As the weather heats up it’s officially vacation season, and I am HERE. FOR. IT. Covid kabashed our 2-week Hawaii trip earlier this year, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped day dreaming of past get-aways, plus we have camping excursions planned for just about every weekend this summer.
While my pros/cons list is heavily skewed in the positive direction when it comes to all things travel, there are some downsides in my opinion. Bad hotel pillows, jetlag, and not enough time to complete my notorious ten page itineraries are all realities…but so is the nagging return of pelvic floor symptoms that always seem to strike at the worst of times.
Poor eating and drinking habits, long transport times, and stress are all common during travel, and their negative effect on the pelvic floor can be enough to derail even the best of us.
But fear not. As a girl who’s working every day to keep her own pelvic floor in check, I’ve got some tried and truly helpful tips to get you through your next trip without skipping a beat in your goals of pelvic floor health.
1. Check your posture.
Travel, I don’t care how you do it, involves sitting. Gone are the days (thankfully) of walking the wilderness to get to your destination. But with prolonged sitting comes increased stress to the pelvic floor, especially if your posture isn’t doing you any favors.
An anterior pelvic tilt- belly out the front and booty out the back- places a lot of pressure on the front of the pelvic floor and tends to lengthen the muscles. This is bad news for people with a cystocele (bladder prolapse), incontinence, and pelvic floor weakness in general. A posterior pelvic tilt- booty tucked and shoulders slumped- puts increased stress towards the back of the pelvic floor. This can exacerbate things like pelvic pain, constipation, and general pelvic floor tightness.
A neutral posture with ears, shoulders, and hip aligned, equal weight on both butt bones, and supporting your spine with the back of your seat all place the pelvic floor in the optimal position for strength and function.
Pro Tip: Set an alarm on your phone for every 30 minutes. When it goes off, it’s your reminder to check (and correct) your posture so that you don’t go mindless hours in a bad position that your body will regret later.
2. Drink water.
So many of us (myself included) may be tempted to restrict our water consumption because we don’t want to have to use the bathroom during our flight or drive. But remember…a bladder without water becomes an acidic environment, and your urge to pee may actually increase as your bladder becomes more irritable.
In order to prevent an upset bladder, but also avoid the dreaded public restroom, I recommend a few things.
First, drink only water on the day you’re traveling. Coffee, tea, sodas, and sports drinks are all bladder irritants and will only exacerbate the problem. While a fresh cup of joe is the absolute BEST as you’re heading out the door, it’s just not the greatest for your minimal-bathroom-trip goal. Sorry.
Next, drink the right amount of water. Half of your body weight (in pounds) is about the number of ounces of water you should be drinking a day. If you haven’t reached that, it’s ok, but your travel day is not the best time to try. If you have a normal amount that you consume every other day, shoot for that, and be sure to consume small amounts at regular time intervals.
Pro Tip: Find a water bottle that has tick marks on the side of it and aim to drink 5-10 oz of water per hour. This keeps you hydrated and your bladder happy, but prevents you from gulping and shocking your bladder.
3. Only go when you gotta go.
Travel is infamous for two things when it comes to bathroom use. Either “JIC”-ing (going “just in case”), or holding it too long because you don’t want to miss out on all the fun (raising my hand as guilty of the second). Both scenarios can contribute to bad bowel and bladder habits that can set you up for failure in the long run.
If you consistently go before you have to, your bladder and/or rectum will start to think that you only want it to get so full, and its capacity will actually start to decrease over time, leading you to need to go more often.
On the flip side, if you repeatedly wait too long after your first urge to go, the likelihood of developing pelvic floor tightness, and even a difficulty going, can arise. Now…you should be able to wait for some time after your first urge. 15-30 minutes is about as long as I recommend holding before you finally break down and go.
Pro Tip: The worst thing you can do is stress and worry about bathroom access. The pelvic floor is connected to the brain and your fears can lead to bowel and bladder dysfunction. Remember that you are in control of your bladder. If you‘re looking for some strategies to manage your bladder better, especially when it comes to urinary urge, make sure to grab THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO KEGELS. The whole thing is good, but if you want to get right to the point, page 14 has exactly what you’re looking for.
