Did you know 33% of postpartum women experience urinary incontinence (stress, urgency, peeing in your pants or mixed incontinence) at 3 months postpartum? Stress urinary incontinence is defined as any amount of bladder leakage with activity (jumping, sneezing, coughing, heavy lifting, running) from a few drops to a full bladder.
Imagine this…you’re at your group exercise class and your instructor says it’s time to jump rope. Woohoo! You haven’t jumped rope since elementary school but it should be fun! You start, jump once, and feel something in your underwear. On the second jump, you feel something dripping down there. Again, a third time, and you realize “OMG, I just peed myself”. You run to the bathroom, embarrassed and terrified about what just happened.
On returning to class, your friend asks you what’s up. “I just peed myself”. And she replies: “Ah, that’s ok. I pee myself all the time! That’s just what happens when you’re a mom!”.
Mama, STOP telling your mama friends peeing in your pants is normal after having babies!
It’s not! This is incontinence caused by the weakening of the pelvic floor muscles.
I get it. I’ve been there and I know it can be difficult to share your incontinence struggles with your girlfriends. And then, there’s the shame of having such issues that you feel like you have to say “it’s ok, every mom leaks!”. But here’s the deal. Living a life where your pee your pants every time you exercise or pick up your toddler can really be debilitating. Women can feel shame, resentment, and stop exercising altogether because they are afraid to leak. Although peeing in your pants is common, it shouldn’t be talked about as a normal part of motherhood. In fact, peeing in your pants is a sign that your inner core unit isn’t functioning properly.
There is not enough awareness about pelvic floor health and all the professionals available to help women improve their symptoms. Most women are being told by their doctors’ that postpartum leaking is normal after having babies. What I want women to know is that there are professionals who can help you end your postpartum leaking. These include, pelvic floor therapists, women’s health physical therapists, and pre and postnatal fitness specialists/coaches.
Mama, you do not have to live your life peeing in your pants every time you jump, sneeze or cough!
‘Peezing’ (peeing when sneezing) or stress urinary incontinence has become normalized. We need to change the conversation by empowering women with the knowledge and support to improve their symptoms. Can you imagine going to your exercise class without wearing a pad “just in case”? And or being able to laugh your ass off with your girlfriend without emptying your bladder? AMEN! Next time you are at the gym, instead of telling your friend it is just part of being a mom, tell her she’s not alone and there is help out there.
Let’s change the narrative. Next time you are at the gym, instead of telling your friend postpartum leaking is just part of being a mom, tell her she’s not alone and there is help out there.
So what should you do if you have stress urinary incontinence?
- My #1 recommendation is to get an assessment with a pelvic floor therapist (PFT) after giving birth.A PFT can check your pelvic floor muscles strength, coordination, and ability to release via an internal exam. This insight is really valuable and can guide you in the right direction for your rehab process. Here’s my favorite resource to find a PFT or other health and fitness professionals knowledgeable in pelvic health near you: Global Pelvic Health Alliance. Pelvic floor muscle training is the top recommendation to treat stress urinary incontinence according to the American College of Physicians.
- My #2 recommendation is to work with a knowledgeable Postnatal Fitness Coach that can help you understand and manage intra-abdominal pressure during movement and exercise.By learning different strategies and breathing techniques, a Pre/Postnatal Fitness Coach that is educated about the inner workings of the core and pelvic floor can give you the guidance and knowledge you need to stop leaking with movements. I wrote a blog post about how to reconnect with your pelvic floor in early postpartum. You can check it out here.
Mama, you are NOT alone!
If you struggle with postpartum leaking, just know that you are not alone. Please reach out for help and advocate for yourself. You shouldn’t settle for “it’s just normal after having babies”.
If you are a new mom and want to learn how to rehab your body from the inside out after birth to get rid of leaking, aches and pains, and improve your core strength, check out my new online program, Fourth Trimester Restore! I want to help you reconnect with your deepest layers, build your strongest foundation ever, and help you feel strong and confident in your body after baby.
