Kegels to Avoid Incontinence

The pelvic floor muscles are responsible for bladder control, bowel control, and to help hold the organs in place. When the pelvic floor muscles are weakened, the internal organs are not fully supported and many people have difficulty controlling the release of urine. This is especially true for women who are pregnant or who have given birth. Pregnancy and childbirth are the most common causes of incontinence in women.

During pregnancy and childbirth, the pelvic floor muscles are weakened by extra weight in the abdomen, the shifting of organs that must occur for the growing uterus, and the straining of the muscles during childbirth. Women often find that they experience incontinence immediately after giving birth and think of it as “common,” yet they are surprised when they are still suffering from this condition months later. Obstetricians repeatedly encourage their patients to practice Kegels throughout their pregnancy in order to sustain their pelvic floor muscles. Kegels are an exercise that can be done to improve muscle tone and prevent embarrassing incidents and the need for corrective surgery.

Incontinence in women occurs when they wet themselves when they laugh, sneeze, cough, or are active. Kegels are exercises that train the muscles to hold in urine when the muscles are under stress. Kegels are done by squeezing and holding the pelvic floor muscles – the muscles that you squeeze when you are trying to “hold it” when you need to use the restroom. Women should practice these exercises throughout pregnancy, but those who do not will find that if they begin doing Kegels immediately after childbirth, they will be able to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles.

At Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. we understand that many women suffer from incontinence after giving birth. If you are struggling with wetting yourself occasionally or very often, please let us know. We will be happy to help you learn to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by doing appropriate Kegels. We can also prescribe other treatments specific to your needs and concerns. Call us today.