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If you have pelvic floor dysfunction, there's a good chance you've at least wondered about your surgical options. What treatments or procedures are available, what do they involve, and to what extent do they work?  Urogynaecology is a sub-speciality of gynaecology that focuses on helping women with problems relating to the pelvic floor and bladder. It's where you might end up if you get a referral to see a specialist. In the first half of this two-part episode, Helen speaks to Dr Charlotte Mahoney, a consultant urogynaecologist at St Mary's hospital in Manchester, about what happens during an assessment, where we're at with pelvic mesh, what treatments and surgeries are available for stress incontinence and the importance of 'prehab'. In part two (available from 4/4/23) Dr Mahoney gives an overview of treatments for overactive bladder (which includes urge incontinence), she outlines surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse and explains how to get the most from your long awaited appointment. For more NHS information about surgery and procedures for urinary incontinence, click here You can find the Cumberlege report (IMMDS Review) here For more information on Colorectal services, listen to the WMDJ episode, 'Pelvic Floor Surgery: Colorectal' The book, Why Mums Don't Jump: Ending the Pelvic Floor Taboo, is available now!

You might have heard the term 'pelvic pain' but what does it really mean? And how does it relate to pelvic floor problems after childbirth?  In this episode Helen speaks to Virginia Rivers Bulkeley, a specialist pelvic health physiotherapist and an expert in postnatal pelvic floor dysfunction and persistent pelvic pain.  Virginia explains what can cause persistent pelvic pain, what it feels like and what treatments are available. She talks about what it means to have a hypertonic, aka overactive, aka high tone (!) pelvic floor, where painful sex (dyspareunia) fits in and the impact of it all on women's lives. 'We know it's around one-in-four women that can be affected by this kind of persistent pain to some degree, and we know it can be hugely impactful. Whether it stops you being able to fully go to work as you'd want to; fully involved in recreational activities that bring you physical and mental health benefits; family life or relationships - the whole person can be affected.' Virginia is @BulkeleyV on Twitter For more information about persistent pelvic pain and pelvic floor muscle relaxation strategies, please see the links below https://www.pelvicpain.org.au/ https://vulvalpainsociety.org/ https://www.jillybond.com/blog/pelvic-floor-release-in-sitting Find a UK physiotherapist here:  https://thepogp.co.uk/patients/physiotherapists/

Helen speaks to listener, Katie Nicolson, who struggled with stress incontinence after having a severe tear during childbirth two years ago. Katie talks about the shock reality of postpartum recovery, her journey to the 2022 London marathon and the medical professionals from Liverpool Women's Hospital who helped to get her there. She shares the highs and lows of becoming a mum during covid, and her determination to get back to running for the sake of her mental health.'It was honestly amazing. You can't really bottle that feeling and I don't think I'd be able to top it if I ever did another one. I'm just really proud.' Katie is @mummytolondonmarathon on Instagram You can listen to the episode with ultra-runner Sophie Power here

The gender health gap. It's a phrase we're hearing more and more and is relevant around the world. So what's it all about and what does it mean for those of us with pelvic floor dysfunction?  Helen chats to the award-winning health journalist, Sarah Graham, founder of the Hysterical Women blog, which looks at inequalities in women's health, and author of a new book on the gender health gap, due out in 2023. They discuss the impact of living with a healthcare system designed 'by men, for men', and how women sharing their own stories is helping to force change. You can find Sarah on Instagram and TwitterMore on the UK government's Women's Health Strategy hereMore on the Scottish government's Women's Health Plan hereFurther reading about the gender health gap hereRCOG report on long waits for gynaecology services here This episode is sponsored by Modibodi, the  go-to brand for any of life’s leaks. They have very kindly given us a discount code! Use WMDJ15 for 15% off your first order excluding sale items, bundles, gift cards and Maxi-24hrs.

Crazy times at WMDJ HQ so no full episode this week, sorry! Instead, here's something to make you smile from a listener, psychotherapist and poet, Jacky Power (aka The Therapeutic Poet). Normal service resumes next week! Jacky hosts The Therapeutic Poet podcast. Her first collection of poetry is available here. 

