During pregnancy, the female body experiences a real transformation, modifying and adapting itself to contain and grow another human being within himself. And in this transformation the pelvic floor plays a fundamental role.

Toned and healthy pelvic muscles help to better support the child's weight, facilitate its expulsion during childbirth and above all avoid (or limit) many disorders that most women face after childbirth.

How to do pelvic gymnastics in pregnancy

More and more frequently, mothers are taught some exercises to train the pelvic floor during pregnancy. Many women, to tell the truth, discover the existence of perineum and pelvic muscles precisely in these circumstances. Here are some of the simplest and most effective exercises to perform daily during pregnancy .

> Lie on your back with your legs bent, contract your pelvic muscles for 5 seconds, then relax for 10 seconds. Repeat 15/20 times.

> In the same position, try to go from short and intense contractions to a longer and more progressive contraction . It is the exercise called "lift": imagine that you slowly lift a weight from the outside to the inside of the vagina, and then gradually lower it. Repeat 5 times.

> Seated with your legs bent and the soles of your feet resting on the ground, hold a sponge ball or small towel between your knees . Repeat 15/20 times.

> Crouch with your legs apart and the soles of your feet resting on the ground, spread your elbows at the knees and join your hands . Contract and relax the pelvic muscles slowly. Repeat 10/15 times.

While performing the exercises, remember to breathe regularly (inhaling with the contraction and exhaling with relaxation) and be careful not to contract the stomach muscles.

Combine pelvic floor exercises with regular physical activity (perfect long walks and swimming) and healthy eating . And don't give up sex : if the pregnancy goes well, a normal sexual activity is good for not only the mood but also the pelvic floor.

Pelvic gymnastics and perineal massage during pregnancy

The Kegel exercises and all the exercises for pelvic floor training serve to make not only the perineal and vaginal muscles more toned but also more reactive.

Having control of this musculature before and during pregnancy is very important especially to facilitate recovery after childbirth and to prevent the disorders that typically accompany new mothers (one in all: urinary incontinence). In the final stage of pregnancy, from the 34th week onwards, it is advisable to combine the perineal massage with the exercises.

The perineum massage aims to relax and make more elastic the portion of muscle that connects the anus and the vagina, or that most exposed to spontaneous lacerations or on which the obstetrician intervenes with the episiotomy.

During birth, in fact, on the one hand you need tough muscles that help the baby to get out, on the other you need the right dilation, made easier by a soft and elastic perineum.

Performing the perineal massage is simple (insert the thumb between the anus and the vagina and position the index finger externally, and perform circular movements, using almond oil) and very effective in limiting lacerations and resorting to episiotomy, a procedure that leaves a non-elastic scar and makes postpartum recovery more difficult.

After childbirth: pelvic gymnastics and vaginal balls

In the weeks following the birth, and with the support of the midwife or gynecologist, it is advisable to resume performing the exercises for pelvic gymnastics . The same exercises performed during pregnancy can be performed, starting with fewer repetitions and then gradually increasing.

Once you are familiar with your pelvic muscles, it may be effective to use vaginal balls or vaginal cones, to be worn both during the execution of pelvic gymnastics and at other times in the frenetic life of a new mother.

The vaginal balls, in fact, bring the pelvic muscles to contract spontaneously, and to train without you even noticing.

Wear them while you take the baby for a walk : the benefits, for your intimate health and for your sex life, will not wait!