To kegel or not to kegel?

[LuckyMommaToo]

In my last pg, my Bradley instructor was all about kegel-ing. Then I met my doula, and she said she thought you shouldn't do kegels until after the birth. She thinks that you shouldn't tone up that muscle before birth, that you want it "soft" so the baby can get out more easily.

So who's right?? Any thoughts?

-Erin

[Skrimpy]

My midwife has always been huge on kegels (she joked about having "kegel" stickers - luckily all gone by the time I got pregnant :LOL ), so I've always done them.

I've never actually heard that not doing them makes you "softer." I guess I can see the logic behind it - but I'm not sure that doing kegels is going to get those muscles incredibly toned and buff to be in the way for baby!

My babies have just come barreling out despite any kegels (no tears on me though, I always kinda attributed that to kegels and excellent support by my midwife). It's an interesting thought though, I'll be eager to hear what others have to say.

[Persephone]

I once heard (here on MDC) about a woman who said she felt she did too many kegels and firmed up too much. Kegels are definitely important to do after the birth, but I really don't see the harm in doing them before, either. I do them, when I think to. But I don't do the recommended 300 a day. I think the problem comes when you just tighten, and don't also practice releasing. Conciously tense and relax the muscles, instead of just tensing them, and that should prevent any "too firm" pelvic muscles.

[aguacates]

I think the problem comes when you just tighten, and don't also practice releasing. Conciously tense and relax the muscles, instead of just tensing them, and that should prevent any "too firm" pelvic muscles.

I agree. I think the good part about kegeling is that it does get you in touch with how to relax your pelvic floor. I have also heard though that it is more important to kegel after birth, than before, if you had to pick one.

[2+twins]

The reason they're important to do prior to the birth is b/c if that muscle is too unconditioned, there's the posibility of damage to the muscle as the baby goes past it AND if it's not firm enough the baby may not tuck his/her head as needed. So they are important before. But part of good Kegel exercises would be relaxing them too. You should be very conscious of how it feels to tense them vs. how it feels to let them be totally relaxed and out of the way - the way you'd want during 2nd stage.

[kerikadi]

Kegel! I don't think toning a muscle is ever a bad thing - it works both ways and having it tone doesn't mean it is tight, just stronger and can help you have more control - always a good thing!

Keri

[hunnybumm]

My midwife also said she highly recommends them after birth and during the first Trimester, but she doesn't recommend them later in pregnancy. I never did them before so I won't start until after I have the baby. I think just like everything else, everyone has their opinion, what worked/didn't work for them, etc.

[Tine]

I think Kegeling both during and after PG make perfect sense.... But FWIW, I never did either. I did tear during DS's birth, but I doubt it's b/c I didn't Kegel--more likely it's b/c DS emerged with his arm wrapped around his head. My perineum/stitches healed very nicely, and I've never had any of the pelvic floor problems I've heard about from my friends who had episiotomies. According to my midwife, my muscle tone down there is good.

As a PP said, everybody's opinion is informed by her own experience. My experience makes me wonder whether the enthusiasm for Kegels is a result of medicalized childbirth (i.e., episiotomies).

[kerikadi]

Everyone should definitely do what they are comfortable doing I just don't understand what could be bad about having a stronger pelvic floor :shrug
I don't think kegels have anything to do with episiotomies or the medicalization of birth.

Dr. Bradley was my Mom's OB back in 1962 when his methods were considered pretty out there. According to my Mom he drilled into her head that kegels were very important for female health and sexual pleasure.

I believe that having a stronger pelvic floor aids in pushing. It just makes sense to me that the stronger your mucles are the more control you have over them. Also during pregnancy and after birth a stronger pelvic floor aids in urine control.

I also feel that having a stronger pelvic floor aids in sexual pleasure. Trying not to go into too much detail here but for me having control of the muscles of my pelvic floor help me orgasm easily and often :D

I have never read any contraindications to kegeling. Maybe the information is out there and I just haven't seen it.

Muscle control is good and goes both ways - can help you tighten and relax depending on the situation.

Keri

[2+twins]

:yeah: And it's not just the perineum itself that can tear. What I was referring to in my previous post was regarding the Kegel muscle itself which wraps itself around the vagina. THAT can tear (totally separate than a tear at the perineum), so this would have nothing at all to do with the use of episiotomy. And isn't preventive care usually considered a *good* thing? So I'm not sure why people would think that these should only be done afterwards when it's going to be that much harder to get an untoned muscle into shape???

[vermontana]

As others have already mentioned, it is important to practice both flexing and RELEASING your muscles. Kegels aren't just about clenching. It is also a good idea, in the last few weeks of your pregnancy to practice pelvic "bulging". This is an addition to regular kegels. What you do: after contracting your pelvic muscles for 5 to 10 sec, you gently strain (like when you're pushing out the last drops of pee) and imagine your pelvic muscles "bulging" down. It is hard to grasp until you do it, then you'll be like, "oh! I see". The key is to rehearse and practice the releasing/relaxing/letting go that you'll need when the baby's head is descending. This is also a good balancing action for all the toning and contracting you are doing with the kegels. I would encourage you to continue doing Kegels regularly, since toned and strong pelvic floor muscles help the baby to rotate and descend. The bulging part of the exercise helps you practice relaxing those muscles, which you will need to do during the second stage when you're pushing the baby down.

[gonnabeamom]

I wish I could remember my source for this because it seems important, but what I was recently told is that how you do the Kegels matters a lot.

The original Kegel instructions were to find the Kegel muscle and squeeze it, and then do this rapidly a bazillion times a day. This is what I was told is not so great.

The new improved way to do this is to do a "super-Kegel" where you tighten the Kegel muscle-sometimes even working your way up the vagina in an upward series of squeezes like raising an elevator to the top of your vagina. Then you release back down, "floor" by "floor" making sure that you fully release when you get done. We did these in prenatal Yoga class, which was very helpful to me for learning the technique. My yoga teacher had us coordinate this with our breathing. She also believes that you stop this at the end of pregnancy (at 35 weeks) because at that point you want to encourage downward movement, not upward. This super-kegel is recommended 10 times a day instead of 60 with the quick kegel.

I think they are valuable because friends who have done them have them have had fewer problems with post-pregnancy incontinence.

[grace's voice]

The more toned a muscle is, the more easily it streaches. Kegel like your life depends on it!

[Raven]

The more toned a muscle is, the more easily it streaches. Kegel like your life depends on it!
:yeah:

[nubianamy]

I am definitely in the Kegel camp. My Bradley instructor says you don't need Kegels before your first birth, because the muscles are already tight. They are to provide support and structure after birth and for the rest of your life. If your muscles are already toned before birth, it will be easier to get them back in shape afterwards. These are not only the muscles you will use to birth, but to hold the uterus in place (prevent prolapse) and to keep yourself continent (a droopy uterus sits on the bladder and bends it into a really weird shape!). Our Bradley book showed great pictures of a toned uterus and a droopy one. Pretty amazing.