Let’s talk about a not-so-glamorous aspect of motherhood: sneezing, coughing, or even laughing too hard and feeling a little trickle down there. I found myself in a rather embarrassing situation the other day while trying to discreetly attach a pad to my underwear in the bathroom. My little one marched in and exclaimed, “Mommy’s wearing diapers?!” And the truth is, I wasn’t even on my period. What I was dealing with was a weakened pelvic floor—something I thought Kegels would fix.
Every time I sneeze, cough, jump on a trampoline, or even just laugh, my bladder gets a bit too enthusiastic, and I end up wetting myself like a toddler. After giving birth to my first child naturally and then going through an emergency C-section for my second, my body didn’t quite bounce back as I had hoped. I was bombarded with advice—yoga, ab workouts, and of course, the obligatory Kegels. I even heard that peeing when I sneeze is just part of being a mom and I should accept it.
But at 37, I’m not ready to start buying Poise pads by the case. So, I took a step back and examined my body and my habits, and came to a rather disheartening conclusion: Kegels just don’t work for me.
In a moment of vulnerability, I reached out to my mom friends on social media, asking, “Do you also pee yourself?” To my surprise, each one had a cringe-worthy story about leaking after a good laugh, cough, or sneeze. It was comforting to know I wasn’t alone.
Curious to find a solution, I turned to Google and discovered that the original Kegel exercises—introduced by a gynecologist named Arnold Kegel in the 1940s—were based on outdated information about female anatomy. The reality is that using vaginal weights, like Ben Wa balls, won’t help everyone dealing with what’s known as stress urinary incontinence.
What has truly made a difference for me and many other women is focusing on improving our posture while sitting and standing. When lying down, try pulling your navel to your spine. A simple bridge pose—lying on your back with your knees bent and pushing through your feet to lift your hips—can strengthen the abdominal muscles that support your bladder and lumbar region.
It’s ridiculous that Arnold Kegel’s outdated advice has led so many women to line their underwear with pads. So, I ditched Kegels and urged my friends to do the same. We laughed at the thought of vaginal weights and began exploring exercises that actually work.
As moms, we face a barrage of misguided advice and judgment. We understand that no one’s body returns to its pre-baby state in six weeks and that societal pressures often shame us for our “mom bodies.” After countless Kegels, we still find ourselves leaking when we laugh too hard. So why continue with an approach that isn’t working?
For more insights on similar topics, check out this informative piece on Cervical Insemination. And if you’re looking to enhance your journey into motherhood, consider visiting Make A Mom for reputable at-home insemination syringe kits. Additionally, Progyny provides excellent resources on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, it’s essential to recognize that Kegels might not be the solution for everyone. Instead, focus on practical exercises and proper posture to strengthen your pelvic floor. Motherhood can be challenging enough without adding unnecessary embarrassment to the mix.
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