Monday, November 12, 2012

You're Never Too Old to Kegel

Hello parenting enthusiasts!

I have been neglecting my blogging duties of late - OK for the last YEAR or so, and yet no more! I resolve to return to my regular activities, filling your heads and hearts with tips and tricks for navigating the treacherous waters known as PARENTHOOD! Let's begin with:

KEGEL EXERCISES!!

You read it correctly, kegels. Moms everywhere were probably coached numerous times on the importance of building up the pelvic floor muscles in preparation for childbirth and beyond. I remember a particularly militant Bradley Instructor (Shout Out to Lori Charleson, BEST Bradley Coach and Doula EVER!) hounding her students constantly about this very mundane activity. She wanted her moms-to-be squeezing those puppies upwards of 200 times a day!! And because I'm afraid of her - not really : ) I did them. And it helped. A lot.

Fast forward four years and two babies later. I'm working full time, parenting as best I can and completely neglecting my kegels. Those exercises went by the wayside ages ago. Never even game them a second thought...until last week when I was experiencing a sneezing episode so intense that I tinkled a little in my pants. What the *&^? I could not believe it. My pelvic muscles had let me down! Or rather, due to my lack of maintaining them, I let myself down. My leg, in dribbles to be frank about it. Absolutely horrifying. Thank goodness I was at home and needed only to swap out some clothes in a quick minute. What if I had been elsewhere? Ye gads.

Did I learn anything from this? Yes, you'd think. She WAS horrified, you say. She must have mended her ways, you postulate. And yet, no. Apparently this event did not significantly alter my reality to the point where I jump started those kegels again. I wrote it off as a fluke. That I was unprepared for this most severe and probably uncommon sneezing fit. It won't happen again, I thought.

I thought wrong. It DID happen again. And I DID pee my pants just a little, AGAIN! Only this time I was not horrified. I was chagrined. It was my fault. I had only myself to blame for my pants wetting. Oh the humanity!

So, for once, I ask you to NOT be like me. Do not wait until wetting your pants just a little every time you sneeze becomes a regular event in your life. Take charge of your pelvis and do your washing machine a favor. Start keggeling. Here's how. Go to this link and squeeze your way to a better you. You'll thank me later!

Mayo Clinic - How to Kegel

Happy Parenting (and Keggeling!)

1 comment:

  1. Oh my gosh! SO true...that Lori rocks, that I should have been doing my kegels, and that sneezing is a reminder of that! Game on!!

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