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Wondering how to prepare for labor and delivery? One of the best ways to prepare is to strengthen the pelvic floor.
No one told me about the pelvic floor muscles until I had my baby. I wish someone would have because they are important! You use them all the time and especially during labor and delivery.
As a mom, wife, and pregnant woman, you may be wondering how you can prepare for labor and delivery. One important way to prepare is by doing pelvic floor exercises.
Pelvic floor exercises help strengthen the pelvic area muscles, making labor and delivery easier (as easy as it can be!).
This blog post will cover how you can start preparing your pelvic floor muscles for labor and delivery in your pregnancy. Read on for more information!
What is the pelvic floor?
According to the NHS, a pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that form a bowl-shaped diaphragm.
This diaphragm acts as a support structure for the pelvic organs: the bladder, uterus, and rectum.
What Do Pelvic Floor Muscles Do?
The pelvic floor helps to control urinary and fecal function. Pregnancy and childbirth can weaken these muscles, leading to incontinence, prolapse, and other problems. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the pelvic floor strong during pregnancy in order to avoid these complications.
Pelvic floor exercises (also called Kegels) help to strengthen these muscles. Pelvic floor muscles can weaken during pregnancy and after childbirth. This can lead to incontinence (leaking urine) or prolapse (when organs drop down into the vagina).
If you are pregnant, be sure to ask your doctor how to perform Kegel exercises correctly to keep your pelvic floor strong.
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Where are my pelvic floor muscles?
Imagine your pelvic floor muscles as a hammock. Now, pretend that hammock is filled with Jell-O. That’s what these muscles look like and where they are located.
These muscles are found at the base of your pelvis and stretch from your pubic bone in the front to your tailbone in the back. This muscle group supports your bladder, bowel, and uterus.
Don’t worry if you can’t find them right away. Just like any other muscle in your body, they can be weak from disuse.
What causes weakened pelvic floor muscles?
When it comes to the pelvic floor, things can go wrong in several ways. Childbirth is probably the most well-known cause of weakened pelvic floor muscles, but other potential causes exist.
For example, age and hormones can contribute to weakening these muscles.
Additionally, being overweight or obese puts additional strain on the Pelvic floor, and certain medical conditions (such as diabetes) can also lead to problems.
Finally, even high-impact activities like running can stress the pelvic floor and lead to weakened muscles.
There are a lot of potential causes of weakened pelvic floor muscles. But the good news is that there are also a lot of potential solutions that we will discuss later in this article.
How do I exercise my pelvic floor muscles?
As anyone who has ever given birth or lifted heavy objects knows, the pelvic floor muscles are essential for controlling the flow of urine and preventing incontinence.
Unfortunately, these muscles can become weak or damaged, leading to embarrassing leaks. The good news is that several exercises can help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
Pelvic Floor Exercises for Pregnancy
Are you pregnant and looking for exercises to help keep your pelvic floor healthy? Or maybe you’re not pregnant but would like to start doing some exercises to prepare for pregnancy. Either way, here are three pelvic floor exercises that are great for anyone who is pregnant or not! They’re easy, take hardly any time at all, and can be done just about anywhere. So without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Stomach muscle exercises
Anyone can do stomach muscle exercises, you don’t need any equipment, and they can be done anywhere.
The benefits of doing many stomach muscle exercises include a reduced risk of injuries to the lower back and improved posture. There are several different types of stomach muscle exercises, so there is sure to be one that suits you.
2. Sit-ups
One of the most popular types of stomach muscle exercises is sit-ups. Sit-ups work by strengthening the muscles in your abdomen and improving your flexibility.
To do a sit-up, simply lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Place your hands behind your head and then slowly lift your upper body off the floor before lowering it back down again.
You can make sit-ups more challenging by holding a weight in your hands or placing your feet on an exercise ball.
3. Power crunch
Another type of stomach muscle exercise is the power crunch. Power crunches are similar to sit-ups but are performed with your legs in the air.
To do a power crunch, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Place your hands behind your head and lift your legs off the ground, so they are perpendicular to your body.
From this position, curl your upper body off the ground and towards your knees before lowering it back down again.
Power crunches are a great way to target those deep abdominal muscles. Remember to breathe throughout the exercise and stop if you start to feel pain.
Stomach muscle exercises are a great way to improve your core strength and reduce injuries. So give them a go today!
4. Pelvic tilt exercises
Pelvic tilt exercises are a great way to strengthen your core muscles and help alleviate lower back pain. Here’s how to do them:
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Place your hand on your lower belly, just below your navel.
As you exhale, slowly tuck your tailbone under and flatten your lower back against the floor.
Hold for a count of five, then relax as you inhale. -Repeat 10 times.
If you find this exercise too difficult, you can try placing a rolled-up towel under your lower back for added support. Pelvic tilts are a great way to start strengthening your core, and they can be done anywhere any time!
5. Slow squeeze pelvic floor exercise
Though they may not be the most fun exercises to do, slow squeeze pelvic floor exercises are essential for pregnant women.
To do the exercises, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles as if you are stopping urine flow.
Hold the squeeze for five seconds, then release.
Repeat 10-15 times.
Doing this simple exercise daily can have a significant impact on your health.
6. Quick squeeze pelvic floor exercises
Squeezing your pelvic floor muscles may not sound like the most exciting thing in the world, but trust me, it’s worth it. These are easy to do and can be done pretty much anywhere. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
To do a quick squeeze, contract your pelvic floor muscles as if you were stopping the urine flow.
Hold for a count of three, then relax for a count of three.
Repeat this 10 times.
