Kegel Exercises During Pregnancy

Precap
Can you do Kegel exercises during pregnancy? Kegel exercises during pregnancy help locate the pelvic floor muscles and strengthen them. For the most part of our early life, most of us are unable to control these muscles.

Have you ever wondered how will you push out a baby through the tiny opening? The thought of vaginal tearing sends a chill through any mum to be. Preparing for labor requires a birth plan but more importantly locating the pelvic floor muscles. Recall the last time you wanted to go to the loo really bad and had to wait. The muscles you clench to hold your pee are the ones you have to work upon. Once you find them you can do the tight-relax cycle anywhere.

Kegel exercises during pregnancy help locate the pelvic floor muscles and strengthen them. For the most part of our early life, most of us are unable to control these muscles.

Kegel exercises during pregnancy
Kegel exercises during pregnancy

What are Kegel exercises?

Any Kegel exercise is flexing and releasing the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles run at the base of pelvis holding the reproductive organs together. When these muscles are limp you can have bladder problems and urinary incontinence.

How to find my pelvic floor muscles?

For locating the muscles you can insert a finger in the vagina and tighten muscles around it. Another way is to hold back your pee before you are empty.

Even if you cannot do that your doctor will give you a conical insert. Kegel exercises for pregnant women involve holding vaginal cone without the help of hands! Your doctor can insert a probe that will show the muscles you are using while doing Kegel. The method is biofeedback training. The probe can also tell you the time for which you could contract pelvic muscles.

Do Kegel exercises make you tighter?

Sexual benefits of Kegel exercises include tightening of the vagina. Pushing during labor involves pelvic muscles primarily. Not only for childbirth but even for carrying the enlarged womb these plays have a role to play. If you have control over them you will be able to have a natural delivery and easy recovery. It will also prevent the organs from leaning on the vagina.

When you are pro at Kegels you will be able to do them during sex. This will give pleasure to both partners and help achieve the climax.

Why should you do Kegel exercises while pregnant?

You can do Kegel exercises during and after pregnancy. The weakening of pelvic muscles can cause pelvic organ prolapse. Organs held by pelvic muscles descend below in the vagina and rectal area. It leads to the leaky bladder. Other than pregnancy, chronic constipation, age, and operations can lead to such a situation.

1) Kegel exercises during pregnancy

Kegel balls during pregnancy can help you practice pelvic floor exercises. You can join childbirth classes to learn to do Kegels. There are many benefits to doing vaginal exercises during pregnancy. The urge to pee again and again can be because of the weakening of these muscles.

2) Kegel exercises in the 9th month of pregnancy

Kegels for women in the 9th month of pregnancy help them tone their muscles. You will not have to undergo an episiotomy. No woman wants a cut in vagina ‘episiotomy’ to prevent tissue tearing and easing delivery. In some cases for avoiding a third-degree vaginal tear, episiotomy is essential. When you will do Kegel exercises for women the chances of getting it will reduce. There are sexual benefits of vagina exercises. After delivering a baby the vagina on its own takes long to come back to the original state. Doing kegel exercise will tighten the vagina and make sex during pregnancy pleasurable.

3) Kegels to induce labor

Some women do Kegels do induce labor when the dilation stops progressing. Kegel balls during pregnancy will also help to stop false labor. When you move in a certain manner on the ball the false labor contractions will stop.

4) Kegel exercises after birth

There is a risk of diastasis recti which is parting of abdominal muscles. Kegels will strengthen the pelvic muscles and reduce the chance of having diastasis recti. They will also reduce the probability of having a hypotonic uterus during labor. The condition of hypotonic uterus dysfunction leads to arrest of labor. The uterine muscles stop contracting and cannot clamp well.

How to do Kegel exercises during pregnancy?

You can take for over months to see effects of Kegel exercises. While you can do it anywhere, for Kegel beginners finding a place is important. Even after you locate the muscles you might find it hard to focus on the particular muscles. When you are in a silent and comfortable place it will allow you to concentrate and do Kegel exercises correctly.

Steps to do Kegel exercise when pregnant

1) Lie down or sit in a position that does not press your baby bump. Make sure your balderdash is empty. Doing Kegels by stopping peeing in between can cause painful spasms. This is probably going to be the position you plan to give birth in.

Later on, you can lift your hips and lie on the back while doing Kegel exercises. Using Kegel balls during pregnancy will allow you to do it more effectively. Sit on the Kegel exercise balls and repeat in sets of three or four.

2) How to do a Kegel? Clench the sling muscles you feel on the pelvic floor and count to three and hold.

3) Keep breathing in and out to be able to contract them harder. Do not move your legs or hips while doing Kegels. Direct all the energy towards your pelvic floor.

4) Gradually release the muscles. Being able to gradually clench and release the muscles is the ultimate goal.

5) With the D-day approaches, try doing it in different positions. Do not insert anything mimicking vaginal cone. It is not safe during pregnancy to put things in the area.

6) Increase the duration and time of doing the Kegel (pelvic floor) exercises. But do not exceed more than 15 seconds at a stretch.

After you are able to actually do it properly, do three sets of 15-20 kegel exercises every day.

If you feel any sort of abdominal pain then you are not doing Kegel exercises right. Don’t overdo Kegels or vaginal exercises because it can cause rigidity of muscles. While doing Kegel exercise keep your hips and abdomen relaxed.

What are the benefits of kegel exercises?

Kegel exercise after labor will prevent internal hemorrhage. It is very difficult to regain bladder control. The act of sniffing is the common term of leaking of urine. Women who do Kegels gain back their control faster. Strengthening of muscles, quick healing of vagina and bladder leaking are Kegel exercise benefits.

Kegel exercises benefits during and after pregnancy

  • Lesser pain while sneezing or coughing after delivery because you can control and restrain the vaginal muscles
  • Easy and convenient birthing
  • Avoiding an episiotomy
  • Stopping pain due to false labor
  • Improve muscle tone and boost sexual pleasure
  • Stimulating blood flow to the area
  • Quicker healing of the perineum
  • Lesser risk of pelvic organ prolapse
  • Internal hemorrhage does not occur when your muscles are toned
  • Postpartum loss of bladder control reverses back early

How often to do Kegels?

You must not overdo Kegels because they can lead to stiffening of muscles. When should I do Kegels? You can do them at any time. Avoid doing Kegels when you have to go to pee.

Do Kegels work? Certainly, they do when you do them right and often. Make Kegel exercises a part of your routine.

Doing Kegel exercise while having sex increases the pleasure for both of you. It is more likely that you will have a climax if you do Kegels.

Don’t get upset if you can’t do them at once. Experts say that it can take months to be able to do Kegels properly. There are many benefits of doing Kegels and you must do them when you are pregnant.