Kegels - am I doing them right?

[MrsSchmidt]

I'm 3.5 months postpartum (first baby) and still 'leak' if I run, jump etc. I did kegels all the way through pregnancy and since birth and would have thought I'd be ok by now. Maybe I'm doing them wrong?

No haven't seen physio. Guess I need to. My birth was really easy - I only pushed for ten mins - and it's my first too so I wasn't expecting this. Thanks for the advice.

i'm seeing a physio at the moment and i was doing them wrong. you basically squeeze like you're trying not to fart! take a deep breath and squeeze as you release it slowly and and then hold for a breath and release on the third breath as you breath out.

having said that, she told me that often after birth the muscles tense up from the trauma and don't relax again at all, which is what happened to me. it means even if i had been doing them right they would be ineffective and i wouldn't be getting a decent contraction from a tense muscle (imagine trying to bend you're already bent elbow). so now i'm going every few weeks for her to manually manipulate and relax the muscles (not as bad as you'd think) and after only 2 appointments i can already feel the difference when i do the exercises.

thanks - I'll try that. Had thought that bum was meant to be relaxed. In fact I've identified so many muscles down there i can't tell what's what anymore. Anyway will have a go at what you advise, and try and get to a physio too.

you bum cheeks should be relaxed, as should your stomach muscles, it's literally the muscles around your anus you are trying to work.

right! : )

I found this leaflet really useful when I realised I hadn't been doing them correctly!

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/maternity/pelvic-floor-exercises-for-women.pdf

ooh thanks : )

This might not be an issue for you but having recently lose almost a stone the leaking seams to have stopped. I think maybe my extra weight was causing problems hopefully the rest of the baby weight will go soon.