Over dinner during a girls’ night out, Cherie was shocked and amazed to discover that three of her girlfriends were experiencing problems “down there” after having babies. One friend had bladder leakage problems, another had decreased sexual sensation, and the third had both problems.
“Goodness,” she thought to herself, “if this is what’s going to happens when I have a baby I’d better get clued-in on how to prevent these problems!” Cherie, age 31, was so far single and childless, but planned to get married and have babies later. She was already thinking about getting more serious with her boyfriend.
The conversation turned to Kegel exercises, which tone the pelvic floor muscles and, amid giggles, the four girlfriends practiced Kegels right there in the restaurant. Cherie found that she couldn’t do a proper Kegel, and that she kept tightening her buns and pushing outward on her stomach muscles instead of using her pelvic floor muscles. After hearing her girlfriends’ horror stories and realizing that her pelvic floor was quite weak, Cherie decided she had better learn how to do Kegels correctly—and fast!
Pelvic Floor Weakness
Are You Like Cherie?
What is Pelvic Floor Weakness?
How do you know if your pelvic floor is weak? If you’re like Cherie and don’t have symptoms like urinary incontinence or decreased sexual response, you may not know. But you should find out. Whether you know it or not your pelvic floor (PF) muscles perform three important functions: prevent urine leakage, support the pelvic organs, and provide greater sexual satisfaction.
The first and most obvious function—keeping you dry until you want to urinate—can be the difference between sailing through your day and having to make inconvenient pit stops all day long. Women with PF weakness commonly suffer from incontinence.
Next, your PF muscles form a “hammock” that supports your pelvic organs to help maintain the proper angle of each one. Women with very weak PF muscles can suffer from pelvic organ prolapse (POP), where pelvic organs literally fall out of place.
Finally, there’s sex. The tone of your PFM can play a definite role in your level of sexual satisfaction—the better the tone, the better the sex. Toned PF muscles can help you increase your sexual response, especially after you’ve had babies or as you age.
The first and most obvious function—keeping you dry until you want to urinate—can be the difference between sailing through your day and having to make inconvenient pit stops all day long. Women with PF weakness commonly suffer from incontinence.
Next, your PF muscles form a “hammock” that supports your pelvic organs to help maintain the proper angle of each one. Women with very weak PF muscles can suffer from pelvic organ prolapse (POP), where pelvic organs literally fall out of place.
Finally, there’s sex. The tone of your PFM can play a definite role in your level of sexual satisfaction—the better the tone, the better the sex. Toned PF muscles can help you increase your sexual response, especially after you’ve had babies or as you age.
You Know You Have Pelvic Floor Weakness If:
You experience any of these symptoms:
- Urinary Incontinence
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Decreased Sexual Sensation
- Unable to do a correct Kegel
- No symptoms (you could still have pelvic floor weakness)