Once you’ve mastered the quick squeeze, you can move on to more prolonged squeezes. For these, contract your pelvic floor muscles and hold for a count of 10 before relaxing. Again, repeat this 10 times.
The great thing about pelvic floor exercises is that you can do them pretty much anywhere – at home, at work, or even while you’re out for a walk. So there’s no excuse not to give them a try!
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How often should I do my pelvic floor exercises?
Doing pelvic floor or “Kegel” exercises during or after pregnancy can help you to avoid or treat incontinence. But how often should you do them? The answer, unfortunately, is that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question.
It depends on several factors, including how much weight you’ve gained during pregnancy, how strong your pelvic floor muscles are, to begin with, and how much exercise you’re getting in general.
However, as a general rule of thumb, you should try doing at least 10-15 minutes of pelvic floor exercises daily. And don’t forget to keep up your other forms of exercise as well! Walking, swimming, and Pilates are all great ways to stay active during and after pregnancy.
Why pelvic floor exercises are important
Pregnancy can be a wonderful time for many women, but it can also take a toll on your body. One of the areas that can be particularly affected is the pelvic floor.
This group of muscles and tissues supports the bladder, uterus, and rectum; during pregnancy, they are put under a lot of stress.
This can lead to conditions like incontinence and prolapse. Pelvic floor exercises help to strengthen these muscles and tissues, reducing the risk of these problems. They can also help to improve sexual function and reduce pain during intercourse.
So if you’re pregnant or have recently had a baby, be sure to add pelvic floor exercises to your list of daily activities. Your body will thank you for it!
Should I Do More Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Exercises with Each Trimester?
Pregnancy is an amazing time in a woman’s life. Your body is going through so many changes; watching it all happen is incredible.
One thing that happens during pregnancy is that your pelvic floor muscles loosen and stretch to accommodate your growing baby. This can lead to some incontinence and leaking during pregnancy, which is totally normal.
Doing pelvic floor exercises regularly can help you avoid incontinence and leaking during pregnancy and postpartum.
So if you’re wondering whether or not you should be doing more pelvic floor exercises each trimester, the answer is yes! Your body will thank you for it later.
What happens to the pelvic floor during pregnancy and birth?
Pregnancy and childbirth are unique processes that the human body is designed for. However, they can put a lot of strain on the pelvic floor.
During pregnancy, the pelvic floor has to accommodate the growing uterus, which can cause weakness and dysfunction.
This can lead to incontinence, pain during sex, and prolapse (when organs fall out of place).
Childbirth puts even more strain on the pelvic floor, and it’s not uncommon for women to experience tearing or Eisold’s man oeuvre (when the pelvic floor muscles are pushed out of the vaginal opening).
How does pregnancy affect my pelvic floor?
Pregnancy takes a toll on your body in various ways – and your pelvic floor is no exception. The extra weight of your baby can put a strain on these muscles, which can lead to pain or incontinence.
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Why is my pelvic floor necessary for labor and birth?
During pregnancy, your baby grows and puts pressure on your pelvic floor. This can cause the muscles and ligaments supporting your pelvic organs to stretch or even tear. This is why it’s so important to do pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy.
They help strengthen the muscles and ligaments supporting your pelvic organs, making labor and birth easier and reducing the risk of tearing.
Labour and birth put a lot of strain on your pelvic floor. If you’ve been doing regular pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy, you’re likely to have a stronger pelvic floor, which can help to make labor and birth easier.
For example, if you have a strong pelvic floor, you may be able to push better during labor, which can help to shorten the length of time you’re in labor.
Pelvic floor muscles can be weakened by many things other than pregnancy and childbirth, such as being overweight, smoking, coughing a lot, or having constipation.
So even if you’re not pregnant or planning a pregnancy, it’s still worth doing some regular pelvic floor exercises to keep your muscles strong.
Exercises to avoid in pregnancy
Pregnancy is a wonderful time when you get to watch your body change and grow to accommodate a new life. However, it’s also a time when you need to be careful about the exercises you do, as some can be harmful to both you and your baby.
Here are some exercises to avoid during pregnancy:
1. Contact sports
Any activity that involves contact with other players or objects (such as balls, bats, or sticks) should be avoided. This includes sports such as hockey, rugby, and football.
2. High-impact activities
Any exercise that involves jumping or bouncing (such as running or aerobics) should be avoided, as this can put unnecessary stress on your joints and muscles.
3. Hot Yoga
Avoid doing any form of yoga that takes place in a heated room, as this can cause you to overheat and dehydrate.
4. Heavy lifting
It’s best to avoid any activity that involves lifting heavy weights, as this can put a strain on your back and abdominal muscles.
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Signs of Pelvic Floor Strength Improvement
If you’re doing pelvic floor muscle exercises and want to know if they’re working, here are some signs that things are going according to plan.
First, you should be able to feel your muscles contracting when you do the exercises. If you can’t feel anything, don’t worry – it takes some women a while to get in touch with their pelvic floor muscles.
Second, you should see an improvement in your urinary continence within a few weeks or months. For example, you may find that you no longer leak urine when you cough or sneeze.
Finally, you may also notice an improvement in your sexual function. For example, you may have better orgasms or experience less pain during sex.
So, if you see any of these changes, it’s a good sign that your pelvic floor muscle exercises are paying off!
Conclusion
Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles is one of the most important things you can do for a healthy pregnancy and easier labor and delivery.
I’ve outlined some simple exercises that you can start doing today, but it’s important to keep in mind that these exercises should be tailored to your individual needs.
If you have any medical conditions, be sure to get clearance from your doctor before starting any exercise program.