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Kegel Exercises
Learn how to do Kegel exercises and why Kegels are important during and after pregnancy.
by: Nancy Ripton
In This Article
- What are Kegel exercises?
- How to do Kegel exercises
- How many Kegel exercises should you do?
- Andrea Joyce is the founder of www.afterbabybody.com, a website focused on women’s pelvic health. Joyce is a pelvic health advocate and her goal is to ensure moms are better informed about the risks of childbirth.
Kegel exercises
- Kegel exercises condition the pelvic floor muscles.
- To do a Kegel exercise: Contract your pelvic floor muscles as if you are trying to stop peeing; then hold, and release.
- Do different Kegel exercises for strength, speed and endurance.
- Aim to do at least 100 Kegels a day.
- Start slowly with Kegel exercises after giving birth.
egel exercises are one of the best ways to get your body prepared for labor and help restore pelvic health after giving birth. Not sure how to do Kegel exercises? Here’s how to get started:
What are Kegel exercises?
Kegel exercises condition the pelvic floor muscles and can help prevent urinary incontinence and other post-pregnancy pelvic problems. A strong pelvis can also increase your enjoyment during sex.
The easiest way to identify your pelvic floor muscles is to pretend you’re trying to stop peeing midstream. If you’re having trouble, you can visit a physiotherapist who specializes in pelvic health. “A physiotherapist can assess whether you're engaging the right muscles during Kegels,” says Andrea Joyce, founder of afterbabybody.com. This can be done by placing her hand on your lower abdomen and lower back as you do Kegels.
