Kegels are the best exercises you can do to prepare for delivery and they are also good for recovery. These exercises, named after their inventor Arnold Kegel, will help you to strengthen the muscles of what is known as the pelvic floor.  

What is the pelvic floor?

The pelvic floor is formed by a series of muscles that hold the lower abdomen, where the bladder, the uterus and lower part of the intestines are. These muscles are located between the buttocks, the thighs and the pelvis.  

Pelvic muscles tend to weaken and the main reasons for this are pregnancy and delivery, although it could also be due to age. As the years go by, this area weakens and it is common for problems such as urinary incontinence to arise.  There are also cases of weakening of the pelvic floor muscles in athletes who practice sports that put a lot of pressure in that area.

During pregnancy, the considerable weight gain of the belly causes these muscles to stretch. This stretching of the pelvic floor muscles is compounded when the baby goes through the birth canal.   

How you can benefit from Kegel exercises

Kegel exercises help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, providing a greater resistance to this muscle group. These muscles are not usually exercised naturally and therefore Kegels must be learned and practiced consistently.

The benefits of these exercises will help you during the delivery, as your vaginal muscles will be stronger than if you didn’t do Kegels.  

Kegel exercises are especially beneficial in the recovery from delivery, to avoid urinary incontinence. It is rather common in women who have had babies to have small leaks of urine when they laugh, cough or sneeze.  This urinary incontinence can range from mild to being a constant problem, depending on the circumstances of the delivery. Strengthening the muscles in this area will enable you to have a greater control over these bothersome leaks.   

Another advantage of these exercises would be the improvement of your sexual life, as the vaginal area will be better toned and have increased sensitivity.  

How to practice Kegel exercises

The movement that Kegels involve is not natural; therefore you will have to learn to practice them. One of the easiest ways to understand the type of muscular movement required is to attempt to stop the flow of urine when urinating. This contraction will give you a feel for the muscles you have to use to do these exercises.  

In order to do your Kegels, you have to tighten the vaginal muscles and then “pull up” but without tightening your abdomen, legs or buttocks. When you master this movement, keep these muscles contracted for at least 10 seconds and then relax them. Repeat this contraction between 10 and 15 times and then rest.  

The best way to remember to practice your Kegels is to do them as a part of another daily routine, such as for example, brushing your teeth, taking a shower or even driving to work. Once you have mastered them, you can carry out several series of Kegels three times a day. Once you’ve acquired practice, you can do Kegels three times a day. The beneficial effects of these exercises are apparent in just a few weeks.