Kegel exercises are among those recommended for women to perform before, during and after their pregnancy. The first time I heard this referred to, I remember my expression made the doctor laugh. I explained to her that I had no idea what a kegel was.
So What is a Kegel?
Kegels were a recommended exercise by an urologist named Doctor Kegel. As an urologist, he noticed that weak pelvic floor muscles were a result of childbirth. These weakened muscles cause you to leak urine whenever you cough or sneeze. Urinary incontinence is a difficult thing to live with for women both during and after a pregnancy.
During and after your pregnancy, if you perform kegels they will strengthen these muscles and it will not only help prevent your urinary incontinence. Continuing to perform kegels after your pregnancy will help you not only with the urinary incontinence but also with healing of episiotomies and it can also enhance your personal experiences in making love.
How Do You Perform a Kegel?
Begin by sitting comfortably in a chair and lean forward until you feel the bones in your buttocks pressing into the chair seat. Take a deep breath, in through the nose. During the exhale, imagine touching your belly button with your vaginal opening. Inhale and relax. You should practice the kegels as many as a 100 times a day and while that may seem like a lot – remember, you can practice them in a car, in your office or while sitting on the sofa at home.
The tone that the kegels returns to your vaginal area is more than worth the effort and if you never want to leak urine while coughing again – it’s an immediate payoff that you can enjoy. What did you think of kegels the first time they were explained to you?
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