During pregnancy, the weight of the growing baby can weaken the pelvic floor muscles, which may result in embarrassing bladder leaks every time you cough, sneeze or even laugh. Kegel exercises help strengthen those muscles and can minimize urinary incontinence both during pregnancy and postpartum. According to the American Pregnancy Association, performing Kegel exercises can also help you to develop control of your muscles during labor and delivery. Kegel exercises are easy to do and can be performed anywhere---sitting at your desk, watching television or even standing in line at the supermarket.
The Basic Kegel
To perform a basic Kegel exercise, you must first identify your pelvic floor muscles. The easiest way to do this is by stopping your flow of urine midstream as you urinate. The muscles you use to stop the passage of urine are the pelvic floor muscles. A basic Kegel consists of contracting or squeezing the pelvic floor muscles just as if you were attempting to stop the flow of urine. MayoClinic.com recommends that beginners hold this contraction for three seconds, then relax for three seconds, repeating the exercise 10 times. Once you have become comfortable with this technique, you can increase the contract/release cycle to four seconds each. Eventually, you should be able to alternate contracting and relaxing the muscles for 10 seconds each. Try to perform a cycle of 10 Kegels three times daily.
While performing the exercise, try not to tighten any muscles other than your pelvic floor muscles, particularly those in your buttocks, thighs or abdomen. Also, remember to breathe normally.
The Elevator Kegel
After perfecting the basic Kegel, try the technique known as the "elevator Kegel." When performing this exercise, concentrate on tightening your pelvic floor muscles one second at a time---just as an elevator rises one floor at a time---until you reach the count of four. Hold the contraction for four more seconds and then slowly release the muscles for another count of four. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Mini Kegels
Perform the basic Kegel contract/release cycle in one-second intervals for 20 seconds. In other words, contract your pelvic floor muscles for one second and release them for one second, 20 times in a row.
Kegels With Biofeedback Devices
If you have trouble performing Kegels on your own or are not sure if you're using the right muscles, you can get assistance through a biofeedback training session. In this session, a therapist will insert a small monitoring device into your vagina and ask you to contract your pelvic floor muscles. When you squeeze the muscles correctly, the probe will provide a visual signal on an external monitor. With training, you can learn to perform Kegels without the aid of the monitor---you will eventually know you're performing them correctly by the feel of the muscles alone.
