Among all the adorable onesies and stuffies, there was one baby shower gift that I will never forget: two pearly turquoise beads the size of golf balls. I asked my friend if they were stress balls to help me get through labour. She laughed?likely without leaking.
They were Kegels balls, which I was meant to pop in my vagina before and after pregnancy to help strengthen my pelvic floor?the group of muscles that stretches like a hammock from the pubic bone to the backbone and supports the bladder, bowel and uterus. During pregnancy and childbirth, the pelvic floor can weaken and stretch, leading to incontinence, discomfort during sex and pelvic prolapse (when an organ such as the bladder drops from its normal position and pushes against the walls of your vagina).
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Six pelvic floor trainers that promise to tone your vaginaAfter the balls sat in the box unused for eight years, I recently decided to sell them online. I figured the few quick Kegels I did here and there were adequate. To my surprise, I had several interested buyers and wondered what those women knew that I didn?t. Soon after the deal was done, I jumped on a trampoline for the first time in a decade and understood. Yup, I peed my pants a little bit.
?For a long time, women were told, ?...