Kegel exercises / Kegel muscles

After giving birth, my OB-GYN told me my uterus had prolapsed. She said I really need to start doing Kegel's exercises to fix things, otherwise I might run into even bigger issues later on.

Since I'm not entirely sure if I'm performing the exercises correctly, I wanted to find something to assist me. I discovered there are pelvic floor weights—four different weighted discs inserted individually to practice holding them in place. I remember seeing them at Miller once.
They don't carry them there anymore. Does anyone have an idea where else I could find some?

Nancy Davis said:After I gave birth, my OB-GYN told me my uterus had actually started to prolapse. She said I seriously need to start doing Kegel exercises to fix things up before they get even worse...

Since I’m honestly not even sure if I'm doing them right, I wanted to find something more effective. I did some digging and found out about those pelvic floor weights—you know, those sets of four different weighted cones you insert and try to hold in? I remember seeing them back in the day at Target,
but they don't carry them there anymore. Does anyone have any idea where else I can hunt these down?

I'm in pretty much the exact same boat and searched everywhere for them! I finally just gave up and ordered a set through eBay two weeks ago.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquaflex-P...24605585635412
But now I'm just sitting here feeling super depressed because I can't even hold the lightest one in.😢

I gave up on Kegel's exercises pretty quickly because I just couldn't manage to fully empty my bladder. The only real benefit I got was being able to better locate where my pelvic muscles actually are.

If you can feel those muscles and are able to contract them, you might try strengthening them through incidental movement so you don't have to set aside dedicated time for workouts—especially if you have kids running around:

1. While walking: My physical therapist suggested that while I'm walking, I should squeeze the muscles for three steps, then relax for the next three, then squeeze again for three steps, and so on.

2. On stairs: Squeeze the muscles as hard as you can while taking a few steps up the stairs. It’s recommended to stand on the balls of your feet rather than your whole foot. You could also do this on a stepper machine at the gym.

3. While driving (specifically when you press down on the gas or the brake).

4. While listening to music: Just contract the muscles in rhythm with whatever song is playing.

5. While cycling: Every time you push down on the pedal, squeeze your pelvic muscles.

6. When standing up from a chair, out of a car, or similar movements.

I can manage to squeeze the muscle (if that’s even it), but I can't hold the contraction or consciously release it—I guess it just relaxes on its own immediately🤷
Maybe this is enough for a start, maybe it gets better over time.

It also confuses me because everything says you shouldn't be using your abs or glutes during this, which I'm not sure I'm managing to avoid.

I feel totally lost🙂 Why am I the only one struggling with this?😕 Or maybe others just don't care as much? I'm honestly stressed because I'm the one carrying my little girl right now while she's getting her first teeth, so I'm constantly picking her up, which probably makes things worse.

jadebadder78, thanks, I think I'll order it.

Don't get too frustrated with yourself. It’s completely normal to accidentally squeeze other muscles; those exercises are incredibly tough when you're just starting out.

Do you think a device like this might be more helpful?

Kegel Pelvic floor Exerciser/Toner

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of people talking about how much they love using Ben Wa balls (you can easily find them at any local adult boutique here in the States 😬):

Ben Wa

Sophia Hughes6
thanks for the suggestion, I might look into it.😁that first one looks more like a torture device to me

Nancy Davis said:Sophia Hughes6, thanks for the suggestion. I'll check it out.
That first one looks more like a torture device than anything else. 😁

At least you don't have to shove it up your butt. 😬

Just be careful with those weights. If they slip, they'll definitely crush your toes. 🤣

Nancy Davis, I swear, every time I try to do these exercises, I end up just clenching my abs or my glutes instead of doing it right. I read somewhere that’s totally wrong, which is why I went ahead and ordered some weights
.
And once I have the extra cash, I'm definitely grabbing this too http://www.reddit.com
. I think I saw something similar over at Target..

Sophia Hughes6, have you actually used one of these? How long does it honestly take before you start seeing any actual progress?
Right now, after a week and a half, I can barely hold the easiest setting for about a minute. I am nowhere near that 20-minute goal they promise, so I'm terrified it'll take me a whole year just to work my way up to the hardest level 😢.
Unless I end up needing surgery before then
.

Nancy Davis said:I think I can squeeze the muscle—at least, I assume that's the right one—but I can't actually hold the contraction. And I can't consciously relax it either; I guess it just lets go on its own immediately. 🤷

Same issue here.🙂
I can squeeze my vaginal muscles—nothing else, really—but I have zero ability to hold that tension.😢
Is this normal for starting out? Will it get better over time, or am I doing something wrong?

I’m really hoping it actually works 😢
Honestly, I just need someone to chime in and tell me they’ve actually been through this. My biggest fear—and I mean my absolute biggest fear—is that I'll end up having to deal with this via surgery in the end.

jadebadger78 said:it's pretty much the same story for me; I looked everywhere for them, but finally, about two weeks ago, I just ordered some off eBay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquaflex-P...24605585635412
but now I’m feeling totally depressed because I can’t even hold onto the easiest 😢

Anyway, I gotta brag a little—after about 20 days, I can actually hold this easiest one for maybe 5 minutes without it slipping out! 🙂
I still have a massive mountain to climb, obviously, but things are looking up, I think.

