I don’t exactly consider myself “postpartum” anymore…my youngest is nearly 3. Even still, peeing while sneezing became an embarrassing but normal part of my life after kids. My bladder control got so much worse after my 3rd pregnancy. I couldn’t sneeze, run, or go to a trampoline park without leaking.
Like many moms, I thought panty liners were my long term solution.
This is incredibly common, and peeing while sneezing or running is a sign of a weak pelvic floor. It doesn’t matter if you are 6 week postpartum or 3 years like me…the Mutu System can help you regain bladder control naturally. It’s working for me, and it can help you too!
It strengthens your pelvic floor with exercises made for postpartum women and gives you the confidence back you used to have.
This is not sponsored, and I paid my own money for this. Read on to see how this gentle workout program is structured, how long it took to see improvement, and how it completely changed my 4th pregnancy by having a stronger pelvic floor.
How I heard about the Mutu System
A friend recommended I try the Mutu System, a 12 week program to strengthen your pelvic floor. I’d never heard of it, but it worked to help her gain back bladder control after 6 kids just half way through the program. It is also well known and reviewed for helping with diastasic recti and rectal prolapse, helping many moms avoid surgery.
I was able to sneeze without peeing or crossing my legs for the first time in years at the end of week 3, and had complete bladder control back by the end.
If you struggle with a leaky mommy bladder, and are at least 6 weeks postpartum, you can try this too, at your own pace!
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What is the Mutu System for moms?
The Mutu System is a gentle 12 week video program for moms full of exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor.
Mutu uses evidence based techniques that have helped over 60,000 moms overcome embarrassing symptoms without surgery or settling for a lifetime supply of pantyliners.
What to expect:
- an 11 minute daily “core” (not physically hard by any stretch if your tummy is healed after birth, but its daily).
- a daily short walk if you can
- after week 2, you’ll begin an “intensive” 20-25 minute workout recommended about 3 x per week that changes throughout the program.
Exercises are designed to help with postpartum symptoms like leaky bladder, diastasis recti, and prolapse.
It’s all low impact, so you won’t be jumping all over the place. In fact, you don’t even need a sports bra or tennis shoes 😉 You will find lots of squats, lunges, and gentle yet intentional exercises to strengthen your core and pelvic floor muscles.
Mutu is a holistic program with nutrition, posture, and sleep advice if you want it
It’s a holistic program, so in addition to the exercise videos you’ll find advice on nutrition, posture, taking short daily walks, and more. I honestly skimmed over these but I see the benefit of good posture and nutrition.
I’m sure there are YouTube exercises that I could have done daily to help with mommy bladder, but I knew Mutu would walk me through what to do daily. More importantly, it worked for someone I knew who was probably going to need surgery if this didn’t work.
How soon after birth can I start strengthening my pelvic floor doing Mutu?
As soon as your doctor gives you the okay to start exercising, (usually 6 weeks), then you can begin the Mutu System. It’s also ok to use while pregnant. This is a program that you can go at your own pace. It’s SLOW. But effective.
There’s an entire post on helping you identify if your abs are separated, and how to strengthen them slowly.
Mutu is the perfect workout safe for postpartum moms, but still beneficial to moms like me starting 3 years after birthing my last child.
You do not want to start just any type of workout postpartum. Even if it’s not Mutu, use one that is made with the problems of postpartum women in mind.
What if I’m not in shape at all?
This program is ideal for someone not in shape, who is postpartum, or both! I was pretty out of shape when starting Mutu, having done some home workouts pretty on and off.
If you are already running or using a program like Beach Body, then this may seem WAY too easy, and you likely won’t be able to do Mutu PLUS another workout program due to time constraints.
What the first 3 weeks of the Mutu System did for my pelvic floor
The first two weeks almost seemed like a joke…although they are so important so trust the process and don’t skip! No elevated heart rate and just an 11 minute daily video working on the pelvic floor.
The 25 minute “intensive” doesn’t start till week 3.
My husband (who totally supported me buying and trying this) would poke fun at me for “doing my workout” which looked too easy to be called a workout. Literally me laying on my back squeezing a ball between my knees. Real hard, ha!
