Anyone else struggle with kegels/pelvic floor exercises?

[citrusfruit]

As the title says really, I just find it really hard to find time/remember to do them, even though I know they are so important. This is baby no.2 for me and my pelvic floor isn't great as a result of baby #1 but I did kegels religiously all summer and couldn't feel any difference at all Now I struggle to be motivated to do them as I don't feel like they are doing anything.

Can anyone relate?

 

[Talia12]

100% me, exactly what you said! And now predictably now that I've read your post, I'm doing some now as I type haha.

 

[KatBar]

*Raises hand* .. Definately me.
I actually went to a specialist physio for 4 months to try and get my pelvic floor strengthened (I have a slight prolapse and the right side of my pelvic floor muscle has been torn slightly from my pubic bone due to a rough forceps delivery). She would internally examine me whilst I did the excercises prescribed to make sure I was doing them correctly (majority of times I was).
When I first saw her she said I should see an improvement after 4 months of doing the exercises consistently. I really made the effort to do them consistently, as I was hoping it’d be helpful with the prolapse (I didn’t have any major incontenence issues, other than a rare tiny leak when sneezing on a full bladder).
Well 4 months later I can tell you I felt ZERO difference. She told me that I was a little bit stronger, but I felt she was just trying to be encouraging..

After that I stopped doing them due to surgery, embryo transfers, miscarriages etc... Now I am successfully pregnant and have had the flu, a cold and now a cough in a 2 month period, and I can’t tell you how many pairs of underwear and pants I’ve changed mid way through the day (or night) because the coughing causes me to wet my pants. It’s driving me INSANE! I’m currently wearing pads regularly so I am not constantly changing my clothes!

It’s very much made me think about getting on top of the kegal exercises again, but in the same breath, given they did so little last time, I don’t really know if I feel they actually work.... So I’m 100% with you cirtrusfruit!!

 

[citrusfruit]

Oh thank you so much for your replies! KatBar I also have a slight prolapse which is just a little uncomfortable and nothing else but I'm so worried it is going to get worse in the third tri and after delivery. Has anyone said anything to you about the effects of subsequent pregnancies and births on it? I feel like this pregnancy is already so much achier and tougher than the last, and I'm sure that's because my pelvic floor isn't holding everything in as well! I'm nearly 22 weeks and was barely showing this time last baby!!!

I'm going to get an app or maybe a pelvic floor trainer and start a regime from today. Who's with me!

 

[Talia12]

I'll try haha... you can actually buy some kind of machine thing that tests if you're doing them right but I can't justify the expense. I also have a set of love eggs which I bought ages ago just for fun but thinking about it I think they're supposed to help too? Reading both your posts here has made me kind of wonder if it isn't all a load of crap designed to make women feel bad about one more thing 🙄 Haha

 

[Bonnie11]

I can never remember to do them! My pelvic floor has never been the same since my daughter, and now it's not great in this pregnancy! It's just hard to remember to do them.. some days it's def worse than others, I think it's when baby is squashing my bladder so I'm hoping it will improve dramatically after birth!

 

[KatBar]

Oh thank you so much for your replies! KatBar I also have a slight prolapse which is just a little uncomfortable and nothing else but I'm so worried it is going to get worse in the third tri and after delivery. Has anyone said anything to you about the effects of subsequent pregnancies and births on it? I feel like this pregnancy is already so much achier and tougher than the last, and I'm sure that's because my pelvic floor isn't holding everything in as well! I'm nearly 22 weeks and was barely showing this time last baby!!!

I'm going to get an app or maybe a pelvic floor trainer and start a regime from today. Who's with me!

I saw a prolapse specialist back in January and he said that it would be unlikely to damage things further (but not impossible). I too was worried about doing further damage with delivering Bub no2, and so I had asked him if a c-section would be a better option this time round to avoid it, but he said no. In his opinion, the damage is already done and the biggest amount of damage usually gets done with your first baby because it’s all new to the body. I just hope his right haha.

I like the sound of those apps! I will have to check one out !!

 

[MindUtopia]

I also went to physio for pelvic floor problems and urinary incontinence earlier in the year and what helped me remember to do them was to write it in my diary. This may be different if you don't work or don't live by your diary, but for me, I take it absolutely everywhere with me and I would die without it. I have a slot every day for exercises and I try to do 4-5 sets of them a day. Every time I go in my diary to tick something else off or check what needs to be done for something, I see the slot for my exercises and I do one set (4 long slow holds and 4 fast quick ones) and then I tick it off. I definitely look in my diary at least 4-5 times a day and it takes about 20 second to do them and that's what's worked for me. I really did notice a difference.

When I first started I wasn't pregnant and was really struggling with an irritable bladder. I could go like every 20 minutes. After about a month, I felt normal again. It's only been maybe the past 2 months when I've stopped doing them because I got lazy and complacent and life/work was really stressful, and it's all come back. I'm 21 weeks now and I feel like I did when I first started, so I've gotten back to doing them and hoping for some relief again soon. What my physio told me was little and often throughout the day and every day and that did genuinely help. I think it's worth trying to figure out some system for reminding yourself and seeing if it makes a difference. Even if it doesn't seem like it is, surely it will help recovery after as it can just keep getting worse each pregnancy, so maybe you'll retain a bit more strength this time.

It is really boring though! I feel so old trying to remember to do my exercises for my urinary incontinence!

 

[citrusfruit]

Mind utopia, I have a diary but barely have time to consult it! I have been crazily busy and never seem to find the time for kegels. I have failed in the last day of two and I can't remember who posted about the cold but oh my I have come down with one too and today for the first time I had a little leak whilst at work It wasn't apparent to anyone but me of course but I was still mortified. I'm hoping that keeping this post going might remind me to do them at least once a day which is better than I'm doing right now

 

[nordicpixie83]

I'll I'll do them when I'm driving or whilst on BnB in the evenings sat in bed . I mix between pulses , six sets of ten . Then I'll do six ten second holds. Also being conscious of holding them when I sneeze or cough, Always do a great panty liner that's extra long and absorbent or Tena lights are good too.

 

[annio84]

If it helps my physio recommends doing them at each meal because most people eat three times a day. I'm trying to get into the habit so that I just associate them with eating and don't have to think about it.

 

[jessmke]

After baby is born look into doing hypopressive exercises as well, much more effective than doing just kegals.

 

[WackyMumof2]

I get this feeling - except for me, my pelvic floor has been shot since this pregnancy (#4). I had amazing control after DS1 and DS2, DS3 wasn't too bad but this time is just none existent and even all those exercises I did have done squat. So after this baby is born I'm looking at Yoga or Pilates as they are supposed to really focus on the pelvic floor. As jessmke has said, Hypopressive exercises. And I guess in failing that, it will be off to my GP to see what else we can try.