Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegels) After Birth

Kegel exercises, also called pelvic floor muscle training, are exercises for your pelvic floor muscles that help prevent or reduce stress urinary incontinence, according to the Office on Women's Health. ¹ MedlinePlus says to tighten these muscles and hold for a count of 3 to 5 seconds, relax, then repeat 10 times, 3 times a day. ²

Key takeaways

• The Office on Women's Health says Kegel exercises, also called pelvic floor muscle training, are exercises for your pelvic floor muscles that help prevent or reduce stress urinary incontinence. ¹
• MedlinePlus says to tighten the muscles and hold for a count of 3 to 5 seconds, relax, and repeat 10 times, 3 times a day. ²
• MedlinePlus says that after 4 to 6 weeks of doing Kegel exercises you should have fewer symptoms, though it may take several months for incontinence to lessen. ²
• MedlinePlus says that when done the right way, pelvic floor muscle exercises have been shown to be very effective at improving urinary continence. ³
• The Office on Women's Health says that for some women whose pelvic floor muscles are always tightened, Kegel exercises will not help and may cause more problems, so it suggests talking to your doctor or nurse first. ¹
• MedlinePlus says not to do Kegels while you are urinating, because that can weaken your pelvic floor muscles over time or cause damage to the bladder and kidneys. ²

**A quick, honest note:** we're not medical professionals - everything here was researched by us from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page, and it isn't professional advice. Read our full note ↓

How do you do pelvic floor exercises?

To do pelvic floor exercises, also called Kegels, MedlinePlus says to tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold for a count of 3 to 5 seconds, relax for a count of 3 to 5 seconds, and repeat 10 times, 3 times a day (morning, afternoon, and night). ² MedlinePlus says, "Kegel exercises can help make the pelvic floor muscles under the uterus, bladder, and bowel (large intestine) stronger." ² The Office on Women's Health suggests practicing Kegels daily, especially during pregnancy and after talking to your doctor, nurse, or midwife. ¹ MedlinePlus also says not to do Kegels at the same time you are urinating, because doing the exercises while urinating can weaken your pelvic floor muscles over time or cause damage to the bladder and kidneys. ²

How long do pelvic floor exercises take to work?

MedlinePlus says that after 4 to 6 weeks of doing Kegel exercises you should have fewer symptoms, though it may take several months for incontinence to lessen. ² The NHS says, "You may have to do pelvic floor exercises for a few months before you see any benefits." ⁴ MedlinePlus says, "When done the right way, pelvic floor muscle exercises have been shown to be very effective at improving urinary continence." ³ MedlinePlus adds that increasing the number and frequency of repetitions does not speed progress, and that over-exercising can instead cause muscle fatigue and increase urine leakage. ³

Can Kegel exercises be harmful?

The Office on Women's Health says that Kegel exercises can cause more problems for some women: it explains that some women have urinary symptoms because their pelvic floor muscles are always tightened, and in that situation Kegel exercises will not help and may cause more problems. ¹ Because of this, the Office on Women's Health suggests talking to your doctor or nurse about your urinary symptoms before doing Kegel exercises. ¹ MedlinePlus says not to do Kegels at the same time you are urinating, because it can weaken your pelvic floor muscles over time or cause damage to the bladder and kidneys. ² MedlinePlus also says that over-exercising does not speed progress and can instead cause muscle fatigue and increase urine leakage. ³ MedlinePlus says to contact your health care provider if you are not sure you are doing Kegel exercises the right way, and that you may be referred to a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor exercises. ²

When should you see a doctor about bladder leaks?

The Office on Women's Health says that if you are still having bladder problems 6 weeks after childbirth, you should talk to your doctor, nurse, or midwife. ¹ MedlinePlus says to contact your health care provider if you are not sure you are doing Kegel exercises the right way, adding that you may be referred to a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor exercises. ² It can help to understand why these leaks happen in the first place. The Office on Women's Health says that during pregnancy, as your baby grows, the baby pushes down on your bladder, urethra, and pelvic floor muscles, and over time this pressure may weaken the pelvic floor muscles and lead to leaks or problems passing urine. ¹ The Office on Women's Health also says that problems during labor and childbirth, especially vaginal birth, can weaken pelvic floor muscles and damage the nerves that control the bladder. ¹ The NHS says that being overweight can weaken your pelvic floor muscles and cause incontinence because of the pressure of fatty tissue on your bladder. ⁴

Frequently asked questions

How do you do pelvic floor exercises?

MedlinePlus says to tighten your pelvic floor muscles and hold for a count of 3 to 5 seconds, relax for a count of 3 to 5 seconds, and repeat 10 times, 3 times a day. ² MedlinePlus says not to do them while you are urinating, because that can weaken the muscles over time or damage the bladder and kidneys. ²

How long do pelvic floor exercises take to work?

MedlinePlus says that after 4 to 6 weeks you should have fewer symptoms, though it may take several months for incontinence to lessen. ² The NHS says you may have to do pelvic floor exercises for a few months before you see any benefits. ⁴

Can Kegel exercises be harmful?

The Office on Women's Health says that some women have urinary symptoms because their pelvic floor muscles are always tightened, and in that case Kegel exercises will not help and may cause more problems, so it suggests talking to your doctor or nurse first. ¹ MedlinePlus says that over-exercising can cause muscle fatigue and increase urine leakage. ³

When should you see a doctor about bladder leaks?

The Office on Women's Health says that if you are still having bladder problems 6 weeks after childbirth, you should talk to your doctor, nurse, or midwife. ¹ MedlinePlus says to contact your provider if you are not sure you are doing Kegels the right way, and that you may be referred to a pelvic floor physical therapist. ²

A note from us

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Sources

1. Office on Women's Health (womenshealth.gov). https://womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/urinary-incontinence (retrieved 2026-07-10).
2. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (medlineplus.gov). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000141.htm (retrieved 2026-07-10).
3. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (medlineplus.gov). https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003975.htm (retrieved 2026-07-10).
4. NHS (nhs.uk). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/10-ways-to-stop-leaks/ (retrieved 2026-07-10).