Childbirth talk: The perks of doing Kegel exercises

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Ask women about their top fears regarding childbirth and a majority will give the same answer: “fear of not being able to manage the pain of labor.” Researchers have gone all the way to claim that “labor pain is one of the most severe pains which have ever been evaluated,” thus causing many women to fear natural delivery.

The solution to this dilemma, however, comes in only two words: “Kegel exercises.”

Kegel exercises, also known as pelvic floor exercises, involve the repeated contraction and relaxation of the muscles that comprise the pelvic floor. It has been proven to be effective in helping strengthen the muscles that support the uterus, bladder, bowels, and most importantly, the vagina. As a result of improved vaginal muscle strength, pregnant women who performed Kegel exercises before delivery found it easier to control their muscles during labor and delivery, thus experiencing an easier and less painful childbirth.

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But the advantages don’t stop there. With the improved tone of pelvic floor muscles, expectant mothers will also be able to mitigate two common problems during pregnancy: decreased bladder control and hemorrhoids. If done AFTER pregnancy, Kegel exercises can promote faster healing of the perineum (which gets damaged as a result of natural delivery) and regain bladder control (which has been compromised due to the exaggerated distention during pregnancy).

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More articles on pregnancy-related concerns may be found at this Facebook page for Cristian Andronic.