Hey there! This post is for you if you just took the 2-min self-check — or if you believe you’re all good “down there” and just want to do a little maintenance. No leaks, no urgency, no pressure or pain? You’re in the perfect place to do a little prevention work to keep it that way.
First, some perspective: did you know about 1 in 3 women experience pelvic floor symptoms? So if you’re symptom-free, you’ve got something worth protecting.
But a happy pelvic floor isn’t luck — it’s normally the result of small, everyday habits. So I encourage you to do these three things to help keep your pelvic floor happy.
1. Relax when you go: feet up, sit down, no pushing
Every time you use the bathroom, you engage your pelvic floor. That’s usually several reps a day, every single day — so a few small habits here can add up fast.
Put a small footstool under your feet. It puts you in a gentle squat, which straightens the angle of your lower bowel and helps the muscle that keeps it closed fully relax — so everything can exit without a fight.
Sit all the way down when you use a toilet. Hovering keeps your pelvic floor and hip muscles tense, which makes it harder to fully empty.
“But what about those nasty public restroom seats?” I hear you. Use a seat liner or lay down some toilet paper — a lined seat still beats a hover.
And don’t push or strain. If things aren’t moving, the answer is usually more fiber, water, and patience, not more force.
One more: only pee when you actually have to. Going “just in case” can train your bladder to sound the alarm earlier and earlier. Your bladder is smart. Let it stay that way.
2. Exhale when you lift anything heavy, instead of holding your breath
Your pelvic floor sits at the bottom of a pressure system — diaphragm on top, deep core around the sides, pelvic floor at the base. When you hold your breath and strain, the base takes the hit.
So breathe out on the hard part. The laundry basket, the toddler, the suitcase, the barbell — exhale as you lift. That’s the whole rule, and it helps protect your pelvic floor for years to come.
3. Move and strengthen your whole body
Your pelvic floor doesn’t work alone. It’s a team player with your diaphragm, deep abs, and hips — which is why the best pelvic floor exercise usually doesn’t look like one.
Walk. Squat down and stand back up. Carry heavy things (exhaling!). Take the stairs. Strengthen your hips and glutes. Change positions through the day. A pelvic floor that lives in a strong, moving body tends to stay coordinated — working when it’s needed, relaxing when it’s not.
The honest truth about “just do your Kegels”
You may have noticed Kegels aren’t on the list. That’s on purpose.
“Just do your Kegels” might be the most over-recommended advice in women’s health — handed to everyone, for everything, with no explanation. Here’s the problem: Kegels can help, but only for the right floor, done the right way. Many women actually have tight, overactive pelvic floors, and more squeezing can make that worse. A muscle that can’t let go doesn’t need to grip harder.
So no blanket Kegel prescription from me. If your floor is happy, these three habits can do more for you.
If any of these are difficult for you, it may be wise to book an appointment
These habits should feel doable. If one doesn’t — the footstool makes things harder, exhaling while lifting feels confusing, relaxing on the toilet is uncomfortable — that’s not a failure. It’s useful information, and it’s exactly the kind of thing an appointment can help sort out.
Take the 2-minute self-check
The 2-minute self-check is a quick way to get a feel for where things stand — though it doesn’t replace a professional assessment. And if you know someone quietly wondering if what she’s dealing with is normal, send it her way. It’s a kind place to start.
If anything ever changes for you, I’m right here. No panic needed — just a door that’s open.
