Kegels

[aubrees_mommie]

Kegel exercises tone the pubococcygeal (PC) muscle. This is the muscle you use to stop and start the flow of urine. Exercising this muscle helps prevent hemorrhoids, supports your growing baby, assists during and after labor, keeps the muscles of the vagina toned, and may increase sexual pleasure for you and your partner.

Learn to isolate this PC muscle by stopping the flow of urine a few times. Use this technique only to locate the muscle. Do not exercise the muscle this way as it may lead to a urinary tract infection. Another way to locate the muscle is to put your clean finger in the opening of your vagina and tighten. By feeling the muscle tighten around your finger you will know you are doing the exercises correctly.

• Squeeze the PC muscle for five seconds; relax for five seconds, then squeeze again. At first do 10, five-second squeezes, three times a day.
• Flutter exercises: Squeeze and release, then squeeze and release as quickly as you can.
• Work up to doing 100 Kegels each day.

Squatting

• Move to the squatting position, knees over your toes.
• Keep your heels on the floor; feel the stretch in the back of your thighs.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Gradually increase the time to 60 to 90 seconds.
• Relax your head and arms throughout this exercise.

This is a good exercise to prepare for squatting during the pushing stage of labor.