Pelvic Floor Exercise for New Moms

Pelvic Floor Exercise - Why Some New Moms Don't Bother
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jago_Holmes]Jago Holmes

Pelvic floor exercise is something that all women should practice immediately after having a baby, whether the birth was vaginally or via a c section. Throughout pregnancy and the birth, the pelvic floor muscles face a huge challenge. They support the baby and internal organs such as the bowels and bladder throughout the pregnancy and then undergo enormous trauma by stretching to allow the baby to pass through which may cause damage, bruising and a weakening of the area.

Because of this the muscles can't perform as effectively. This may lead to stress incontinence, a reduced sensation during sex and possible prolapse in the future.

Women that suffer from stress incontinence may leak small amounts of urine when they cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise with any type of impact.

It is estimated that up to 25 per cent of new mothers suffer from stress incontinence. Pelvic floor exercise strengthens these muscles so that they can perform their function properly. The more you strengthen and exercise them, the stronger they will become.

Pelvic Floor exercise is often referred to as Kegel's named after the creator of the concept Dr Arnold Kegel. Both descriptions mean the same thing.

The good thing about pelvic floor exercises is that they can be done anytime and anywhere. You won't get sweaty or out of breathe doing them, they aren't physically tiring and can be done in any position, standing up, sitting or lying down. You can even work your pelvic floor muscles whilst carrying out a range of daily activities such as doing the washing, driving in the car or whilst ironing.

However it is quite difficult to specifically focus these exercises correctly. They're aren't exciting to do, won't give you the buzz that normal exercise gives you and most women simply give up trying long before any real effect is achieved.

There are two different types of exercises you can do. The first, sometimes referred to as 'slow kegels' strengthens the muscles endurance and increases the length of time you can consciously hold them tightly. The second, 'fast kegels' improves how quickly you can tighten the muscles. This is useful in situations when you may laugh, cough or sneeze.

Pelvic floor exercise must be done regularly in order for you to see any noticeable benefit. Think of some everyday trigger points as reminders to do the exercises, so that you don't forget to do them, such as every time you boil a kettle, talk on the telephone or when you are waiting at traffic lights for example.

Be consistent with pelvic floor exercises, the benefits will sometimes take weeks to notice, but if you persist, the relatively small amount of effort they take to do is well worth the time you will be investing in doing them.

Jago Holmes is a registered personal trainer and director of New Image Fitness Ltd. He is a qualified personal trainer with over 10 years experience working with new mums and pregnant women. He has created a website for new mothers, devoted entirely to safe and effective weight loss after pregnancy - http://www.greatshapeafterbaby.com

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