Above all, remember that sex is supposed to be pleasurable, not a test on physical endurance. Though it does require physical exertion, there are many ways to derive pleasure from intimacy – even when your body is exhausted from taking care of your newborn.
So take it slow and let’s discover some exercises, and some tips for your partner, that can help both of you find your way back into much-awaited, postpartum love and intimacy.
How soon can the mothers exercise after giving birth?
There are simple exercises that you can perform 1 to 2 days after childbirth and vigorous exercises that you need to avoid before you are completely healed.
It is advisable not to do strenuous exercises within the first 12 weeks after giving birth such as running, planks, sit-ups and crunches, heavyweights, etc. Your body’s capacity to get back into high-intensity aerobic exercises or sports also depends on how fit you were before pregnancy.
Although cesarean operations can take 6 weeks to heal, you may perform easy pelvic exercises from the first day after the operation if you feel like it. It is recommended to consult with your doctor after your 6-8 week postnatal check-up in order to find out when you can safely start with low-impact exercises such as yoga, light aerobics, swimming, and low-resistance gym routines.
Kegel Exercises
These are the pelvic floor exercises that can be done a day or two after vaginal or cesarean birth. However, take note that if you feel pain or discomfort, stop immediately.
“How do Kegel exercises benefit your postpartum sex life?”, and “What’s so important about doing Kegel exercises?”, you might ask.
The pelvic muscles are the muscles around your pelvis involved in sexual function. They deliver blood flow to the groin. Strong pelvic muscles that do their job mean heightened sensitivity which leads to a better orgasm. This is especially recommended for women as pregnancy and childbirth are two of the major factors that weaken your pelvic floor muscles.
Likewise, Kegel exercises for men have been reported to improve erections and premature ejaculations. Harder erections mean more blood flow which can also increase the number of orgasms for men. It is important to be able to control these sexual functions by training the pelvic muscles so you can perform in sync with your partner and both of you can have sexual gratification.
So if you notice that your partner can’t keep it up long enough, or ejaculating too early, you don’t necessarily have to resort to medication – partner and a junior associate can try the “Kegel gym” first.
How to do Kegel Exercises
In this section, we provide you some simple ways to do the Kegel exercises.
Identifying your pelvic floor muscles
Before doing Kegel exercises, you need to identify your pelvic floor muscles first. These are the muscles that are active during sex. If you are not sure where they are located, think about urinating. The muscles that you instinctively use to stop yourself from urinating, and the muscles that contract when you’re keeping yourself from passing gas or holding back bowel movement are your pelvic floor muscles.
After I’ve identified my pelvic muscles, what will I need to do next?
You can start contracting them. It is important to work only on the pelvic muscles and keep other muscles in your abdomen, buttocks, and legs relaxed. Breathe normally when performing your Kegel exercise.
Kegel exercises for women
- 1. Contract and hold your pelvic muscles to the count of 3 and relax.
- 2. Aim for 10 to 15 repetitions every day.
Kegel exercises for men
- 1. Contract and hold to the count of 4 and release.
- 2. Repeat 10 times to 15 times.
- 3. Do this daily.
For men and women: You may choose to do these exercises a few times each day. Increase the hold count and the number of repetitions as you build up the strength of your pelvic floor muscles. Effects are noticeable after just a few weeks up to a few months.
Do not do these exercises when urinating as this can be harmful to your bladder and may lead to urinary tract infection.
SUMMARY
So ladies and gentlemen, the sooner you can get your pelvic muscle body parts back in shape, the faster you can get back on track for some hot, postpartum action.
Kegel exercise do not only benefit your sex life, these exercises can also help improve incontinence (uncontrollable urine or fecal leakage).
For continued benefits, make Kegel exercises a daily routine!
