 years after symptoms begin before speaking to a healthcare professional. That’s a long time to be managing something on your own that could be improved so much sooner.

Here are the signs of pelvic floor dysfunction that are far too often brushed off as “just part of being a mum.”

The “Just in Case” Wee

If you find yourself popping to the toilet before every car journey, every exercise class, or every time you leave the house “just in case”, this can be a sign that your bladder and pelvic floor aren’t communicating quite as well as they should. It’s so normalised that most women don’t even flag it as a symptom, but it’s worth paying attention to.

Leaking When You Laugh, Cough, Sneeze or Jump

This is probably the most well-known sign of pelvic floor weakness, and yet it remains one of the most under-reported. Whether it’s a small leak on the trampoline with your kids or needing to cross your legs before a big sneeze, stress urinary incontinence is not something you have to live with – and it’s very responsive to the right kind of pelvic floor and core work.

A Feeling of Heaviness or “Something Coming Down”

A dragging, heavy sensation in the pelvis, particularly by the end of the day or after standing for a while, can be a sign of pelvic organ prolapse. This one is especially easy to dismiss because it can be subtle at first, or mistaken for general tiredness. Around 50% of women who have had a vaginal delivery will experience some degree of prolapse by the time they’re over 50, though only a fraction have noticeable symptoms, which is exactly why getting ahead of pelvic floor health matters so much.

Ongoing Lower Back, Hip or Pelvic Pain

We tend to treat back and hip pain as separate from pelvic floor health, but they’re deeply connected. Your pelvic floor is an integral part of your whole system, working together with your deep abdominals, diaphragm and back muscles. When one part of that system isn’t functioning well, the others often compensate – and pain is frequently the result.

Discomfort or Pain During Intimacy

This is one of the symptoms women are least likely to mention, even to their doctor, yet it’s a real sign that your pelvic floor may be too tight, too weak, or not coordinating properly. There is no need to suffer in silence with this one – it’s a completely valid and common reason to seek support.

A Gap or Doming Through Your Abdomen

If you notice your tummy doming or bulging when you sit up, lift something, or do a plank, or you can feel a gap through the midline of your stomach, this may indicate diastasis recti (abdominal separation). It’s closely linked to pelvic floor function, since your deep core and pelvic floor work as a single connected unit.

Constipation, Straining, or Feeling Like You Haven’t Fully Emptied Your Bladder or Bowel

Bowel and bladder symptoms are just as much a part of pelvic floor health as leaking is, but they’re rarely talked about. Straining, urgency, or a sense of incomplete emptying are all worth mentioning to a pelvic health professional.

Why These Signs Get Ignored

Part of the problem is cultural – jokes about “leaking when you laugh” have almost become a punchline about motherhood, rather than a red flag. The other part is access: many women simply don’t know where to start, or assume nothing can be done without surgery or invasive treatment. Neither of these things is true.

You Don’t Have to Live With It

The pelvic floor is a muscle group, and like any muscle group, it responds to the right kind of targeted, progressive training. This is at the very heart of what I do at Centred Mums – helping women reconnect with their pelvic floor and core, address leaks and heaviness, close abdominal separation, and move through motherhood (and beyond) without pain or worry holding them back.

The best first step is to see a women’s health physio or osteopath to find out exactly what is happening in your pelvic floor and then I can support you with the movement you need to address your symptoms and feel better in your body.

If any of these signs sound familiar, please know that reaching out is the first and most powerful step. **Nothing is TMI here.**

Explore our in-person Pilates classes in St Albans, join The Centred Mums Collective online, or grab our free pelvic floor health download to get started today.

If you’ve followed along with Centred Mums, you’ll know that I absolutely love using the reformer and I have one in my home studio for 121 and small group classes. It’s an incredible piece of equipment, and in an individual setting it can be transformative for building strength, improving alignment, and supporting long-term movement health.

But here’s something that might surprise you:

I don’t believe mum and baby reformer classes are the right approach for postnatal exercise.

