and doing your Kegels with the help of kGoal
There are so many changes that a woman’s body goes through to have a child. It’s truly miraculous and wonderful and also crazy and weird. But what happens after that child is born is often something that doesn’t get talked about nearly as much. Sure as new moms we talk endlessly about pregnancy and then our adorable new babies (and I get it, how can we not?!) But rarely, if ever, are the post-birth issues discussed. Like how you actually feel after birthing that tiny human and the physical toll it has on your body. I had two vaginal deliveries with second-degree tears both times, so yep, let’s just say things have changed for me and until very recently, I’ve never quite felt fully “like myself”.
But after the birth of my second child, I knew things had to change. I decided to get more educated about things like my pelvic floor health and how to improve my overall post-pregnancy health. After months of feeling off, I visited my ob-gyn who gave me a referral to a pelvic floor therapist. The results were truly life-changing. I did pelvic floor therapy for about 8 weeks and with each session, I got stronger and stronger.
But let’s back it up here, what exactly is your pelvic floor? Well, it’s made up of layers of muscle and other tissues, and stretches like a hammock from the tailbone at the back to the pubic bone in front. These groups of muscles are super important, they support the bladder, uterus and bowel. Basically, they’re necessary to keep in tip top shape for many reasons. Though recovery from childbirth is one reason to take better care of your pelvic floor, this network of muscles is a critical component for all women. A healthy pelvic floor will help improve your bladder control, core strength and yep even your sex life.
Hands up if you’ve done a Kegel exercise? It’s a term you probably have heard of and one that is critical for a healthy pelvic floor. I’ve done kegels on and off for years but definitely haven’t kept up with them on a regular basis. When kGoal reached out to me a few months ago, I truly felt like the stars had aligned. I had just started my pelvic floor therapy and was thrilled to learn that this kegel exerciser was on the market. Prior to them reaching out, it had never even occurred to me that something like this exists! #themoreyouknow
So what exactly is kGoal? Well, it’s an “interactive training system (device + free app) for women that offers a unique combination of guidance, tracking, biofeedback, and personalized workouts.” It’s basically a guide for you to continue to strengthen your pelvic floor with real-time feedback via an app on your phone. You simply insert the device inside yourself and kegel away while your phone tracks your progress. I worked with my pelvic floor therapist closely and gave her a full rundown of the kGoal device and accompanying app. Her advice? Anything that helps you consistently work your pelvic floor is a win. Seeing my strength increase with feedback on the app was exciting and most importantly showed me that what I was doing was actually making a difference (and a difference I could feel!)
After weeks of consistent kegel work, scar massage (from those aforementioned second degree tears yep ouch!) and additional exercises for my diastasis recti, I was finally pain-free and felt better than I had in a long time. Can you do kegels on your own? Of course (and you should!) but the addition of kGoal makes it not only more engaging and interesting than it otherwise would be, it also gives you additional motivation. I think for me, the best part about using this device was seeing (and feeling) the progress I was making. There are different workouts to choose from and a dashboard that keeps you accountable. For me, it was a way to really dedicate that time for my pelvic floor workouts and make it an important part of my day.
The biggest thing I learned from this whole process is that it’s up to me to seize control of my overall health. In this particular phase of my life, my pelvic floor health was top priority due to pain I was experiencing post-birth and I couldn’t be more relieved to finally feel more like myself. If you’re a new mama and are experiencing pain or discomfort, I encourage you to talk to your doctor or midwife and get the help you need. kGoal can be a great tool to helping you get back on track and rocking your pelvic floor health.
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