Kegel exercises for women should be an important part of every woman’s health regimen. Male kegel exercises have benefits as well, but they are even more beneficial for women. In particular, kegel exercises for pregnant women are highly valuable.
What are Kegels?
Kegel exercises are a way to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. This muscle hammock holds the pelvic organs in place. The most obvious side effect of weak pelvic floor muscles is urine incontinence. Kegel exercises for men are often prescribed by doctors to help with bladder control problems. Doing these muscle contractions helps to strengthen the pelvic muscles, which improves the ability to control bladder urges.
Kegel Exercises in Pregnancy
Pregnant women benefit greatly from doing these exercises on a daily basis. Uterine prolapsed occurs when the pelvic floor muscles are so weak that the pregnant uterus falls out of its normal position. The neck of the uterus, or cervix, is then allowed to bulge into the vagina. Performing kegel exercises during pregnancy can strengthen these muscles and help to prevent this dangerous and painful condition. Due to the stretching of the pelvic muscles during pregnancy and delivery, bladder control can also be compromised for years following the birth. These exercises will help to tighten the pelvic muscles and improve bladder control.
Doing kegels also familiarizes pregnant women with their pelvic muscles. Therefore, pushing during labor is easier to understand even with a numbing epidural. Often during labor, women who have an epidural for pain management cannot feel the instinctive urge to push or do not recognize which muscle group to use. By doing kegel exercises and familiarizing yourself with how to use this pelvic muscle group, you can become a more effective pusher during labor and delivery.
How to Perform Kegels
You may wonder how to do kegel exercises for women, and the answer is very simple. In practicing these muscle contractions, you will be isolating the same muscle group that you use to stop your urine stream when you are on the toilet. You might need to go to the bathroom once and try this to determine how to flex these muscles.
- While sitting or lying down, squeeze these muscles that you use to stop urinating. If you feel your bottom or stomach clenching, you are using the wrong muscle group.
- Once you have discovered the correct group of muscles, perform this squeeze for 3 seconds. Then relax for 3 seconds.
- Repeat this 3 and 3 pattern 10 or 15 times each work-out session. Try to do your exercises 3 times daily.
If you are still unsure about whether or not you are doing them correctly, have your doctor evaluate them as you perform them in the office.
The fun part about kegel exercises is that they can be done anytime and anywhere. You could do them sitting in traffic in the car or at your office desk while filing paperwork. Kegel exercises for women are very important and have undeniable benefits, especially for pregnant women. Make time for kegels every day.