But I decided I’d trust the process. It was only 11 minutes, and the hardest part was starting a new habit and remembering to do it every day.
By week 3, you add a 25 minute workout called “intensive core” at least 3 times per week, if possible. This is in addition to the 11 minute pelvic floor work.
It made me sweat and my legs were sore! Lots of squats, lunges, and using stabilizer muscles. No upper arms, so I’m going to have to workout those another way if I don’t want sticks for arms.
My goal was not to change my physical appearance with this program, but to stop peeing my pants on accident.
I was able to stop peeing while sneezing for the first time in years
Week 3 is where the magic happened for me!
I kept thinking “maybe” it was working…but probably not. Except for the first time in ages, I sneezed three times during week three without crossing my legs…and no pee. Even still I thought… maybe I just had an empty bladder.
Just ask my husband how excited I was after I came out shouting “I just stopped my pee midstream for the first time!!” It’s been years.
He loves me guys, and acts truly happy for me when he was probably busting up laughing inside. But something is working, and I was so motivated to keep going.
How to engage your pelvic floor muscles
I think I did the whole first week wrong, because for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what it was supposed to feel like when she says “engage your pelvic floor” or “lift your pelvic floor”! You’re supposed to do this on every exhale.
Maybe mine was so weak I couldn’t feel it working (which is common in the beginning). But I now know I was doing it wrong at first.
To save you a whole ton of frustration…”engage your pelvic floor” means work the muscle like your “trying to stop your pee midstream”.
K, your welcome.
Update on the Mutu System after 9 weeks
I’ve kept it up. Gone slower than I “should have”, but here’s my thoughts on this program after 9 of 12 weeks.
It works.
It’s a bit boring. But it works.
I have better bladder control now than I have for the past 6 years (since pre children). I can cough, sneeze, and run without leaking.
When I stopped doing Mutu, my bladder control got worse again
When you can’t do anything else, do the 11 minute “core” pelvic floor work. It’s what’s keeping my pee in, and somewhere right around 6 weeks I got lazy and stopped for a little over a week. I noticed in that short time that my bladder control got worse. Sad, but true!
That motivated me to get back on the train where I left off. And within a week of doing core every day it was noticeably better again. Two weeks after that even stronger.
I’ve decided that the 11 minute core will be a daily thing for me for the rest of my life if it means better bladder control. Small price to pay to stop peeing while sneezing!
Why I probably won’t continue with the 25 minute workouts after the program ends
I’m planning to finish up the 12 weeks of the “intensive” 25 minute workout and move on to Beach Body workouts. I really need more upper arm muscle and a bit more cardio, which is not the focus of these videos.
I will say that lower body and core ARE the focus, and my butt and legs are way more toned and strong looking than before Mutu! My once pancake bottom is now a bit rounder 😉
If we have another baby, I’ll 100% do the entire Mutu program again, beginning as soon as I find out I’m pregnant.
I’m mostly just bored with the 25 minute Mutu workouts. This isn’t a fault of the program…I’ve always switched up workout videos every couple months to keep it fresh.
They add new intensive workouts, and by week 8 you get 3 variations! But they are gentle and work mainly lower body/core. I started holding onto light weights during parts to make it a little bit harder.
I’m just wanting something that works my whole body a little bit more (especially arms and chest). I’ve started doing some additional push ups and pull ups to compensate. Something I’d never do the first year postpartum.
How much time will this take?
The first two weeks, the Mutu system will take you 11 minutes per day, plus a short walk if you can. And they recommend NOT moving on to “the 3rd weak module” (week 3) until you have done the pelvic floor video at least 6 out of 7 days of the week.
So if you’re only able to do 4 days the first week, that’s fine! Just take it slower, and stay on module 1 another few days before clicking to the second week called “module 2”. It’s not a race at all.
By week 3 you’re doing the pelvic floor 11 minute workout daily PLUS another 25 minute video 3 times a week.
It’s hard to do this as a mom, but this kind of gentle exercise will help your mental health too. I feel so much happier about life when I do this.
