As a qualified midwife, I understood the importance of pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy. I was also a CrossFit athlete, and being part of the fitness community was central to my identity. My sport required a pelvic floor that could cope with high-impact exercise and heavy lifting, so I stayed active throughout my pregnancy, completing my final workout on my due date before my daughter was born four days later.

Following a forceps delivery, I knew immediately that I was experiencing stress urinary incontinence. I could barely squat to pick something up from the floor without leaking, let alone lift my pushchair into the boot, cough, sneeze, jog or carry any weight.

In the gym, I'd gone from running, weightlifting, jumping, climbing ropes and gymnastics to wondering if I'd ever feel confident walking back through the doors.

My obstetric consultant referred me to pelvic health physiotherapy before discussing surgery, but I was sceptical. I wasn't sure how much improvement was possible without medical intervention, and I worried that no one would truly understand how important returning to exercise was to me.

I didn't just want to manage a long walk – I wanted so much more from my body.

Then I met Gemma.

Our first appointment felt like therapy. As a mother and a runner herself, she understood exactly what it feels like to long for a stronger, more physically capable version of yourself. More importantly, she gave me something I'd never experienced before—a structured rehabilitation plan with measurable goals and my end goal always in mind.

She was the first person to apply the principles of progressive overload to my pelvic floor rehabilitation, progressing me gradually from simple exercises through to more demanding movements.

She always emphasised "playing the long game" and celebrating small, consistent progress rather than rushing ahead.

Three years later, I can run, skip, jump and lift weights again.

Gemma's method of progressing pelvic floor muscle training from stationary positions through to dynamic movements under progressively increasing loads and impact should be the standard of care for pelvic floor physiotherapy.