Does anyone else feel like they can't do a Kegel right

[spoon1996]

So I've been trying for a while and I really don't know if I'm doing them right does anyone have any advice?
Thanks

Could you afford to see a physiotherapist to check your technique?

I thought I was doing it wrong. Saw a physio after birth and she checked my moves and I was doing them correctly.

Next time you’re doing a wee try to stop mid-flow (just for a few seconds). Those are the muscles you should be tensing. It’s an upward lift feeling, and you should be able to breathe normally throughout. If you put a finger inside your vagina you should a squeeze while you’re doing the exercises. You can also check if you’re doing it right by looking in the mirror, you might see a slight lift/movement of the muscles around the vagina, but no extra squeezing in the muscles of the bottom or your abdomen. I would also recommend the app “squeezy” which gives a good description of how to do a kegel and you can set it to remind you to do them throughout the day. If you’re still not sure yy to a pelvic floor physiotherapist, especially if you’re experiencing symptoms.

Thanks guys

Should my bum muscle be tensing whilst I'm doing one?

No, your buttock muscles / glutes should not be tense. However, it can be really hard to isolate your pelvic floor when you first start.

Do the wee exercise a few times (not too often as that's not a great thing to do either) so you get the feel for the muscles.

I find it really helpful to think of my vagina as a lift and when I tighten my pelvic floor I can feel the lift rise up inside of me.

Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Make sure your back is not pressed down into the floor, so you still have the natural curve of your spine. Relax and do a few deep breaths, so that your body isn't tense and then think about pulling your vagina up inside you. Try not to tense any of the surrounding muscles in your bum or stomach. Initially you may only be able to pull up for a second or two, but as your muscles get used to being triggered and grow stronger, you'll be able to pull up for longer.

I'm not a qualified professional, so I'm only giving you suggestions of how I do it myself.

No, your bum and abdomen should be relaxed. If you have ishoos down there (leaking, incontinence etc) then it'll be quite hard for you to isolate the pelvic floor muscles so you may end up tensing your lower stomach and bum. But you shouldn't be.

I had some stress incontinence after having 3 children. This product sorted it out for me.

www.amazon.co.uk/TensCare-exerciser-treatment-bladder-incontinence/dp/B001S2LGH0/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?keywords=pelvic+floor+toner+for+women&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1538047330&sr=8-3

I had some physio to help me... I found that if I put my finger inside I could tell if I was squeezing, and things improved from then.

I don't think I can do them properly. I get a really weird feeling when I try which I don't like so always stop

I bought a kegal8 machine. I can' t get in with manual exercises so this has been good so far.

You feel like you can't do them right because you need to do kegels, OP, if you see what I mean. In other words, what you're dealing with is poor muscle tone. Keep at it and you'll start to feel a difference. Squats also help, btw.