Let me explain why.

After pregnancy and birth, your body needs more than a machine based class filled with distraction —it needs specialist postnatal recovery support that targets what you really need right now.

Your deep core system, including your pelvic floor and transverse abdominals, has been lengthened and lost strength. Before jumping into complex workouts or equipment-based sessions, the priority should always be:

• Reconnecting with your breath
• Restoring pelvic floor function
• Rebuilding core strength after pregnancy
• Improving alignment and stability

This is the foundation of effective postnatal Pilates, and you simply don’t need a reformer to achieve it.

In fact, when it comes to safe postnatal workouts, simpler is often more effective. 

The Problem with Mum & Baby Reformer Classes

While mum and baby fitness classes can be a brilliant way to get moving again, I believe the reformer environment is a bit problematic at this stage of postnatal recovery.

Reformers are large, moving pieces of equipment that require focus, control, and proper technique.

When you add a baby into that space:

• Your attention is divided
• Your movement quality decreases
• The risk of unsafe situations increases

From a postnatal fitness safety perspective, this simply isn’t ideal.

I’m sure we all know how unpredictable babies can be and being next to moving equipment doesn’t create the calm, controlled environment that your postnatal recovery exercises require.

It’s Got to Be The Right Setting

Now I’m not saying “down with reformers!” 

When working 1:1, Pilates on the reformer can be an amazing tool for strength and rehabilitation, accelerating progress safely and effectively.

It’s all about using the right tool at the right time.

What Your Body Really Needs Postnatally

In the early stages after having a baby, your body benefits most from:

• Targeted postnatal Pilates exercises
• Gentle, progressive core and pelvic floor rehabilitation
• A supportive, understanding environment
• Structured guidance from a postnatal fitness specialist

This approach builds a strong foundation for everything else – whether that’s returning to the gym, running, or eventually using equipment like the reformer.

This is exactly why I created my classes at Centred Mums.

My postnatal Pilates classes are designed specifically to support:

• Pelvic floor recovery after birth
• Safe and effective core strengthening for mums
• Realistic, sustainable postnatal fitness routines
• Confidence in your body again

There’s no pressure, no rushing, and no unnecessary complexity – just expert guidance and a focus on what your body truly needs.

Ready to Start Your Postnatal Recovery?

If you’re looking for safe postnatal exercise classes, expert guidance, and a supportive community of mums, my classes at Centred Mums are here for you. 

I would also recommend getting a full postnatal check at a specialist like Herts Osteopathy or Alban Osteopathy,  where you can build on the tailored support with feedback on what is happening internally. 

Come and rebuild your strength the right way, starting from the ground up.

Do you want to know the best pelvic floor exercises?

When it comes to pelvic floor exercises, we are all told that the ‘lift and squeeze’ or kegel is the best thing we can do. I often use the analogy that only using kegels to strengthen your pelvic floor is like trying to strengthen your bicep without using any weight or movement and simply contracting your bicep muscle. We would never do that! So why do we think this will work for the pelvic floor??

We want to create balance in our muscles and so the best thing we can do is to USE them. If we want to get a muscle working better, we need to move it and to add weight and movement to gain strength.

In 2016, Crawford et al did a study to find out the pelvic floor response in a list of exercises compared to kegels. Here is what they found:

Percent Greater Than Isolated Kegel

1. Lunge: 42%
2. Squat: 30%
3. Side Lying Bent Knee Lift: 25%

4. Side Lying Straight Leg Circle: 25%
6. Bridge: 56%

7. Hovering : 49%
8. All 4s Bent Knee Lift: 30%
9. Cat Into Cow: 41%

I made this video to talk you through my versions of these exercises which I really believe are the best exercises for pelvic floor health.

My 30 Day Challenge is a great way to get yourself into this work and create a regular practice on your own or if you would like more feedback and to create a regular practice to improve your pelvic floor, join the waiting lists for my in person classes or check out my online membership.