Kegel exercises can help you through childbirth and increase your odds of not accidentally peeing when you cough. If you haven't already started practicing them or think it isn't worth your time, we still encourage you to do them now to strengthen your pelvic floor.
If childbirth and preventing accidental peeing weren't reasons enough, strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can potentially prevent hemorrhoids and can increase healing time if you need an episiotomy after childbirth. If you still aren't convinced, Kegels improve the muscle tone of your vagina, which can make sex will be more enjoyable.
On the upside, you can do Kegels just about anywhere or anytime. One of the best places to start practicing is during urination. When you stop your urine flow, you use the same muscles you exercise during Kegel exercises. Beginning with this practice can help you determine where and how to flex the muscles. It should feel like a squeeze and lift sensation as the muscles draw up in the pelvic floor.
If you aren't sure if you are doing it correctly, you can check it with your finger. Yeah, it sounds weird, but it is a great way to ensure you are doing it right. Start with a clean finger (really clean), insert it in your vagina, and flex like you are doing a Kegel. If you feel a tightening around the finger you know you got it! Alternatively, you can give a squeeze during sex and ask your partner if he can feel it. With each contraction, you want to hold it for a few seconds before you let it go. Over time, you want to work up to holding the squeeze for up to ten seconds.
Reference Sources
- American Association of Pregnancy - Kegels
