Kegel exercises, also known as pelvic floor exercises, are exercises mothers can do at home to stay on track with their fitness journey.
For mothers balancing numerous responsibilities, finding moments for physical fitness proves challenging yet an essential aspect of improving the quality of life.
Pelvic floor exercises are known to be beneficial not just for women but also for men. This type of exercise will strengthen pelvic muscles that support organs like your bladder, bowel, and vagina.
Benefits of Pelvic Floor Exercises
Weakness in the pelvic floor muscles, often attributed to factors like aging, pregnancy, childbirth, or medical procedures, can result in issues such as urinary or fecal incontinence and unintended gas release.
Embracing Kegel exercises serves to mitigate these potential challenges and enhance the endurance of the pelvic floor muscles. By integrating Kegel exercises into the daily regimen, a mother can bolster her pelvic floor health and effectively manage her varied responsibilities.
Similar to how weightlifting strengthens other muscle groups, consistent Kegel exercises contribute to maintaining robust pelvic floor muscles. This regimen contributes to maintaining robust pelvic floor muscles, thereby offering improved control over bladder and bowel functions and preventing muscle weakening.
Regular adherence to Kegel exercises is crucial for sustaining pelvic floor muscle fitness, much like consistent weightlifting routines bolster overall muscle strength. This regimen can confer improved control over bladder and bowel functions, thereby preventing the weakening of pelvic muscles.
The repercussions of weakened pelvic floor muscles can manifest in urinary and fecal incontinence, as well as inadvertent gas passage. Factors contributing to muscle weakening include aging, pregnancy, childbirth, and surgical interventions.
Embracing pelvic floor exercises yields several key benefits:
Increases pleasure and reduces pain during sex
Makes the child birthing process easier and decreases chances of incontinence after childbirth
Makes passing urine and feces through the body easier
Prevents pelvic floor prolapse
Help treat urinary incontinence
Strengthens support for your baby while pregnant
10 Pelvic Floor Exercises for Moms
These 10 simple exercises, designed for home convenience, target the pelvic floor muscles and can be seamlessly integrated into your daily routine.
1. Pelvic Lifts
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Slowly lift your pelvis off the floor, engaging your core and pelvic floor muscles. Hold briefly before lowering down. Repeat for 10-12 reps.
2. Deep Squats
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and squat down, keeping your back straight and knees aligned with toes. As you rise, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles. Aim for 15-20 reps.
3. Side Leg Raises
Lie on your side, supporting your head with one arm. Lift your top leg while keeping it straight, engaging your outer hip and pelvic floor. Lower with control. Do 12-15 reps per side.
4. Seated Ball Squeezes
Sit on a stability ball with feet flat and knees bent at 90 degrees. Squeeze a small ball between your thighs, engaging your pelvic floor. Hold briefly before releasing. Repeat 15-20 times.
5. Wall Sit with Pelvic Tilt
Lean against a wall and lower into a seated position, knees at a right angle. Tilt your pelvis upward, activating your pelvic floor. Hold for 30-60 seconds.
6. Bird-Dog
Start on hands and knees. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back while keeping hips level. Engage your core and pelvic floor. Switch sides after a few seconds. Aim for 10 reps per side.
7. Bridge Pose
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Lift your hips off the floor, squeezing your glutes and pelvic floor. Hold briefly before lowering down. Repeat 10-12 times.
8. Planks
Get into a plank position, hands under shoulders and body in a straight line. Engage your core and pelvic floor, holding for 30-60 seconds. Gradually increase duration as you get stronger.
9. Pelvic Clocks
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Imagine a clock face over your pelvis. Tilt your pelvis to each hour on the clock, engaging different parts of your pelvic floor. Repeat for 1-2 minutes.
10. Diaphragmatic Breathing
Sit or lie comfortably, placing one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your belly and engaging your pelvic floor. Exhale slowly through your mouth, releasing tension. Repeat for several breaths.
Consistency is key with pelvic floor exercises. Aim to do these exercises at least 3-4 times a week for noticeable improvements.
Listen to your body, and if you experience any discomfort, modify the exercises or consult a healthcare professional. Strengthening your pelvic floor can lead to better bladder control, support for pelvic organs, and overall confidence in your body's abilities as a mom.
For those looking to accelerate their results, this guide to losing 30 pounds in 30 days provides additional strategies to achieve significant weight loss in a short time.
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