Daily walks help strengthen your pelvic floor too
Throughout the program I didn’t get to the walks more than a few times a week. Definitely not daily. If you’re afraid to start because you can’t do all the walks…start anyway.
The videos were still extremely helpful, and I made progress on my pelvic floor.
But the Mutu system stresses a daily walk as more important than their video if you have to choose one over the other. It’s kind of a “life habit” your adding, so to speak.
They way I see it, walks are a lifestyle thing we moms need in our lives, especially to get out with young kids. But it’s a habit that doesn’t happen overnight. So be gracious with yourself and just get out when you can.
How much does the Mutu System Cost?
The program is $99 for 1 year.
I wasn’t expecting that price either…but I decided that if Mutu worked, it would be a purchase that would help me do ordinary things like sneezing and jumping (without peeing) after babies. Did I say life changing?!
If it didn’t work, I’d have to keep buying panty liners and eat a few more bowls of ramen instead of steak. Just kidding, because they offer a 90 day 100% refund if you are unhappy with the results.
Do you have to buy extra workout gear?
There are a few things I had to buy to do the exercises. Mutu has a $45 kit with a small ball and resistance bands and they offer a huge discount (only once and when you’re checking out) that comes with everything.
I opted not to buy that because I already owned these resistance bands, and thought I could find a ball for cheaper than buying the whole kit. ( My ball is from the dollar store)…
I think it’s a tad smaller than the ball in their kit by an inch or so. Buuuut….it’s doing the job and this pelvic floor is getting WAY stronger with it so there.
Before and after photos
Do you want to see some Mutu mamas? Check out this page full of before and after shots of women who have completed the Mutu System. It’s pretty amazing and will help you tone up your mom bod.
I did not do a before and after shot for a couple reasons.
- I have a very slender body type already, and am 3 years “postpartum”.
- I am not doing Mutu for a slamming body, although my legs and butt are notably more toned. Arms, not so much.
I’m 100% in this for better bladder control. And so far, I’m thrilled it’s working! It’s just a bonus to me that my legs and abs are much stronger too.
Do you suffer from postpartum incontinence/ peeing your pants after kids?
Tell me a little bit about what you have tried or ask me any questions about this program so far. I’m just so thrilled to have found something that’s working to give my body back the bladder control I once had, and had to share that with you!
Janna
Wednesday 6th of April 2022
The Mutu system is definitely a must! I’ve used it after having each of my kiddos (3 soon to be 4 kids). Although it didn’t take my DR back to pre-pregnancy status it truly helped with core strength, bladder control and back pain. So glad you found something to help you with the unique body issues being a mom brings!!
Liz
Wednesday 6th of April 2022
That's awesome! I'm always surprised if someone's ever heard of Mutu. No one I know in real life has used this besides the person who recommended it to me so it's great to hear from someone who's also used it! And yes on not being at pre pregnancy strength. I'd say for that I'd need something a bit more rigorous, but this is perfect for bladder help, core strength, and going from zero to something in a safe and gentle way after babies!
Kara
Monday 24th of February 2020
Hi Liz, I have been following your blog and you do a great job with it. Love to hear how you and your family are doing and you have had some stuff that has helped me out along the way too :) Thanks for posting this. I am going to try it as I have tried some other things without success for this wonderful postpartum problem among other issues and was getting rather discouraged over my longterm outlook. Do you know if they have had any success with bladder pain as well? The exercise bands you got outside of the program....were they just therabands or something on amazon? Thanks again
Liz
Monday 24th of February 2020
Hi Kara! Thank you! Here's Mutu's article to address your concern of pain, with links to more specific types of postpartum problems (basically don't do any exercises with pain before seeing a doctor): https://help.mutusystem.com/article/39-if-you-are-in-any-pain . As for the bands, I bought mine on Amazon, I've linked the ones we have in the post that came with 3 bands. If you don't have a ball, or the bands, it may be about the same price to buy the stuff from them with the one time discount they offer when you buy the program. Hope that helps and you'll have to let me know if you get this and if it makes a difference!