Half of Aussie mums will suffer from this common injury and they won't tell a soul.

Oh, the joys of pregnancy. Did you know that half of all Australian women who have given birth to one or more children will have a genital prolapse at some point in their lives?

No? That’s likely because, while it’s incredibly common, it’s not something we tend to talk about.

A genital prolapse occurs when your pelvic organs (uterus/bladder/rectum) slip down from their normal spot and protrude into or press against the vagina.

You might notice a dragging sensation like something is falling down or notice a lump or bulge in your vagina (or just outside of it).

Not everyone will feel symptoms, but they can be painful, cause urinary or faecal incontinence and make sex difficult for many women.

"It’s something that people associate with older ladies – I get a lot of women who’ve just had a baby and are absolutely devastated because they didn’t think it could happen to them," Ella Crossley, a pelvic floor physiotherapist, told Mamamia.

"It impacts their life because they can’t run, it impacts their baby because they can’t lift, for example, and it affects their return to sexual relations with their partner.

"If they were aware of it before it happens, it wouldn’t be such a shock and they would know there is something they could do."

The pelvic floor is a sling of muscle that holds the pelvic organs in place.

Often it becomes damaged during childbirth, but like any other muscle, it can be strengthened.

There is a range of exercises women (and men for that matter) can do daily, whether they plan on having kids or not.

The Mamamia Outloud team discuss the dreaded question...

According to Crossley, one of the biggest mistakes women make after having a baby is throwing themselves back into high-impact exercise, such a running or jumping, too early.

She recommends being kind to yourself and avoiding constipation and heavy lifting.

She also suggests getting to know your pelvic floor – and learning how to give it a proper workout – before falling pregnant.

"It’s like doing a sport with bad technique – you’re going to keep doing it with bad technique until you learn how to do it properly," the Canberra-based specialist said.

"It's also about getting that education happening so they’re not actually doing more damage. I’d love it if every single pregnant woman could have their pelvic floor assessed properly."

There is a range of instructive YouTube videos and DVDs available to teach proper technique, but seeing a women's health physiotherapist, publicly or privately, can be invaluable.

Pelvic Floor First ambassador, women’s health physiotherapist and fitness professional Shira Kramer explains how to do your pelvic floor muscle exercises (post continues after video):

The consequences of a genital prolapse vary based on the severity of the injury.

Most can be treated without surgery, but some will require it to repair the weakened or torn pelvic floor.

"Ultimately, it’s just learning how to adjust their life so they’re not putting themselves at further risk," Crossley said.

"I just wish everyone would know their pelvic floor before they have a baby – it’s a lot harder to find once you’ve pushed the baby out.

"If every woman knew where their pelvic floor was before they had a baby that would be an absolute win."