Pelvic floor problems are surrounded by stigma and shame, but have you ever wondered why? Why do we find anything remotely related to our genitalia so embarrassing? And if we didn't, what difference would it make to how we feel? Helen meets Dr Catherine Blackledge, a scientist, journalist, sex and fertility education advocate and author. In 2003 she published a book to celebrate everything about the vagina, Raising the Skirt: the Unsung Power of the Vagina (originally published as The Story of V). In this episode, Helen and Catherine explore historical attitudes towards female genitalia and the importance of language, when even the words we use have a literal root in the Latin for ‘shame’. They look back to a time when the vulva was feared and revered and ask 'what changed?'. You can find Catherine's website here  You can find out more about Helen O'Connell's pioneering work into the anatomical study of the clitoris hereYou can read more about Anasyrma here This episode is sponsored by Modibodi, the  go-to brand for any of life’s leaks. They have very kindly given us a discount code! Use WMDJ15 for 15% off your first order excluding sale items, bundles, gift cards and Maxi-24hrs. 

Diastasis recti is where the muscles that run down the middle of your stomach separate during pregnancy. It's really common and usually goes back to normal within eight weeks of delivery, but sometimes it doesn't. And it can lead to back problems and hernia - both things that Niki Odogwu has been dealing with since her daughters were born, as well as stress urinary incontinence.  In this episode, Niki tells Helen how her back troubles got to the point where she couldn't get out of bed and how a postpartum fitness programme changed everything - helping her to manage her back pain and strengthen her pelvic floor. They discuss how a lack of information leaves women in the dark about our own bodies and why we need to do better at postpartum care:We don't focus on ourselves and our own care. It's like we don't matter. And as women we need to get out of that mindset and stop feeling that by looking after ourselves, we're being selfish mums, or we should be putting everything into the children, or this is the price you pay for having children. It shouldn't be like that.  You can find more information about Diastasis Recti here and here The postpartum fitness programme MUTU System* is here *This is not an ad, Why Mums Don't Jump has no affiliation with MUTU System.

It's a big day in Helen's pessary saga! After a year-long wait to be fitted for a vaginal pessary, she's offered a private appointment with a specialist in London.  In this episode, you'll hear what happens at a pessary fitting when Helen visits Tracey Matthews - a women's health physio, former British rower, strong woman, cross fitter and proud pessary wearer. She's passionate about the benefits of pessaries when it comes to helping women with pelvic organ prolapse or incontinence and walks Helen through an assessment. Helen leaves with a cube...but will her pelvic floor be up to the task? Tracey talks about the shock of discovering her own prolapse after the birth of her first child, her decision to specialise in pessaries and why it's so important to end the stigma around them:We've got to shout about it and make it so that it's not a taboo...and pessaries aren't a taboo. I fit more pessaries in postnatal and younger women than I do in anybody over 60. HUGE thanks to Tracey Matthews who is @prolapsestrength Instagram and part of the team at White Hart Clinic in London For an easy guide to vaginal pessaries, read this blog For more pessary chat listen to last seasons episode Vaginal Pessaries: A Deep Dive Check out the new UK guidelines for patients and clinicians, which were mentioned in this episode For more information about 3D printed pessaries of the future (!) go here To see a video of a pessary fitting with Tracey go here

Helen is joined by Elaine Miller (aka Gusset Grippers) - a fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and award winning comedian who's on a mission to tackle your pelvic floor...whilst making you laugh, which sounds counterintuitive but actually makes perfect sense! They discuss the long-standing evidence behind kegels for stress incontinence (and for prolapse), why pelvic floor problems are a feminist issue and how using humour really can change lives. Elaine is @gusset_grippers on Instagram Tickets for Elaine's show at the Edinburgh Fringe are available hereYou can find a 60 second pelvic floor squeeze-along here

