How to Tell if You Have a Pelvic Floor Problem After Birth

Bringing a baby into the world is an incredible experience, but it’s also a huge event for your body. Whether you had a vaginal birth or a caesarean, your pelvic floor muscles go through big changes during pregnancy and after delivery. It’s common to wonder: “Is what I’m feeling normal? Or do I have a pelvic floor problem?”

The truth is, many women aren’t sure when to seek help, and too often symptoms are dismissed as “just part of motherhood.” But your pelvic health matters, and support is available through postpartum physiotherapy.

Here are some key signs that you may have a pelvic floor problem after birth:

1. Bladder Leaks (Even Small Ones)

Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh, or exercise is called stress urinary incontinence. Even if it’s just a few drops, it’s still a sign your pelvic floor isn’t fully supporting your bladder. This is one of the most common pelvic floor problems after childbirth, and it can be successfully treated with pelvic floor physiotherapy.

2. Strong Urges or Trouble Holding On

If you often feel like you can’t hold your bladder and need to rush to the toilet, or if you’re going more frequently than you used to, this may indicate overactive bladder or coordination issues between your bladder and pelvic floor.

3. A Feeling of Heaviness or Bulging

A dragging or heavy sensation in the vagina, or noticing a bulge, may be a sign of pelvic organ prolapse after birth. Prolapse is very common, and there are many treatment options available, from exercises to pessary fitting, that can help manage symptoms.

4. Pain With Sex (Dyspareunia)

If intercourse is uncomfortable or painful, whether it feels stinging, sharp, or throbbing, it may be due to pelvic floor tension, scar tissue from a perineal tear or episiotomy, or hormonal changes (especially while breastfeeding). Pelvic floor physiotherapy can help restore comfort and confidence.

5. Constipation or Straining

Struggling with constipation, needing to strain, or feeling like you can’t fully empty your bowels may also be linked to your pelvic floor function. Addressing bowel health is a key part of postnatal recovery.

6. Core or Abdominal Changes

The pelvic floor and core muscles work together. If you’ve noticed doming along your tummy, difficulty engaging your deep abs, or ongoing pelvic/back pain, you may have diastasis recti (abdominal separation) alongside pelvic floor issues.

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, know that you’re not alone. Many women experience pelvic floor dysfunction after childbirth, but you don’t have to put up with it. Pelvic health physiotherapy can:

• Improve bladder and bowel control

• Reduce heaviness and prolapse symptoms

• Support recovery from birth injuries

• Help you feel confident returning to exercise (yes, even running!)

• Restore comfort and confidence with intimacy

  
  

Every mum’s recovery is different, and what’s “normal” for one person may not be for another. If you’re unsure, booking a postnatal pelvic floor assessment is the best way to know how things are healing and what support will help you most.