Help with kegals

[toddtodd]

It's a few months since I had baby 3 and I'm doing kegals but some days I feel more open that others. Why is this? I feel like I get somewhere then don't. Is this normal until you are good at them or where am I going wrong?

Thanks in advance x

Are you squeezing your bum hole when you do them?

www.gussetgrippers.co.uk/experience

“ Here we go:

Take a deep breath in, sigh out.

As you sigh out, #squeezeandlift your bumhole. Hold it shut for a count of 10 seconds - but, keep breathing!

The 10 seconds is an aim, don't worry if you can only feel it work for 3 seconds. If you can contract your pelvic floor for 10 seconds there is a reduction in the urge to pee - so, it'll buy you more time if there is a queue for the loo which is longer than you anticipated. So, you are aiming to get to a hold of 10, if you start from a hold of a half a second, just keep going and see if it improves over time.

The long hold won't help if you if you laugh, cough or sneeze - because that needs a short, quick contraction of the muscles to support the neck of your bladder.

Imagine this scenario - you can feel a nasty fart, oh no!

#squeezeandlift your bumhole quick!

Oh, it's ok, it's gone away, so, relax your bumhole.

Oh no, it's back! That's going to be horrible! Squeeze your bumhole!
Oh, no, it's gone away, relax your bumhole...

Do ten in a row and make sure you properly relax the muscles between each one.

You have to do those two exercises three times a day until you are dry, and then once a day, every day until you are dry.

Hold for a count of 10, then 10 quick flicks and do one of those each x3/day -

Which gives us - 10, 10, 3

"We won't pee with a 10, 10, 3"

See? Easy.”

www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/vagina-changes-after-childbirth/

I came on to say the secret is in stopping a smelly fart! But someone has already shared the gusset grippers's advice. She's on insta if you wish to follow her.

How long does it take to build up to 3 seconds? I've been trying for a few weeks now

How many are you doing a day?

It’s easy to forget to do them. A specialist women’s physio recommended I download the nhs squeezy app and set it to 5 second holds with 2 seconds rest and set it for 4 x a day. Made a huge difference in 4 weeks. I had been doing them daily for ages BUT because I hadn’t been squeezing my bum they weren’t working. Doing them properly made a huge difference, I’m now up to 10 seconds & will do them daily for life. There are so many older ladies with continence issues because around menopause estrogen drops and may cause pelvic floor muscles to weaken.

www.nhs.uk/apps-library/squeezy/

I second the app, it helps remind you esp with a new born to look after. It gradually gets easier to do over the next few months.

Why is it impossible to read the word kegals without then immediately doing some?

So it's common when starting them to only be able to squeeze for a second? Will it just take time to build up?

Everything contradicts itself im so confused

Yes don’t worry, it just takes time to build up.
The instructions I copied and pasted above from gusset grippers say “ don't worry if you can only feel it work for 3 seconds”. Just focus on repeating the holding as long as you can then doing the quick second squeezes a few times a day to build up muscle strength.