What Mothers Should Teach Their Daughters About the Pelvic Floor
Motherhood is about more than caring for children—it’s about passing down knowledge that empowers the next generation. Yet, one critical aspect of women’s health is rarely discussed between mothers and daughters: pelvic floor health.
A recent survey* by intimate health brand Intimina highlights just how much pelvic floor dysfunction affects women’s lives. Nearly half (48.82%) say it limits their ability to engage in physical activities like exercising, lifting, or running. One in four (29.5%) report sleep disturbances at least once a week, while more than a third (46%) have avoided social events due to discomfort or incontinence, and 39% have avoided travel for the same reasons.
Dr. Susanna Unsworth, Intimina’s medical expert and gynaecologist, comments on these findings: “It is quite sad to read the statistics seen in this recent survey showing that significant numbers of women are troubled by pelvic floor symptoms and that they have a hugely negative effect on quality of life – not just social effects but also on important day-to-day activities such as exercise, and even impacting on sleep, which we know can have a hugely negative long-term health effect.”
Despite the impact, awareness remains low. An overwhelming 75% of women believe there should be more public education on pelvic floor dysfunction and its long-term effects.
Break the Cycle of Silence
Pelvic floor dysfunction can impact every stage of a woman’s life, from menstruation to pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and menopause. Yet, because previous generations lacked education on the topic, many women never learned how to care for these essential muscles or even recognize the symptoms of dysfunction.
“Too many women struggle with pelvic floor issues simply because they were never taught how to care for these vital muscles,” says Dunja Kokotovic, Intimina’s Global Brand Manager. “We need to ensure women have access to the right information so they don’t suffer in silence when solutions exist. By teaching young women early, we can help them prevent problems before they start and empower them to take control of their health with confidence.”
Dr. Unsworth reinforces the importance of early education: “I believe that we should be teaching women about good pelvic floor health from a young age. We generally instil the importance of exercise in young people at school, and exercising your pelvic floor correctly should really be considered part of this. In my view, this should be part of the school curriculum, alongside the usual education around menstrual health.”
The good news is that pelvic floor issues are preventable and treatable. By educating young women early on, mothers can help their daughters develop healthy habits that support lifelong pelvic health, confidence, and well-being.
How Mothers Can Help Their Daughters Build Pelvic Floor Awareness
- Normalize the conversation – Just like discussions about menstruation, sex, and contraception, pelvic floor health should be a normal part of health education. Talking openly about issues like incontinence, painful periods, and postpartum recovery removes the stigma.
- Teach good habits from a young age – Prevention starts early. Teaching daughters about proper posture, avoiding excessive straining during bowel movements, and maintaining good bladder habits can help prevent future dysfunction.
- Encourage movement and strengthening – Just like any muscle group, pelvic floor muscles benefit from exercise. Whether it’s through activities like yoga, Pilates, or learning how to do Kegels correctly, strengthening and relaxing these muscles is key to long-term health.
- Make sleep a priority – Many women with pelvic floor issues suffer from disrupted sleep. Encouraging good sleep hygiene and helping daughters understand the connection between their body and sleep quality can set them up for lifelong health benefits.
Creating a Future Where Pelvic Health is No Longer a Mystery
Dr Unsworth highlights another key aspect of change: “Good health habits are often formed at home. It would be great to see more initiatives that help teach new mothers about pelvic floor health – this is a prime time to initiate this sort of education after someone has given birth. It would be great to see all new mothers offered a session with a physiotherapist to teach them how to do correct pelvic floor exercises. Hopefully, they may then be able to share their knowledge with their children going forward.”
But it is also good to remember, she adds, that “it is never too late to start doing pelvic floor exercises, and many women will see an improvement in symptoms if they do start. Getting advice from a physiotherapist is a great starting point, to ensure you are doing things correctly.”
“Pelvic floor health is not just a personal issue—it’s a generational one,” says Dunja Kokotovic, Intimina’s Global Brand Manager. “Too many women grow up believing that issues like incontinence or pelvic pain are just part of life, when in reality, they are preventable and treatable. If we start educating young women early, we can break the cycle of silence and empower future generations to take control of their health with confidence.”
This Mother’s Day, Intimina urges women to take control of their own pelvic health and use their knowledge to empower the next generation. By breaking the stigma, increasing awareness, and making pelvic floor care a normal conversation, mothers can ensure their daughters grow up confident, informed, and in control of their well-being.
*Intimina survey was conducted by Censuswide in March 2025 with 4,001 women, aged 35-55 across the UK, France, Spain, and Italy.
A collective group of “lady experts” at Intimina who love sharing our personal experiences, even when they are a little too personal. We believe it’s time to start breaking down the taboos around menstruation, motherhood, and menopause, and start owning our female health.
