My Pelvic Health Wake-Up Call: The Moment That Changed Everything

Find out what led me into the world of pelvic health, discover the truth about the pelvic floor, and how you can get started on your journey today!

My Pelvic Health Wake-Up Call: The Moment That Changed Everything

Have you ever had a moment that completely changed the way you see your body?
I have. And it was both humiliating and life-changing.

I was in a circuits class after having my daughter, feeling like I was finally getting back to myself. The instructor got us to start doing start jumps. And that’s when it happened. A flood of urine, soaking my leggings. I was mortified. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. And the worst part? I had no idea what to do about it. I was only a baby osteopath, and felt pretty useless to fix myself.

I left that class thinking, Is this it? Is this just my life now? I assumed that after having a baby, some things just never went back to normal. After all, nobody had ever told me otherwise.

But that moment sparked something in me. The embarrassment turned into determination, and I went down a rabbit hole of research, training, and advanced study in women’s health osteopathy. And here’s what I discovered: leaking after childbirth is common, but it’s NOT normal. And it’s absolutely fixable.

If you’re reading this, you might be in the same boat I was. Maybe you’ve stopped running or jumping because you don’t trust your bladder. Maybe you cross your legs when you sneeze. Maybe you’ve resigned yourself to pads or ‘just in case’ trips to the toilet.

Let me tell you what I wish someone had told me:

Your pelvic floor is not just about squeezing. Many women are told to ‘just do kegels’ – but what if I told you that squeezing alone won’t fix the problem? In fact, it can make things worse if your pelvic floor is too tight.
Leaking is not just about weak muscles. It’s about how your whole body manages pressure – from your breathing to your core to your posture.
You CAN fix this – at any age. It doesn’t matter if you had your babies last year or 20 years ago. Your body can still change.

As an osteopath, I don’t just look at the pelvic floor in isolation. I look at the entire body – how the ribs expand, how the diaphragm moves, how pressure is managed from head to toe.

Most women’s health advice focuses on strengthening the pelvic floor, but the real secret is learning to relax and coordinate it with the rest of your body.

Think of your pelvic floor as a trampoline. It should move in response to pressure changes, absorbing force and rebounding. If it’s too stiff, it can’t do its job properly. If it’s too lax, it struggles to provide support. Either way, dysfunction leads to symptoms like leaking, pelvic pain, or prolapse.

This is why I focus on pressure management – teaching women how to balance their intra-abdominal pressure so their pelvic floor isn’t under constant strain. That means looking beyond just the pelvis and addressing:

Diaphragmatic movement – Your diaphragm and pelvic floor work together like a piston. If your diaphragm is tight (often due to stress or poor breathing mechanics), your pelvic floor can become tight too.
Ribcage mobility – If your ribs are stiff and can’t expand properly, your diaphragm, core and pelvic floor can’t function optimally.
Abdominal tension patterns – Many women hold tension in their stomachs, sucking in or bracing their abs. This creates excess downward pressure on the pelvic floor.
Hip and lower back alignment – The position of your pelvis impacts the resting tone of your pelvic floor muscles. A tucked pelvis can contribute to tightness, while an overly arched lower back can create weakness.

By addressing these areas, we can restore natural movement patterns, improve pelvic floor function, and eliminate symptoms.

If you’re struggling with leaking, urgency, or heaviness, don’t just accept it. Start with these three steps:

Check your breathing. Place your hands on your ribcage and take a deep breath. Do your ribs expand outwards, or do you just breathe into your belly or chest? Proper 360-degree breathing is key for pelvic floor function. If your ribs stay still, you might be missing this crucial movement.
Stop over-squeezing. If you’ve been clenching your pelvic floor all day long, it’s time to stop. A tight muscle is a weak muscle. Instead, focus on learning to let go first before you start strengthening. You may not be able to feel it very much, which can also be a sign of an overly tight pelvic floor.
Improve your posture. Stand in front of a mirror and check your alignment. Are your ribs flaring out? Is your pelvis tucked under? Small adjustments to your posture can make a big difference in how your pelvic floor functions.

If you’ve ever had a moment like mine – a moment of frustration, embarrassment, or just feeling like your body has let you down – know that you’re not alone. And more importantly, you don’t have to live like this forever.

This is why I do what I do. Because every woman deserves to feel strong, in control, and confident in her own body.

And if you need someone to guide you through it, I’m here.