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[shrosphirelass]

I have been advised to do pelvic floor exercises to help with my bladder symptoms. I was giving a link to a physiotherapy site and it just advised how to do the exercises, which were as I thought and how I have attempted in the past.

My concern it says don't hold your breath whilst doing them but I don't seem to be able to do them with out holding it! Has anyone got any suggestions about how I can stop myself holding my breath?

Thanks

[DottyD68]

Totally relax your belly muscles, then magine you are putting on a really tight pair of jeans and zipping them up. To do this you need to draw in your belly button and muscles below it towards the back of your spine. You don't need to breathe in while you are doing them.

If this doesn't work, imagine you are on the loo having a wee and the phone rings and you must answer it. The sensation of tightening your pelvic muscles is very similar.

Or imagine someone has attached a piece of string to your belly button from your spine and is pulling the string / belly button towards your spine.

Keep breathing throughout this.

Hope this helps.

[CLKD]

However: the correct pelvic floor exercises are important so do self refer to a womans physiotherapist.  bladder symptoms = vaginal atrophy 

[DottyD68]

I'm a trained Personal Trainer and the above descriptions were the techniques I was given to try and make it easier for clients to understand in "everyday speak". They should, if done properly make you aware of which muscles you are supposed to use/feel without just holding your breath.

Obviously there are more technical ways of describing it but this always worked for me and my clients.

There are plenty of good physio sites on the internet which will explain it.

[shrosphirelass]

Thanks Dotty I think I know how to do them and your descriptions are helpful. I just don't understand why I find it impossible to do this without holding my breath and wonder if that means I haven't got it right.  I try and breath out as I contract but its not very scccessful.

CLKD I did ask for a referral and they said they would, but it would be months before I got an appointment

[Haydo]

My pelvic floor physio told me to practise diaphragmatic breathing until I got used to doing that, and then bring the pelvic floor lift into the diaphragmatic breathing when you are breathing out through your mouth.   It’s very easy to tense up and find you are holding your breath without realising it,  but doing the diaphragmatic breathing really helped.  There are plenty of descriptions of how to do it on line. 

[CLKD]

Tnx Girls. 

[shrosphirelass]

My pelvic floor physio told me to practise diaphragmatic breathing until I got used to doing that, and then bring the pelvic floor lift into the diaphragmatic breathing when you are breathing out through your mouth.   It’s very easy to tense up and find you are holding your breath without realising it,  but doing the diaphragmatic breathing really helped.  There are plenty of descriptions of how to do it on line.

thanks, will have a look