
English: Childbirth scientific illustration. Black and white pen. Español: Ilustración científica de un parto. Plumilla. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
One in every four women experience troubles with urinary incontinence shortly after childbirth. Usually, your ligaments, nerves, and pelvic floor muscles function together to support the bladder and keep the urethra closed to keep urine form leaking out. After childbirth the pelvic floor muscles can be stretched and weakened. This, along with the fact that the bladder and urethra have moved during pregnancy, can make a woman more vulnerable to stress urinary incontinence or the inability to physically control their urine output.
In most cases women who develop issues with stress incontinence after pregnancy only experience them for a few weeks before the pelvic floor muscles recover and are able to stabilize the flow or urine better. However, in some cases women can experience symptoms months after childbirth and become more susceptible to them with age. If you are still experiencing troubles with urinary incontinence over a month out of childbirth there are a few things you can do to help speed up recovery and better manage the symptoms:
Exercise the Pelvic Floor Muscles
The pelvic floor is comprised of a group of muscles that work together to hold all of the pelvic organs in place such as the bladder and vagina. To repair the pelvic floor muscles that become strained or stretched after childbirth it is good to do Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises are when you contract and relax the pelvic floor muscles in controlled fashion. While the goal here is to tighten the vagina it is best that you flex your anus to ensure you are doing them properly. A good idea is to place your hand on your abdomen to make sure you are contracting the pelvic floor muscles and not the abdominal s.Get in the habit of performing these exercises ten to fifteen times a day, twice a day in the early days after childbirth. This should go a long way to reduce any problems with urinary incontinence.
Be Mindful of Your Diet
In those early days after birth avoid beverages that contain alcohol, caffeine, or fructose corn syrup as they are known to be more stimulating to the bladder. Hydrate yourself with water or juices instead. Proper hydration and regular urination will help train the bladder muscles to function properly again but in those first few weeks it is best to avoid drinking a lot of liquids within two hours of going to bed. Your bladder will be weaker and more than likely unable to hold a significant amount of urine all night. Hydrate during the day and avoid liquids before bed and you’ll be at less risk of having an accident during the night.
Consult your Doctor
Some cases of pelvic floor damage are worse than others. If you feel like your symptoms have been plaguing you for a significantly longer period of time or are showing no signs of getting better talk with your doctor. Certain medications can make you more prone to incontinence so if you feel your meds may be the cause talk with your doctor about potentially using a different prescription. In rare cases, surgery may be needed to repair the pelvic floor. Regardless of what the problem may be don’t attempt to just deal with it yourself if it has been going on for a long period of time.
Incontinence is the most under-reported symptom in America given it’s more personal and embarrassing nature. For women especially, it is important to address it when it first becomes a problem in order to keep it from affecting your life or potentially developing into something worse. Talk to your doctor, talk with your loved ones if needed, and determine the best course of action for your health.
Martha June Whitman is a writer and former caregiver who enjoys sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience with others. She writes for National Incontinence, a supplier of incontinence pads, vaginal weights, and other items to help keep incontinence under control.
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