Pelvic Floor Release Exercise For An Awesome Birth Experience

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably heard of kegels. Kegels are pelvic floor contractions that are often recommended as a pelvic floor release exercise.  Basically, kegels are supposed  to help with pelvic floor tension and pelvic floor tension myalgia. Listen up, I’m not against kegels. In fact, I do teach my expecting and new moms how to do kegels properly.

However, the problem is that a lot of practitioners don’t have extended knowledge about core and pelvic floor health. Additionally, they don’t have 2 hours to spend with you to teach you how to do kegels properly. 

If you ask Doctor Google “how to get rid of leaking” you will find a bunch of pages telling you to do your kegels! You search how to prepare for birth and you will learn you’re supposed to do kegels while brushing your teeth, while sitting in the car, and while eating dinner. Kegels EVERYWHERE.

Here’s why kegels are not the best pelvic floor release exercise 

1. Most moms do not perform kegels properly. Did you know that close to 80% of women don’t perform a kegel correctly? 
2. If you do not fully relax your pelvic floor muscles in between contractions, you can build tension in your pelvic floor. Your pelvic floor muscles need to be able to contract, lift, AND fully relax in order to function optimally. 
3. During childbirth, your pelvic floor muscles will have to lengthen more than 3x their size in order for the baby to be born vaginally. You need to learn how to let go of tension in your pelvic floor and how to allow these muscles to lengthen to facilitate birth!

Releasing Pelvic Floor Tension is the #1 skill you should master during pregnancy! 

The other problem is that many people carry tension in their pelvic floors to begin with. For some, doing pelvic floor contractions could make things worse.

I am a huge advocate to practice pelvic floor release during pregnancy and postpartum (heck throughout your entire life!). I like giving moms the knowledge they need to understand their bodies and knowing what areas they need to focus more on. And of course, I think every mom should see a Pelvic Floor Therapist during pregnancy and postpartum to get assessed. 

With everything going on in the world right now and stress being so high due to COVID-19, I bet you are carrying tension in your pelvic floor. 

6 Signs That You Are Carrying Tension in Your Pelvic

• Are you experiencing any leaking?
• Have you been stressed and anxious lately?
• Do you have any urgency symptoms (gotta go right now!!!)?
• Do you constantly clench your butt cheeks and vagina?
• Are you experiencing pain with sex?
• Are you constipated or have a hard time letting your pee out?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you are carrying tension in your pelvic floor. Watch the video below to learn 3 of my favorite pelvic floor release exercises. These exercises are great in pregnancy to prep your pelvic floor for birth and they are great in postpartum to release tension and help with pelvic floor issues. In addition, check out my FREE guide: 4 Birth Prep Tools Every Woman Should be Using. 

In my online self-paced pregnancy program Pregnancy Power, I have included extensive education about the core and pelvic floor during pregnancy and birth and how to work on relaxing these muscles specifically for birth. Check out a sneak peek of the Pregnancy Power program below. 

Fun fact: There is a connection between your jaw/facial muscles and your pelvic floor! Make sure you are not clenching your jaw as you practice pelvic floor release. Relax your facial muscles and melt into your pose✌.