Squeezy Connect ‘Maternity’
This page has been written to give you more information about the free Squeezy Connect muscle exercise app which connects patients and clinicians through the Living with Pelvic Health platform. It explains how to find and download the app, as well as how to set it up correctly so that you get the best out of it.
A lot of women find it hard to remember to regularly do pelvic floor exercises (also known as Kegels), so if you are finding it difficult, you are not alone. The Squeezy Connect app can help you to easily remember your exercises throughout the day?
You can find out more information about the app at:
How do I access the app for free?
If you are pregnant or have recently delivered a baby and live in Gloucestershire you can email the Physiotherapy team at ghn-tr.womenshealth.physio@nhs.net and ask for us to sign you up to NHS Squeezy Connect ‘Maternity’ version of the app.
By doing this you are giving us permission to share your name, date of birth, email, mobile number and NHS number with the company Living With which has created the Squeezy Connect ‘Maternity’ app so that they can send you an invitation code. We will not share any other information with them. You will receive an email with the option to click on ‘Get Started’ with Squeezy Connect ‘Maternity’ if you are happy to continue.
For more information about how Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust use and store your information, please visit www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/privacy-notice/
For more information about enrolling with the app please watch the video here https://squeezyapp.com/squeezyconnect/
How can the Squeezy Connect app help me?
Squeezy Connect helps by reminding you when it is time to do your exercises, and guides you through completing them. The app also has handy diaries to help keep track of any bladder or bowel symptoms as well as other pelvic health information. The physiotherapy team will also have access to this information.
Squeezy Connect comes preset with a clinically recommended exercise plan. If you are experiencing problems such as bladder or bowel leakage or pelvic organ prolapse and you are currently working with a pelvic health specialist, Squeezy Connect can be tailored with a personalised plan to fit your needs.
It is important to note that the Squeezy Connect app is not a replacement or an alternative to supervised pelvic floor physiotherapy but can be used as a tool to support this.
Getting more help
If you have downloaded and trialled the Squeezy Connect app and are still finding it difficult to squeeze and relax your pelvic floor muscles, please self-refer for further support from the physiotherapy team at:
www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/services-we-offer/physiotherapy/how-can-i-see-physiotherapist/
How to set up your reminders in the app
The Squeezy Connect app has pre-set reminder times. If you click on the reminders tab, as shown in Figure 1, you can set the times that are most likely to work for you.
Pelvic floor exercises work very well but it takes time. The key with pelvic floor exercises is to do them regularly. It can take several months to build up strength but using the app can help you to achieve this.
Next, click on each section of the exercise plan.
For slow squeezes you can change the repetitions (how
many you do in one go), the squeeze time (how long you hold the contraction for) and relax time (how long you rest for between each squeeze).
For quick contractions you can adjust this to reflect how many you can do in one go.
About your information
The Gloucestershire Perinatal Pelvic Health Service will be able to see the following information that you have entered into the app:
- Questionnaire responses
- Progress in programmes
- Symptoms recorded in the app
- Completed diaries
- Measurements, such as your weight
- Exercise plan adherence
- Exercise plans
- All messages to and from the clinic
This means we can monitor your progress and offer you personalised support through the app.
Discharge
When you are discharged from the Gloucestershire Perinatal Pelvic Health Service you will not lose access to the app completely. You will be able to continue to use the app for reading materials and tracking your own progress using the apps tools. However, from the point of discharge there will be no clinician monitoring your progress, and you will not be able to send or receive messages from the clinic.