Did you know your pelvic floor can be stretched and weakened as soon as 12 weeks into your pregnancy? Whether you have a vaginal delivery or a c-section, pregnancy can be rough on your body and your PC muscle in particular. Here’s how to regain strength in your PC muscle.

Kegel Balls and Weights

Kegel balls and weights have been the primary method for regaining PC muscle strength for decades, and Ben Wa balls and jade eggs have been used for centuries to tighten up PC muscles. If you’re interested in purchasing Kegel weights to regain strength in your PC muscle, check out this kegel weights guide by Gynie.com.

Kegel balls and weights work similarly to regain muscle strength after having a baby. After washing your hands and the weight or balls, you lube them up and insert them into your vagina while laying down. You then clench your muscles around the balls or weight and stand up while holding the balls or weight inside you.

Up to a point, Kegel balls and weights can help regain PC muscle strength, but since Kegel balls and weights only offer passive resistance instead of active resistance, they can only strengthen your PC muscle and pelvic floor so much.

When a certain machine at the gym become too easy because you’ve gained muscle, you increase the weight or resistance, right? So why wouldn’t you want to invest in a Kegel device that can do the same thing?

Other Devices

Did you know there’s an alternative to Kegel weights and balls for strengthening your PC muscle after pregnancy? This device to strengthen your PC muscle uses active resistance to strengthen your PC muscle, which is better than the passive resistance offered by Kegel balls or weights.

The Gynie comes with three different springs of varying resistance levels so you can continually increase the intensity of your pelvic floor exercises. Simply insert the handles of the device into your vagina and squeeze your PC muscle until you hear the click of the handles touching. Relax and repeat; with time, you should be able to increase to three sets of 30 reps three times a week.

Since the Gynie device comes with three different resistance levels, you can increase the resistance level each time it becomes too easy to do three sets of 30 reps. This is equivalent to adding more weights to a machine at the gym.

The PC Muscle and Your Pelvic Floor

The PC muscle is an important part of your pelvic floor, which is sort of a hammock that holds your uterus, bladder, and rectum in place. The pelvic floor also contains other ligaments, tendons, and muscles that work together to support your internal organs. You may hear the terms “PC muscle” and “pelvic floor” used interchangeably, but the PC muscle is actually just one part of the pelvic floor, and it stretches from your pubic bone in the front to your tailbone in the back.

Pregnancy and the PC Muscle

Between hormone changes and the extra weight of a baby sitting on your bladder, pregnancy can greatly weaken the PC muscle. Constipation is also a side effect of pregnancy which can place further strain on your PC muscle. Regardless of whether you have a vaginal delivery or a cesarian section, you likely have a weakened PC muscle as a result of your pregnancy.

The Effects of Having a Weak PC Muscle

A weak PC muscle can lead to a variety of problems from bladder leakage to pelvic organ prolapse, where your uterus, rectum, or bladder collapse into your vagina. Each successive pregnancy can further weaken your PC muscle, and menopause can weaken it even further, so it’s crucial to strengthen that muscle now to prevent problems down the road. It’s not too late to prevent or correct bladder leakage with a stronger pelvic floor. If you are already experiencing urinary incontinence, don’t worry; things can still get better. Consult your health-care provider, and ask help from a certified pelvic floor physical therapist to get treatment for your condition. Recovery takes time; in the meantime, you will need to wear bladder leakage protection pads so you can do what you want without worrying about accidents.

Benefits of a Strong PC Muscle

The PC muscle is responsible for orgasms, so a stronger PC muscle means better, stronger orgasms. In addition, you can use your stronger PC muscle to “grab” your partner’s penis and increase his pleasure at the same time. Your PC muscle is also connected to your abdominal and lower back muscles, so a strong PC muscle is a crucial part of having a strong core.

As you can see, maintaining a strong pelvic floor and PC muscle are crucial after pregnancy, but regaining that muscle doesn’t have to be difficult. A few minutes a day several times a week can strengthen the muscles and prevent a variety of problems down the road.