Returning to running postpartum is one thing. Then add pelvic floor problems to the mix. Now imagine you're an ultra-runner who likes to do 100-plus mile races. This is Sophie Power. Since a photo of her breastfeeding her baby mid-race went viral, Sophie has been working to empower more women to get active. Then she made a film about her postpartum return to running only to discover - on camera - that she has pelvic organ prolapse. Helen talks to Sophie about pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence and her journey back to fitness after childbirth - despite being told she may never run again - and how important it is that mums are helped to reach their goals, whatever they are. There's so much research that shows that the mums activity level is linked through their children's.  So if we want to have active children, we need to be active ourselves and we need help to be active. And what we need to do is make sure that women demand that care and demand that referral Sophie Power is @ultra_sophie on Instagram You can watch 'Sophie Power - The Journey from Pregnancy to Performance' here Find out more about Squeezy App hereFor help with your pelvic floor exercises read thisFor great advice and info follow physio Emma Brockwell on Instagram Sophie campaigns for the charity, Women in Sport, which you can find hereSophie mentioned EVB shorts - find out more here Helen talks about NHS England's plans to improve pelvic health by 2024, in part by making specialists clinics available to all. You can read more here 

Surgical treatments for pelvic floor problems are many and varied, but with the vaginal mesh scandal fresh in our minds, it's easy to feel lost and unsure. Which specialist should you be referred to? What sorts of conversations might you have? What should your options and expectations look like? In part one of this two part series, we focus on Colorectal services - where you might be referred if your symptoms affect the bowel - eg faecal incontinence, constipation or rectal prolapse. Helen speaks to the Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Julie Cornish, about the kinds of cases she sees and some of the lifestyle changes and treatments that might help. They discuss a lack of knowledge amongst medical professionals, a postcode lottery for care and why we should stop using the loo as a sanctuary. Julie Cornish is @jules_cornish on Twitter You can find more about the Bowelle app here You can find more about the Headspace app here The Masic Foundation can be found at www.masic.org.uk

Helen is joined by Sara Duckett, a listener and a mum-of-two. Sara has struggled with urinary and bowel incontinence, as well as prolapse, since the birth of her first child in 2016, but says a non-surgical treatment (PTNS) has been life changing . They discuss the mental health impact of pelvic floor problems, the stigma that surrounds them and the importance of never giving up .  You are worthwhile. And if you're not fully fighting-fit and able to live your life then you can't be there for your children, you can't be there for your partner, you can't be there for your friends. You don't deserve to lose yourself to this. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to keep pushing for it and don't give up! You can find more information about Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) here You can listen to the Pelvic Floor Gadgets (Vadgets) episode here This episode is sponsored by EVB Sport who make engineered clothing which supports women with prolapse or incontinence. They have very kindly given us a discount code! Use whymumsdon'tjump to get yourself 10% off.

Menopause is having a moment, with celebrities, books and TV programmes taking on the taboo that has surrounded it for so long. But what does menopause (and perimenopause) mean for those of us with pelvic floor problems? Helen chats to a self-described ‘pelvic health nerd’ - the physiotherapist Michelle Lyons - about what’s going on, why knowledge is power and how best to manage your symptoms:'Move your body every day, in a way that brings you joy; don't get constipated; and don't put up with not feeling well!' Michelle Lyons WebsiteMichelle Lyons Instagram This episode is sponsored by Modibodi, the original period and leak-proof underwear brand. They have very kindly given us a discount code! Use WMDJ15 to get yourself 15% off (excluding sale items, bundles, maxi-24hrs and gift cards). You can find Helen @whymumsdontjump on Instagram and Twitter or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

Helen is joined by Carina White - broadcaster, cultural commentator and co-host of the podcast Black Mums Upfront. Carina shares her experience of incontinence after childbirth and her long journey towards finding help. She talks with passion about how it's affected her socially, how she's found strength in sisterhood and why she wants to speak out. For a very long time the narrative that was put to me was 'You just have to put up with it. Put up or shut up'. And that's just not true. You don't have to live with it.   Carina White is @_carinawh on InstagramBlack Mums Upfront is @blackmumsupfront on Instagram This episode is sponsored by Modibodi, the original period and leak-proof underwear brand. They have very kindly given us a discount code! Use WMDJ15 to get yourself 15% off (excluding sale items, bundles, maxi-24hrs and gift cards). You can find Helen @whymumsdontjump on Instagram and Twitter or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

