Exercises Kegel & # 8211; Remedy is effective for pregnant mothers

Have you ever heard of the Kegel exercises? This is one of the methods used to help control incontinence. These exercises help keep the muscles of the pelvic floor strong, while improving the function of the urethral sphincters in controlling urination.

Kegel exercise is a pelvic perineum exercise invented by Dr. Kegel in 1948. Pregnant women incorporating kegel exercises into their daily routine can help tone the pelvic floor muscles. and to make the birthing process easy. In addition to giving birth, these exercises also help you avoid health problems such as defecation, incontinence, and help improve your sex life .

Kegel exercises

Kegels, also known as pelvic floor exercises, are exercises designed to strengthen the pelvic muscles. The pelvic floor is like a hammock made up of many interlocking weights and muscles. The pelvic floor is the place that contains 3 systems including the genitals (uterus, vagina), the lower urethra (bladder, urethra), the lower digestive tract (rectum, anus).

The job of the pelvic floor is to keep these organs in place from heavy work. In addition, the pelvic floor also has the function of opening and closing the urinary, vaginal, and anal openings, helping to control bowel movements, urination, sexual activity and help the delivery process take place easily.

Why should you do Kegel exercises?

There are many causes of pelvic floor muscles weakening such as pregnancy and childbirth, chronic constipation , obesity, age, surgical procedures….

The weakened pelvic organs and tendons that support the pelvic organs can lead to pelvic prolapse. This increases the pressure on the pelvic area, causing stool and urine to leak. Practicing kegel exercises regularly can help prevent this.

Can pregnant mothers do Kegel exercises if they encounter these conditions?

With that said, the Kegel exercise is a form of exercise, aimed at improving the function of the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles help control urination and keep the organs in the pelvis. In medicine, physicians often prescribe Kegel exercises for patients with:

Urinary incontinence during stress: when the patient leaks urine every time he laughs, coughs, sneezes, walks or lifts heavy objects;

Urgent incontinence. When a minor patient will ooze, he will not run to the toilet in time;

Pelvic floor weakness due to childbirth: many women experience urinary incontinence after childbirth or the genitals drop due to weak pelvic floor after being subjected to stretching effects from the births.

Benefits of Kegel exercises for pregnant women

Kegel exercises provide you with many benefits during pregnancy and childbirth:

During pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, enlargement of the uterus stresses muscles and ligaments. This prolonged condition will cause the muscles to weaken, leading to leakage of urine, causing incontinence. Also, doing activities like sneezing, coughing, laughing, or jogging can lead to this. Practicing Kegel exercises regularly will help prevent and alleviate this condition.

Practicing pelvic muscle exercises regularly can help reduce the time it takes to give birth. Kegel exercises will help you understand how to tighten and relax muscles in preparation for birth. Not only that, this also helps the baby move out of the uterus quickly, reducing the risk of "genitals" being torn or damaged. According to research, about a third of pregnant women experience vaginal tearing during childbirth .

Research also shows that pregnant women who regularly do Kegel exercises have shorter labor times than others.

Practicing Kegel exercises regularly during pregnancy will help improve blood circulation to the genitals. From there, it speeds up the recovery of an episiotomy incision after birth.

In addition, these exercises also tone the vaginal muscles, helping to improve sex life.

How to define pelvic floor muscles

You can identify your pelvic muscles by stopping mid-flow of urine. Before doing the kegel exercises, you need to define your pelvic muscles. However, once determined, you should not stop frequent mid-urination as this can lead to urinary tract infections , incontinence and other illnesses.

If you still can't identify the Kegel muscle, place your finger in your vagina and contract your muscles, you should feel the tightening of the muscles and the pelvic floor moving upward. Relax and you should feel your pelvic floor muscles move again.

If you are still having trouble identifying the Kegel muscle, try using a hand mirror. Place the mirror on the perineum (the area surrounded by the skin between the vagina and anus), then practice tightening the muscles you think are the Kegel muscles. If you do it right, you should see the perineum contract with each squeeze.

Another way to look for these muscles is to insert a finger into the vagina and press on the muscles. You can ask your gynecologist for instructions on how to identify the pelvic floor muscles.

Prepare before doing the Kegel exercises

You should not exercise while your bladder is full as this can cause pain and leak urine. So, before starting, check your bladder so that you can perform the exercises most effectively.

Kegel exercises only focus on tightening the pelvic floor muscles, so avoid working with other muscles like glutes, thighs, or abdomen for best results.

For added effect, inhale and exhale with each exercise instead of holding your breath. This will help you relax and get the best results.

One way to help relax your muscles is to place one hand on your stomach and completely relax your abdomen.

If your back and stomach ache a little after you do Kegel, this could be a sign that you are not exercising properly.

How to perform Kegel exercises during pregnancy

Once you have identified your Kegel muscle and are well prepared, you should:

Tighten the pelvic floor muscles for 5 seconds, then relax. Take a 10-second break before you do it again to give your muscles time to relax and avoid strain.

Do not worry if the results are not satisfactory because the pelvic muscle is like other muscles in the body, it takes time and perseverance.

Increase the time each week by one second, until you can squeeze for 10 seconds. Repeat this squeeze movement each time - rest 10 to 15 times. Try to practice at least 3 times a day.

Be careful not to practice while urinating, because that will cause the urine to stagnate, causing bladder pain.

When to start practicing kegel exercises

You can practice during pregnancy and after giving birth. Each Kegel exercise doesn't usually last too long so you can make it a daily routine. You can practice in the morning, at noon or in the evening, and can be done while sitting, standing or lying down. In addition, you can also practice while waiting in the clinic, while watching TV ...

After giving birth, you can also exercise to improve your muscles and stimulate circulation. This will help your muscles get back to normal quickly. Don't worry if you can't feel your pelvic spasm because after giving birth, the perineum is still numb, but it should get better after a few weeks.

How long will it take to do Kegel exercises?

After 4-8 weeks of Kegel practice, you should see the change. However, for some people, this will take longer.

How to combine kegel exercises

You can make practicing Kegels fun by:

Combine with "love" to increase happiness for you and your husband. In addition, he can also help you check if your muscles are contracting properly.

You can try using the app on your phone to track your exercise habits.

You should talk to your doctor if you find your condition has not improved after 3-4 months of exercise.

Mother elected to do Kegel exercises like?

Kegel exercises are easy to do and can be practiced anywhere without anyone knowing.

It's your job to feel the type of muscle you would normally contract when you are holding urine. You pin it down for 3 seconds, then rest for 3 seconds. Don't shrink your stomach and thighs when you do that.

How long does it take to do Kegel exercises?

Just practice, don't rest. You need to practice to maintain muscle strength to make sure problems like incontinence do n't return, especially as you age. In addition, when the pelvic muscles are strong, it will limit genital prolapse, a common burning problem in older women, giving birth a lot, leading to discomfort in sexual activity, pain. back, ... Kegel exercises are a good habit to maintain for a long time.

Kegel exercises are an effective 'remedy' to help pregnant mothers feel comfortable during childbirth . If you have any questions, you can consult your doctor for advice. Have a healthy pregnancy!