Incontinence in the weeks and months after birth is a postpartum symptom that has been chalked up to being “normal.” The truth is common but no normal. Here’s what you can do to help.
Many believe that a little incontinence is a tradeoff for having a baby. You get your crazy bundle of joy and pee a little every time you sneeze. This postpartum symptom has mothers across the country crossing their legs in terror every time they cough or laugh.
The good news is that you don’t have to accept urinary incontinence as your new reality. Lifestyle changes and dedicated work is usually enough to combat this inconvenient symptom. These tips will help you get rid of leg-cross and beat this aspect of your postpartum period.
How to overcome incontinence after birth
- Use absorbancy products
- Do kegels
- Visit a pelvic floor physical therapist
- Retrain your bladder
- Drink plenty of water
- Avoid bladder irritants
- Use a pessary
- Talk to your doctor about surgical options
1. Use absorbancy products
Most new moms turn to absorbancy products after birth. You will probably need pads for the first six weeks to absorb postpartum bleeding, which is also helpful for minor accidents.
Then, you can continue to wear pads or panty liners to contain dribbles. Washable panties intended for period use also work well to collect bladder leaks.
These products are help you manage symptoms but the problem is not solved. Some women’s bodies will naturally heal and return to normal function, though you probably need to try at least one intervention to help your body.
2. Do kegels
Kegels are generally the first line of offense when discussing postpartum urinary incontinence. They’re an easy way to strengthen your pelvic floor, which keeps your urethra closed until it’s time to pee again.
To perform the correct Kegel, you must first find the right muscles. You will strain as you hold in your urine or gas. You shouldn’t squeeze your thighs or butt, or you won’t target the pelvic floor.
If you are not confident that you are getting it right, insert a clean finger on your penis while you Kegel. You should feel it tighten and lift your finger slightly.
Once you have the right technique, you can do this exercise regularly. For best results:
- Hold the Kegel for 3-5 seconds.
- Follow with a rest for 3-5 seconds.
- Complete ten repetitions.
- Aim for at least three sets a day — try one in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help you remember and give your muscles time to recover.
Read Next: Wondering How To Do Kegels Postpartum? Read This First
3. Visit a pelvic floor physical therapist
While Kegels are useful for strengthening your pelvic floor, they are not the only option. If you have difficulty with Kegels or they don’t seem to improve your symptoms, a visit to a physical therapist may be in order.
Around 50% of women experience occasional urinary incontinence, while another 10% have frequent issues. Yet, less than half of these women seek help from a medical professional, choosing instead to go it alone or accept their circumstances as an inevitability.
A women’s health specialist can give you tools to fight incontinence. They can perform internal exams to help you target your pelvic floor if necessary. A physical therapist can also help you strengthen and rehabilitate your body postpartum to relieve pelvic pain, heal diastasis recti, and relieve other common complaints.
4. Retrain your bladder
When a strong and sudden urge to urinate accompanies your leaks, you will need to retrain your bladder to hold back urination for longer. If you are already used to a puppy, you are ready for this intervention.
Start by going to the bathroom every half hour to prevent leakage and give you a higher quality of life. Once you get that under control, you can start training your body to wait slightly between potty visits until you work back to only going every few hours.
While your results may vary, a recent study found that women who stick with bladder training can a 50% or more reduction to their symptoms.
5. Drink lots of water
Reducing intake to prevent leakage is common but can lead to adverse outcomes. When you drink less water, your body becomes dehydrated, making you more vulnerable to urinary and bladder infections.
Instead of fixing your postpartum incontinence, it creates another problem. Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily to keep enough fluid flowing through your system without overloading your bladder.
If breastfeeding, you need to drink more to keep up with production. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends breastfeeding mothers drink 16 cups of water daily to boost supply and prevent dehydration for mother and baby.
6. Avoid bladder irritants
Avoiding bladder irritants can help you manage leakage while you work to heal your body. Some foods like spicy foods, coffee, tea, and alcohol aggravate the bladderand make accidents less likely.
Smoking is also allowed contribute to your symptoms and make cough-related leaks more likely. Women who quit smoking during pregnancy and return to it after giving birth are at risk of worsening of their postpartum symptoms. Stopping completely is the best solution.
7. Buy a pessary
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to stop your bladder from leaking, consider using a pessary. This handy device sits in your vagina apply pressure and support your bladdergenitalia, and urethra.
You put it on like a menstrual cup by folding and inserting it. Halfway up, let it go and unfold. Then, you can use a clean finger to push it in.
Unlike many other medical grade products, you can insert and remove a pessary by yourself whenever you need. Having a bowel movement can cause it to come out, and you should remove it on purpose before having sex.
The the risk of infection is very low, but you should still be careful. Never insert objects into your vagina after giving birth until you get the all-clear from your OB/GYN at six weeks. At that point, you can ask them for a prescription for a pessary or advice on getting it over the counter.
8. Talk to your doctor about surgical options
If you’ve tried everything and nothing seems to be working, it may be time to talk to your doctor about surgical intervention. Dealing with postpartum incontinence can feel embarrassing and lead to mood swings, including depression. If you feel this way, you should share your feelings with a medical professional.
As with any operation, you will need weigh the risks and benefits. Your health care provider can walk you through your options and make sure you’ve exhausted every avenue.
Final thoughts on postpartum incontinence
Birth is an ordeal, so you deserve to take care of yourself afterward. Don’t accept your postpartum symptoms as a permanent fixture in your life.
With these tips, you can rehabilitate your muscles, kick your incontinence to the curb, and get your body back on track.
