Quick Read:

• Chemo, radiation, surgery, menopause, and pregnancy can all damage your pelvic strength.
• Using specific and nontoxic products and doing strategic exercises can help strengthen your pelvic floor and reduce issues.
• Whether you’re dealing with leaks, dryness, or a general feeling of disconnection, know this: healing IS possible, and this is your opportunity to become stronger than you ever thought possible.

“May your matcha tea and pelvic floor be strong.” – Dr. V

Your pelvic floor literally lifts you up: it supports your internal organs against gravity, helps stabilize your core, prevents urine leakage, supports sexual function and arousal, etc. In short, it acts like a hammock, holding up your bladder, uterus, and bowel. It’s something you want to take extra good care of, especially if you have experienced pregnancy, menopause, cancer treatments (chemo, radiation, hysterectomy, etc.), and even general life as a woman.  

And just like most things in life, if you CHOOSE to strengthen, heal, and nourish your body, it will respond how you want it to. This is why you are most likely reading this blog post: because you are ready to do the work of loving, supporting, and caring for your body and soul. We are all here cheering you on!

So let’s get started. First, we will share specific and relatable causes of pelvic floor issues, the science behind them, and practical and proven solutions. You are meant to live a big life and never be held back by fear of leakage, smells, pain, or anything else. 

Cancer Treatments and Pelvic Health

Chemotherapy

(Study) Chemotherapy may be a necessary healing tool for your journey, but it can come with a few unexpected pelvic floor side effects. You may not often hear about this, but chemotherapy can weaken the pelvic floor muscles and the delicate nerves that support them. 

When they’re compromised, it can lead to issues like:

• Urinary leakage
• Pelvic heaviness
• Fecal incontinence
• Pain during sex
• Reduced libido
• Pelvic organ prolapse

Fatigue, nausea, and vomiting (common during chemotherapy and pregnancy) can also play a role. For example, chronic coughing or repeated vomiting adds strain to your pelvic strength. At the same time, ongoing exhaustion can make it harder to engage the muscles properly, especially when you sneeze, laugh, or lift something heavy.

Radiation

During radiation, you might notice changes such as digestive discomfort, unexpected bowel movements, or even fecal incontinence due to gastrointestinal inflammation. Some women experience vaginal scarring, stiffness, or pain, which can make intimacy difficult or uncomfortable. Radiation may also lead to bladder irritation (radiation cystitis), meaning you consistently feel like you need to go to the bathroom or involuntarily leak urine.  

But here’s the empowering truth: Just like issues with chemotherapy, your body is capable of healing. You CAN restore pelvic floor strength, improve bladder and bowel control, and reconnect with your body in a whole new way.

How To Experience Pelvic Strength Even During Breast Cancer Treatment and Menopause

You can naturally heal and strengthen your pelvic floor with strategic exercises, strategies, and tools. There are also several supportive products to lean on. Below are a few of the solutions that Dr. V and Coach De’Ann have been telling women in our community about for decades. From rekindling sex to kegel tools, we’ve got you covered.

Sex, pelvic health, and breast cancer healing

You, like nature, are evolving, shifting, and changing throughout every season. The same goes for your sex life. Pelvic floor issues can put a damper on things, or rather, cause them to dry up.

But here’s our hot take: you still get to fully enjoy steamy sessions, no matter the stage you are in. Just make strategic shifts. This blog post outlines how to reclaim intimacy during breast cancer treatments. And to get right to the point, check out Dr. Sellman’s Hygeena products as they are ideal for vaginal atrophy, dryness, and painful sex. You can also listen to her talk on our podcast. Nontoxic female products

Pads, panty liners, and leak-proof underwear can all provide peace of mind when leaks happen. And hopefully they happen because you are laughing too hard with your girlfriends, as that is the best medicine! (Read this blog post for the science of it.)

However, you want to ensure that dyes, chlorine, pesticides, dioxin, plastics, phthalates, and chemicals we can even pronounce are not in your female products. These toxins, which can cause oxidative stress, metabolic changes, and disrupt your endocrine system, can be quickly absorbed by your mucus membranes and then circulate throughout your body via your bloodstream.

Luckily, these days you can order all sorts of nontoxic products right from your phone or buy them at most stores. Click here to uncover which female products we recommend. 

Smart Ways To Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor

You can tap into natural healing and strength-building techniques at home, starting with something as joyful and effortless as jumping.

Note: The options below and everything else in this article are written as general advice and may not be suitable for your unique healing journey. 

Jumping

Yes, jumping rope or bouncing on a mini-trampoline or a cushy mat can strengthen your pelvic floor—and make you feel like a bouncy, giggly little girl again! Even if light leakage happens early, it’s your body responding and adapting. So just pop in a nontoxic pad and keep going!

How to jump safely and effectively:

• Start slowly and build up.
• Begin with short bursts (1–2 minutes), alternating with rest or low-impact moves.
• Use soft grass, a rubber mat, or the best option: a mini-trampoline (aka rebounder). It softens landing forces while still engaging your pelvic muscles.
• Sync your breath.
• Avoid holding your breath or clenching. Instead, exhale gently on each landing to let your pelvic floor naturally contract.
• Be consistent: Try 3x per week for 5-10 minutes total, gradually extending time.
• Listen to your body.
• Initial leaks are typical and will reduce in time as the muscles get stronger. However, if leaks persist or increase, check with a pelvic-floor physiotherapist.

Kegels

Kegels. The tried and true and most common pelvic strengthening practice. They are known to improve bladder and bowel control, support core stability, enhance sexual function, and help your body heal from things like childbirth, surgery, or cancer treatment. But how do you actually do them?! That’s the real question.

Here’s our best description: Gently contract the muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine—lift and squeeze, then hold for 3–5 seconds before slowly releasing. If doing them on your own doesn’t work for you or you don’t notice any improvement, then you could consider a kegel device such as Perifit or E-Litone. 

Other strengthening exercises

• Bridge pose: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Press your feet into the ground and lift your hips toward the sky, engaging your glutes and pelvic floor muscles as you rise. Hold for 5-15 breaths, then slowly lower down one vertebra at a time.
• Squats: Do with weights or just yourself, but engage your pelvic floor as you stand up from a squat.
• Bird‑dog: Start on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend your right arm forward and left leg back, keeping your core and pelvic floor gently engaged to maintain balance. Hold for a few seconds, then return to center and repeat on the opposite side.

You CAN Bounce Back Stronger

You have a powerful, natural toolbox to heal pelvic health issues and feel strong and capable in your body.

Instead of letting your pelvic floor issues define you or hold you back, let them invite you deep inside. Think of it as your time to reconnect with your body, rebuild your strength, and reclaim the parts of yourself that may have felt tucked away during cancer treatment, pregnancy, menopause, or the busy seasons of womanhood.

Whether you’re dealing with leaks, dryness, or a general feeling of disconnection, know this: healing IS possible, and this is your opportunity to become stronger than you ever thought possible—in every single area of your life! Use insight, tools, inspiration, and support to make it happen.