Is it possible to tighten my vagina after giving birth? 11 exercises and tips that can help

After giving birth, most mums go straight finding ways on how to tighten their vagina. It doesn't matter if it's a cultural thing or a personal preference. Most mums just want it as tight as it was before.

Mums, if you have had a "normal" vaginal delivery, it's only normal for the vagina to be larger than it was before.

This is because during childbirth, the pelvic muscles get stretched and the vaginal muscles loosen. But has this led you to worry about how to tighten your vagina after birth?

One of the most common complaints new mums get to hear from their hubbies with regards to sex is that, the vagina feels "too loose" and that, they "can't feel anything during sex".

Additionally, childbirth may affect a woman's arousal. Reduced vaginal muscle tone could impair the enjoyable friction that develops during intercourse.

This can dampen the mum's confidence and make her feel less sexy, and a bit of a failure in the bedroom. This can result in any mum wanting to find out how to tighten her vagina after birth.

Factors that affect vaginal stretching during childbirth

• Baby's size
• Genetics
• Whether or not you did pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy to tone those muscles in preparation for childbirth
• How long you pushed during delivery, and whether forceps or vacuum extraction were used
• How many deliveries you've had before – each delivery is likely to stretch your vagina a tiny bit more

The good part? The vagina not only has the ability to expand but also the capacity to contract. To reassure mums, we listed 11 exercises and tips that help tighten your vagina after giving birth.

11 exercises and tips on how to tighten your vagina after birth

Getting back into shape is not as impossible as you may think.

While your body has gone through so many changes during and after pregnancy, there are still ways you can get your pre-baby body back. In fact, we've found a total of 11 tips that may help tighten your vagina after birth.

Use warm hot towels during childbirth to tighten your vagina naturally

The warm towels reduce your chances of vaginal tearing. By doing this, you can tighten your vagina naturally after birth.

One mum recently went viral online for sharing this tip on how to avoid tearing during. She learned of this tip after experiencing childbirth with the help of an experienced nurse.

Unlike nurses she met before, the woman had worked with medical charities to help mums give birth in hospitals with less equipment.

Kegels

The best way to tone your pelvic floor muscles is to do Kegel exercises. And it's best to start doing them during pregnancy, as it makes it easier for those muscles to get back in shape post-delivery. It also makes it easier when you're trying to tighten the vagina after birth.

Simply tighten your pelvic muscles like you are trying to stop peeing. The best part about Kegels is that you can do them whenever and wherever you want.

Start by holding the squeeze for four or five seconds at first. When you get better at them, aim to keep the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds in-between "squeezes".

Try to do at least three sets of Kegels throughout your day to help you how to tighten the muscles in your vagina after birth.

In fact, for best results, it is recommended that mums do Kegels five minutes a day, three times a day during pregnancy and after birth.

Leg raises

These simple exercises are a great way to tighten your vaginal muscles naturally.

To do a leg raise, lie down on your back on the floor, and raise your legs upwards one after the other. Make sure that your legs are straight while lifting and lowering them.

A variation to this technique involves moving both of your legs sideways.

For best results, do this exercise for around 10 minutes, and repeat it at least five times every day to help you tighten the muscles in your vagina after birth.

Orgasms

Did you know that during an orgasm, the pelvic floor muscles contract and release? This means orgasms can actually help in tightening your vagina after birth.

During an orgasm, the vagina expands and contracts at intervals of 0.8 seconds. This is undoubtedly the most enjoyable method of tightening the muscles in your vagina.

In most situations, having regular orgasms is sufficient exercise to achieve tightening. It's beneficial for both your health and sex life to have tighter vaginal muscles.

It also contributes to the prevention of urinary incontinence. In addition to making you happier and younger, it also increases your self-confidence.

Vaginal cones

Have you heard of a vaginal cone?

A vaginal cone is a cone-shaped device that looks like a regular tampon but has weights attached to it. The weights can usually be inserted into the cones.

You can start by inserting the lightest cone into your vagina, and try to hold it in with the use of your muscles. 

Repeat this twice every day for 15 minutes. Then, gradually increase the weights as you progress.

After using, make sure to wash the cones with warm soapy water and rinse.

Squats

Squats are excellent compound workouts that work not just the vaginal muscles but also the core muscles, buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings. Because of this, you tighten your vagina and improve leg and core muscles.

Here's how to get an effective workout:

• First, stand with your feet in line with your shoulder.
• Then, squat down until your butt is parallel to your knees.
• Return to your original position by pushing back up with your legs.
• This should be done 20 times to achieve the best results.

Try increasing the weight you lift once you can complete each set at least three times. If you do this every day, you should see visible effects in a few weeks.

Ben Wa balls

Ben Wa balls are small marble-sized balls that can be used to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and tighten the vagina.

You might want to use lubrication on the balls to help them glide in. Hold the balls inside you by tensing your leg muscles together and doing Kegel exercises.

Start out with 15 minutes then try to go longer.

Yoga

Yoga and pilates also offer benefits when it comes to how to tighten the vagina after birth.

Yoga poses such as the child's pose and bridge pose are apparently recommended for this purpose.

However, yoga if done incorrectly can lead to physical problems, so it is always wiser to consult a certified yoga teacher before trying out such exercises.

Glute bridge exercise

Most mums add this exercise to their yoga routine to help improve lower body strength. However, you need to practise this while lying on the floor with a mat.

It is great for vaginal tightening as well as for the butt and core muscles. We listed the steps you need to follow for the glute bridge exercise:

• Start the exercise while laying on the yoga mat. Then. keep your feet on the ground before raising your knees and slightly apart.
• Next, raise your hips gradually while putting pressure on your pelvic floor.
• With your shoulders flat on the floor, lift your entire back. From this angle, your body appears to be a bridge stretching from your shoulder to your upper thighs.
• Maintain the same force on your glutes as you gently revert to your starting stance.

Practice three to four sets of 15 glute bridge exercises on a daily basis to achieve the result you want.

Sit-ups using medicine ball

Some sporty mums wonder, "How can I challenge myself while exercising to tighten my vagina after birth?" Well, the answer to that is simple – use a medicine ball.

Moreover, this challenging workout also helps in toning your abs and pelvic floor. Below are the steps you need to follow to achieve this workout:

• Place your feet on the ground and sit on the floor with your knees extended.
• While staying in the same position, lie on your back afterwards.
• Then, gently get to your feet while clutching the medicine ball in your hands.

Diet

Well, you are what you eat. And this applies even to your vagina! You can follow different diets to tighten your vagina naturally after birth.

Consuming foods that are high in natural oestrogens, such as fenugreek, sesame seeds, pomegranates, soybeans and its products, yarns, carrots, wheat berries and apples can help to tighten your vagina after birth.

It is also beneficial to have lots of wholegrain organic carbohydrates, fresh organic vegetables and fruits, as well as organic lean animal protein.

These are the different ways how to tighten the vagina after birth to get you back in shape!

But remember that giving birth to a child is already a success of its own so make to give yourself a bit of leeway to rest after childbirth. Stay safe and healthy, mums!

ALSO READ: Keep your vagina healthy by avoiding these mistakes

This article was first published in theAsianparent.