If you're anything like me and you know you're supposed to be doing your pelvic floor exercises but...(insert excuse here)...fear not! Here's a sixty second squeeze-along to help you get it done! In this bonus episode you'll hear the dulcet tones of comedian and fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Elaine Miller. You can follow along as many times as you like! Have a listen and it will all make sense, I think! I plan to have it bookmarked on my laptop and squeeze along at my desk. If you're not sure HOW to do a pelvic floor exercise, watch this video. Elaine is @gusset_grippers on Instagram. You can find Helen on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

Ring, Gellhorn, Donut, Cube, Shaatz, Gehrung. They might sound like Trolls' characters, but they are, in fact, types of vaginal pessaries. A pessary is a plastic or silicone device which can be inserted into the vagina to help support the pelvic organs after prolapse or to help with incontinence. They've been around since time began (almost) and come in so many different shapes and sizes it can put your head in a spin. In this episode, Helen speaks to the pessary expert and 'Pelvic Angel', Gaynor Morgan for an overview of what's available, how to try one and the incredible story of how she came to invent her own. Gaynor, who also teaches Pfilates (pelvic floor pilates), says for some women, the right pessary can make a huge difference: 'Some of these women have gone from suicidal to 100 percent back to being 'normal' again...but again a pessary is just a tool. I always advocate that you need physiotherapy - pelvic floor training. Let’s get that pelvic floor up to the strength it needs to be.' Gaynor reveals how incontinence affected her mum's mental health, her impactful legacy and why pessaries won't work for everyone. Gaynor is @pelvicangel on Instagram. You can find her website here. For a written guide to vaginal pessaries, read this fantastic blog.  Check out the new UK guidelines for patients and clinicians, which were mentioned in this episode. You can find Helen on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

Pop Club is back! Helen catches up with 'Skye' and 'Jess' -- friends with pelvic organ prolapse who keep each other smiling. There's a new baby, talk of surgery and reflections on birth trauma, mental health...and a ban on mirrors. The previous Pop Club! episode led to unofficial Pop Clubs forming in the UK and around the world. If you'd like to know more, read this. For more on having another baby after prolapse listen to this The fitness trainer Jess mentions in this episode is Dana Landgren And if you'd like to know more about getting back to fitness with pelvic floor dysfunction listen to this You can find Helen on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

Wands. Cones. Probes. Biofeedback. Stimulators. Shorts. Apps. Weights. Chairs. Video Games?! Pelvic floor tech can be confusing but fear not! In this episode, Helen speaks to the pelvic health physiotherapist and self-confessed gadget nerd, Amanda Savage, for an overview of pelvic floor tech. 'I think one of the reasons that gadgets and devices can work is that they make you stop still and actually do it properly. Because if you've gone to all the effort to take your kit off and put something inside and plug into a machine, you're not going to just drift off and put a wash on, are you?' Helen and Amanda run through the differences between stimulation devices, biofeedback, weights, tracker apps and more. They discuss what they're for, how they work, how to use them and why it's not a great idea to do the big shop at the same time. Amanda is @supportedmums on Instagram. You can find more detail about pelvic floor gadgets on her website here. You can find Helen on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or at www.whymumsdontjump.com

Helen chats to Dr Jan Russell, a listener with a prolapse, a coach, a grandmother, an author and, in her own words, 'a feisty old crone'. Jan talks about pelvic organ prolapse after menopause and the shock of finding out the day before her 60th birthday cruise:'I was alarmed. I'd got visions of me being in my glad rags and dancing on the wonderful ballroom floor on this amazing ship, really not knowing what would happen next with my pelvic organs!' Helen and Jan talk about getting past the blame and the shame, learning how to manage it all with good humour and advocating for our own health:'We do know our bodies, don't we. So fight for your body. Fight for your body. Put that feistiness into it. You are worth looking after.' Jan is @drjanrussell on Instagram Jan mentioned working with the personal trainer, Lisa Gimenez-Codd, from OptiMum Health. You can find her here You can find Helen on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or at www.whymumsdontjump.com