Every woman has been told this same sentence when becoming newly pregnant. “Don’t forget to do your kegels.” “Kegels are very important, so make sure your are working with them daily.” Midwives, Doctors, Childbirth educators all say the same thing. Most of us don’t stop to question it. Our mothers, sisters, and friends have all been instructed in the same way before us. When a few of us do question the nature or need to keep up with our kegels, we are told this is to strengthen our pelvic floor. But what if it’s not strengthening but weakening it? Where do kegels come from? Why are they needed and how do they work? I was very surprised when I happened upon these articles about pelvic floor strength, and what kegels add or take away from it. I also learned more of the nature of squats and why and how they work, and may actually work better than said kegels. It was also of interest to me that in tribal cultures where squatting is the norm in everyday life that the deliveries are so much easier than our western births. I think there is a lot to this and encourage you to read the 2 articles and take from them what you will. I have been working with musculature for 15 years now, and the information that has come to light makes so much sense to me. In my opinion, doing kegels correctly  along with squats is probably the best all around way to prepare the pelvic floor for birth.  A “new” way to look at the pelvic floor and perhaps a better way to strengthen and tone it.

http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2010/05/pelvic-floor-party-kegels-are-not.html

http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2010/05/pelvic-floor-encore.html

http://mamasweat.blogspot.com/2011/06/second-annual-pelvic-floor-party-kegels.html

Image: sportEX journals