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Pelvic Floor Exercises After Birth

During pregnancy, the weight of the fetus puts pressure on the muscles in the pelvic floor. As the baby is born, these muscles are overly stretched. Thus, after childbirth the pelvic floor is weak. Exercising the pelvic floor can increase the tone of these muscles; pregnancy is the ideal time to begin.

  1. Kegel Exercises

    • Kegel exercises are the simplest method of exercising the muscles of the pelvic floor. Perform Kegels by repeatedly squeezing the muscles of the pelvic floor. If you are uncertain as to which muscles they are, try stopping the flow of urine as you are emptying your bladder. This is the motion you should try to mimic while doing Kegel exercises. If you are still uncertain, you can place your finger into your vagina and try to squeeze it. Once you feel the pressure, you know you are contracting the right muscles.

    How to Do Kegels

    • If you have given birth and are experiencing pain in the pelvic floor or urinary leakage, Kegel exercises are likely to bring you relief. Begin by contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor for 3 seconds then relax for 3 seconds. Maintain relaxed abdominal and gluteal muscles, and breathe naturally. Repeat this 10 times, three times daily. Gradually build up so you are contracting for 10 seconds at a time and doing more reps. The more you do Kegel exercises and the longer you hold the contraction, the stronger the muscles in your pelvic floor will become. If done regularly, you should notice a difference in as little as six to eight weeks. Because you'll want to do them regularly, you may find it necessary to associate an activity with Kegels (e.g., breastfeeding your newborn, drinking water) to remind you.

    Alternatives to Kegels

    • Exercising the Kegel muscles can also be accomplished using various products on the market. Ben Wa balls, for example, are a pair of weighted balls that are placed into the vagina and held in place by contracting the muscles of the pelvic floor. You can buy other specialized weights to use in the same manner. Because strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can enhance a woman's sexual experience, adult stores sell them. If you do not feel comfortable going into an adult store, there are online vendors from which you can purchase such products discreetly.

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