Pregnancy is an exciting time of bringing forth new life, but the birth process can wreak havoc on a mother's pelvic muscles. Many women struggle with urinary or even fecal incontinence following the birth of a child because the pelvic muscles have been stretched and weakened during labor. Practicing pelvic floor exercises strengthens these muscles and restores control. Women who regularly practice pelvic floor exercises can expect to see an increase in muscle strength within three to four months, notes Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Kegel Exercises
Practicing Kegel exercises strengthens the muscles of the bowel and bladder, as well as those muscles under the uterus, according to MedlinePlus. To practice, tighten the pelvic muscles and hold for 10 seconds. To determine which muscles to use, it may be helpful to urinate and practice stopping the flow mid-stream. This should only be done to identify the muscles and not as a regular practice. Using Kegel exercises while urinating can lead to retained urine in the bladder, which can cause an infection. After contracting the pelvic muscles for 10 seconds, slowly release the muscles over a period of 10 seconds. Repeat this process 10 times, three times a day.
Quick Contractions
Northwestern Memorial Hospital recommends practicing quick pelvic muscle contractions to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. Quick pelvic contractions are done by tensing the pelvic floor muscles tightly and releasing completely. Start with a series of 10 quick pelvic contractions four times a day and increase the number of recurrences each week to reach 30 sets of 10 contractions daily. Quick pelvic contractions may be practiced along with Kegel exercises to maximize muscle strength.
Bladder Retraining
Practicing bladder retraining involves setting up a schedule for times to urinate, and then using the bathroom whether the urge is present or not. Try to hold urine in between scheduled bathroom times. The time between bathroom intervals may be short at first, beginning with 30 minutes and increasing to three to four hours between. This allows practice for retraining the pelvic muscles to hold urine in without leaking.
Vaginal Cone Exercises
Vaginal cones are prescribed by a physician for women to use to assist with practicing pelvic floor exercises. A vaginal cone is a small device that is placed in the vagina. A woman can practice tightening the muscles around the cone to keep it in place. The muscles used to hold a vaginal cone are the same muscles recommended for practice with Kegel exercises. Using a vaginal cone clearly shows a woman which muscles to practice tightening instead of mistakenly using the muscles of the abdomen or upper thigh.
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