Honestly though, it blows my mind that this thread is so dead. In real life, I hear all the time that almost every other woman is either dealing with this right now or has dealt with it before. 🤷

Girls, I honestly don't know what to tell you. Maybe you shouldn't be pushing yourselves so hard with those weights? 🤷
I haven't the slightest clue how that gadget even works, really.

It’s possible you might be doing something wrong, because the whole thing is actually quite simple—it isn't particularly strenuous, and the sensation is similar to when you have a sudden urge to pee and you're trying to hold it in. (Please forgive the rather silly description; I truly don't know how else to 😂)

And it is quite effective during an orgasm since the contractions are incredibly strong (speaking from experience), plus during intimacy, you can occasionally control how much you squeeze, which might even enhance the experience for your partner.

Of course, one shouldn't overdo it to the point of causing actual harm. Just remember, at any time of day or in any situation, just squeeze a little, then relax. It's not like anyone can notice or see anything happening to you, anyway. 😬

My theory is that most women unconsciously "tense up" at the very least during their first real OB-GYN exam, which is why the doctor usually asks them to try and relax. 😁
Personally, I find myself unconsciously tensing up whenever I jump into a cold ocean in the summer. 😁

Sophia Wells72 said:Look, girls, I honestly don't know what else to tell you. Maybe stop overdoing it with those weights? 🤷
I have zero clue how that gadget even works.

Maybe you're just doing it wrong because the whole thing is actually super simple, not strenuous or anything—it's more like when you really need to pee and you're trying your hardest to hold it in. (Forgive the goofy description, I seriously don't know how else to put it 😂)

And it’s honestly amazing during an orgasm because the contractions are intense (speaking from experience!), plus during sex, you can sometimes control how much you squeeze, which can actually make things way better for your partner too.

Obviously, don't go overboard or you'll end up causing damage. Just remember, any time of day, in any situation, just do a little squeeze, then relax. It's totally subtle, nobody will ever notice you're doing it. 😬

My take is that most women unconsciously "clench" at least during their first real OB-GYN exam, and the doctor has to ask them to relax. 😁
Personally, I find myself clenching completely subconsciously whenever I jump into a cold pool in the summer. 😁

I totally get what you're saying... but imagine being in a spot where you ask your partner to tell you when they feel you squeezing those muscles... you're squeezing like crazy and he's like "I don't feel anything"... or you try to hold your bladder and it still leaks anyway...😢

Oh, hey there 😢, I honestly didn't realize things were quite that intense on your end—sorry about that. I really hope this gadget actually does what it claims and helps you reach your goals. Definitely keep me posted on how it goes; I'm genuinely curious to hear the results. 🙂

Look, here’s the plan... I’ve decided I’m going to stick with this and really grind through the exercises for at least three months. If I don't see some actual progress by then, I'm heading straight to my doctor to talk about surgery options..

Honestly, though, I feel like I might be seeing a tiny bit of improvement already... or maybe I’m just kidding myself to stay positive. 🤷

Well, here I am, unfortunately joining this discussion. My bladder issues started after childbirth, but it’s only hitting me now, two and a half months later. Everything seemed perfectly fine during my first checkup.

Ginićka’s initial advice was basically to grab a support belt and stop lifting anything heavy. I didn't actually ask her about the logistics—because, newsflash, you have to lift a baby—but I suppose I should keep it to an absolute minimum. I did ask about Kegel exercises, and she said a little bit is okay. Honestly, I thought those were supposed to be the holy grail of recovery. 🤷
jadebadger78, how are things going on your end? I was thinking about picking up one of those pelvic weights myself, but I haven't the slightest clue how they actually work. Is there any kind of instruction manual included with them?

Ugh, honestly... I don't even know what to tell you... things are better, but we're moving at a snail's pace here.

I usually do my Kegel Pelvic floor Exerciser sessions in the evening because I totally forget about them during the day and just can't find the time, but in the morning, I’ll pop a weight in while I'm making the beds, getting breakfast ready, or vacuuming. And hey, I finally had a breakthrough today—I actually managed to hold the 10g weight for a full 15 minutes!
But now this 15g one... I'm barely hitting a few seconds. It's honestly pathetic how slow this is going, but then again, when I remember that just a few months ago I couldn't even hold an empty weight, I guess it counts as progress.

(The instructions are in English, but seriously, just ask me anything you want to know and I'll walk you through it.)

As for the support belt, I'm not sure. My doctor didn't mention anything about one, but he did tell me I need to drop the weight ASAP, since carrying extra pounds is one of the main reasons your bladder gets pushed down while all those muscles are still weak.

Just a heads-up though: my baby is over 17 pounds now, and even though I try not to hold him constantly unless I'm working out, he basically spends half our walks in my arms. I have no idea how "not lifting" is supposed to work for moms like us, but at least try to resist picking up other heavy stuff, like those massive grocery bags from Target or whatever.

I find myself returning to an old topic of discussion.

During a recent conversation with some acquaintances, I was struck by the revelation that weakness in the pelvic and vaginal muscles is far more prevalent than most people realize; furthermore, at my current stage of life, I feel it is absolutely vital to take preventative measures against any potential decline in that area. However, I must admit that the sheer willpower required for active, dedicated exercise is something I simply lack, which led me to pursue an alternative method—using weighted balls. I purchased a set featuring various weights that can be combined. The result? I am now carrying two heavier ones, totaling 102 grams, without even a moment of conscious effort or thought. Has anyone else here had similar experiences, and does anyone know if there is any inherent downside to having strong muscles without actually performing traditional exercises?