Giving birth is magical, peeing a few drops accidentally… not so much magical! One of the surprising eff
ects of pregnancy can be urinary incontinence. Our pals at Brookwood Medical Center have some tips that can help:
1. Try a schedule. Making a point to relieve yourself at regular intervals every day, even when you don’t have the urge to go, will help keep your bladder empty. And an empty bladder is a happy bladder!
2. Watch your caffeine and alcohol intake. Caffeine in coffee and soft drinks is a diuretic, as is alcohol, which can worsen incontinence. Try to curb your caffeine or alcohol intake to lessen your trips to the ladies’ room.
3. Do your exercises. And we don’t mean hitting the treadmill. Flexing your kegel muscles (the muscles that help control the flow of urine) can strengthen your pelvic floor and make it easier to “hold it” when there’s not a bathroom in sight. Alternately, many women have success using vaginal weights to tighten the muscles in the vagina.
4. Know before you go. If you’re planning a road trip or a night out on the town, be prepared by knowing where available restrooms are so you’re not searching when you have to go.
5. Talk to your doctor. There are medications and medical treatments available for women dealing with incontinence. It’s important to talk with your doctor about options to consider to free you from the restroom.
There are tons more tips like this on ichooseb.com. Head over there. My current favorite is about choosing red foods to create a healthy plate!
i am in my 60’s and gave birth to 3 nice sized babies with prolonged labors. i never noticed incontinence until after i had a hysterectomy and hitting the age 50 mark.
the issue was more exercise induced rather than inability to hold.. this was becoming a quality of life issue. i recently had a procedure to fix the problem. i had no complications, no pain, recovery went smooth and i was back in the gym jump roping without worry 6 weeks later. best thing i’ve done for myself in years. p.s. and the nurses and brookwood were fantastic!
Great tips! I’ve found that kegels are the best way to manage incontinence after pregnancy. It takes time but it’s well worth it!