4. Pack your homework.
If you’re actively working on your pelvic floor health, then it’s likely that you have activities you’re doing daily to work on strength, relaxation, core stability, and more. The beautiful thing about most pelvic floor activities is that they require little to no equipment, and time is really all you need.
My favorite thing about travel and vacation is that I tend to have less little responsibilities (home, yard, pets) and more time to focus on myself, making it the perfect time to put pelvic floor health as a top priority.
Want to jump-start a core strengthening program? Download THIS GUIDE and all you’ll need is a pillow.
Using this down time to focus on pelvic floor relaxation? Download THIS GUIDE and a chair is your only must.
Pro Tip: Set a plan and intention for your pelvic floor the same way you map out your trip’s itinerary. Put aside a chunk of time every day to get your exercises in. And if you’re already a pro at multi-tasking them throughout the day…keep the good thing rolling! Kegels or piston breathing or pelvic floor relaxing between emails and dishes are just as affective between catamaran sailing and restaurant hopping. I promise.
5. Anything can become a squatty potty.
Squatty potties are life-savers, especially if vacation food is having its way with your gut. If you don’t yet know the magic that a squatty potty can do for your bowel habits, CLICK HERE. The only downside… this piece of equipment doesn’t quite fit in a suitcase.
I have found, however, that you can turn so many common hotel items into the perfect substitute.
- Suitcase
- Upside down trash can
- Stack of books (because I am known to bring 5 books on one vacation)
- Bathtub (if it’s close enough to the toilet)
- Folded up blankets and towels
Remember, as long as your knees are above your hips and your feet are firmly planted, you’re doing it right.
Pro Tip: As soon as you get to your destination, figure out what you’re going to use as a squatty potty replacement and keep it in the bathroom. If you need to ask for more towels or blankets to stack, don’t hesitate! Your bowels will thank you.
6. Enjoy your trip.
Whether traveling for business or pleasure, try to enjoy yourself. The goal is that you don’t feel like you need a vacation after your vacation (Disneyland does that to me EVERY TIME). Stress is one of the number one contributors to pelvic floor dysfunction, and we all know that tension and worry find their way into even the most balanced of everyday lives.
No matter your travel style, I encourage you to take the opportunity to step away from the stressors of “normal” life. I’m a flip over every 30 minutes kind of vacationer. Others find joy when running from one attraction to the next. Do what makes you happy at the pace that’s right for you. Sip the glass of wine a little longer, because guess what…you don’t have to do the dishes at the end!
Pro Tip: Make yourself a priority. Even if traveling for work or with others, find and do a few little things every day that make you smile and take a breath of gratitude. From something small like reading a book to the extravagance of a massage by candlelight, do that little something special that you wouldn’t have the time or energy for otherwise.
I just may be the laziest traveler there is, probably because my everyday life tends to go a million miles a minute. But you better believe that I’m not letting a week or two of vacation ruin my years of hard-earned pelvic floor health.
Whether you’re new to working on your pelvic floor or are in the game of maintaining your health day in and day out, small and simple changes to the things you do every day can make a big difference. And let me tell you…get-aways are so much more fun when I’m not changing pads, searching for bathrooms, or popping pills for my pelvic pain.
If these tips helped you, share this blog post when you spam facebook or instagram with your swoonworthy vacation photos! And if you think of me on your next trip while you’re caring for your pelvic floor, I’d love to hear about it!
Grab THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO KEGELS by simply clicking here.
Click here to download my FAVORITE 10 CORE EXERCISES…for FREE.
Interested in learning HOW TO RELAX YOUR PELVIC FLOOR? The free guide can be found here.
You can find my HOW TO POOP guide by clicking here.
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure, but I have a feeling you’re gonna like what I’ve taken the time to put my recommendation behind.
