The joke is no longer funny if you can’t control your bladder when laughing! If you are a mom, you know how embarrassing losing sight of your pelvic muscles can get. But postpartum incontinence comes with its fair share of treatment and exercise options too. Let’s explore what some of these may be and when you should be making a trip down to your doctor.
Know that you will more than likely be okay. According to the Women’s Health Foundation, 70% of U.S. women who’ve just given birth find that certain symptoms of childbirth (like urinary incontinence and accidental bowel leakage) go away after a few months. Then again, they may last longer for others and if that happens, what can you do?
What is postnatal urinary incontinence?
Postnatal incontinence is urinary incontinence that is involuntary and involves the release of urine after pregnancy and childbirth. For some women this is a few drops of leaking urine while for others it’s a lot more. It’s also down to a few factors: stress, urge or both. Stress related incontinence occurs when a woman exerts pressure on her bladder – this could be during laughing and sneezing or even skipping, jumping and exercising! For some women its impossible to stop the urgent need to go to the loo and this leads to leakage before they make it there. Make note – experts suggest that women who experience incontinence during their pregnancy are more likely to get postpartum incontinence too.
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What causes postpartum incontinence?
It’s not as simple as just the weight of your baby on your pelvic floor! Women who deliver vaginally are more likely to have postpartum incontinence than those who do so via a C-section. Other factors such as being overweight, having incontinence while pregnant, multiple kids, forceps delivery etc can increase the chances of developing it.
How can you prevent it?
While some doctors may suggest a perineal massage to help prevent incontinence, there is no real data to suggest so. What does seem to help is targeted pelvic floor exercise and a core strengthening routine through your pregnancy. Make sure to go with a trained personal trainer who understands the do’s and don’ts of exercising during pregnancy.
How can you treat it?
Pelvic floor exercises and Kegels can improve the tone of the pelvic floor muscles – these are the muscles that support the uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum.
There are also new age treatments that can help to improve the muscles of the pelvic floor. The V-Vacious treatment uses the Vivieve System, a non-invasive, patented radiofrequency device that helps to rebuild natural collagen, tightening both the vagina and urethra.
The treatment involves the placement of a treatment tip on the opening of the vagina by a doctor and is completely painless. There is also no downtime and the whole process can be completed in less than 30 minutes. Studies suggest results last for up to 12 months and more!
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