Blog
4 Ways to Deal with Incontinence After Giving Birth
In a previous blog post, we discussed pregnancy incontinence and provided some useful tips on improving your quality of life. In today’s post, we’re going to continue this important theme with a focus on post-pregnancy. Keep reading for our top four strategies for dealing with incontinence after childbirth.
In a previous blog post (which you can read here), we discussed pregnancy incontinence and provided some useful tips on improving your quality of life. In today’s post, we’re going to continue this important theme with a focus on post-pregnancy. Because even if you’ve suffered a few sleepless nights recently, we don’t want incontinence worries to be the cause of them. Keep reading for our top four strategies for dealing with incontinence after childbirth.
Strategy 1: Relax
We know it’s not the easiest thing to do when you have a new-born at home, but it’s really important that you put any incontinence symptoms into perspective. Vaginal childbirth is an intense experience (putting it lightly), so it isn’t surprising if your bladder and bowel feel a little out of shape. What you need to know is that this is totally normal, and millions of women around the world report symptoms such as urinary and faecal leaking after birth. Don’t forget – your body is doing an amazing job adjusting to its post-pregnancy world.
Strategy 2: Talk
If you’ve got a post-natal group of mothers you can chat with about incontinence, then start the conversation today! There is nothing more comforting than sharing your story with other people who can empathise with your situation. It might be difficult to raise it to begin with, but we bet everybody will be grateful that you have. However, if the thought of sharing with friends feels overwhelming, then the next best option is to talk with an incontinence nurse or other healthcare professional. They are the people best placed to discuss your symptoms and diagnose your exact condition. On our platform, you can find a useful guide for assessing your body and preparing for an appointment.
Strategy 3: Squeeze!
A strong pelvic floor is essential for treating both urinary and faecal incontinence after childbirth. Plus (though this may not be your number one priority right now), many people find that doing pelvic floor exercises makes sex more satisfying. The exercises are simple to fit into your everyday routine – we recommend you start by doing them lying down if you’ve just given birth. In fact, whilst your new born is sleeping (they do sometimes!), why not light a candle, pop on a face mask and take five minutes just for yourself.
Strategy 4: Read
For some women, first- line treatments won’t be enough to deal with incontinence. Luckily, there are lots of more advanced therapies that can help if you still have symptoms following childbirth. We, at WFIPP, believe trustworthy, accurate and plain language information is vital, so we’ve outlined all the available treatments over on our platform. Reading about these various options will help you to feel better prepared to speak to a healthcare professional and find the solution that’s right for you.
That’s all the strategies for today! You’re doing a fantastic job – just carry on as you are. You’ll get there!
WFIPP
Incontinence news & articles, delivered to you monthly.
