How Common is Urinary Incontinence After Childbirth?

It is typical to hear of pregnant women having difficulty holding their bladders. In fact, up to 53% of pregnant women suffer some degree of urine incontinence. But what if a mother is still dealing with involuntary urine loss one, three, or even five years after childbirth? She could be experiencing postpartum incontinence.

What is Postpartum Incontinence?

There are two types of postpartum incontinence. Many ladies go through both. The first is stress incontinence, which occurs when the body experiences greater pressure or stress. It is commonly associated with pelvic floor muscle weakness or pelvic muscles that have lost normal function owing to overuse. You may have stress incontinence if jogging, jumping, sneezing, coughing, or giggling causes you to go to the restroom.

Urge incontinence is the second type of postpartum incontinence. It is most commonly caused by nerve injury suffered when pregnant or giving birth, which inhibits the bladder's capacity to communicate with the brain. As a result, the bladder may communicate an urgent or frequent need to use the restroom. Women suffering from urge incontinence may suddenly feel the need to "go," even though their bladders are nearly empty. The start of these emotions may be sudden and severe, and leaks may occur before they reach the restroom.

Could I be Experiencing Postpartum Incontinence?

Women who had vaginal deliveries are the most likely to be impacted, with up to 25% reporting symptoms that last at least a year after giving birth. In contrast, it affects up to 16% of women who have had a caesarian section.

Obese women and women over the age of 35 are also at a higher risk of postpartum urine incontinence. Similarly, the use of forceps during delivery, smoking, and incontinence during pregnancy all predict an increased risk of postpartum incontinence.Even though urine incontinence after childbirth is relatively prevalent, 77 percent of women with postpartum incontinence either do not know or do not seek a formal diagnosis, and so do not receive treatment.

What can I do about Postpartum Urinary Incontinence?

Follow these tips to help with those leaks after childbirth:

• Do your Kegels. You've heard it before, but Kegel exercises are one of the best ways to strengthen your pelvic floor both during pregnancy and postpartum. Try to work up to three sets of 10 Kegel exercises a day, holding each squeeze for 10 seconds while standing. (You can also use them as a last line of defense when you feel the need to cough, sneeze, laugh or lift something heavy.)
• Train your bladder. Urinate every 30 minutes — before you have the urge, in other words — and then try to extend the time between bathroom trips each day. Over time, bladder training may help you work up to what's considered more normal urination intervals, every three to four hours during the day and four to eight hours at night.
• Increase your fiber intake. This may help you avoid constipation after pregnancy, so full bowels don't put added pressure on your bladder.
• Drink enough fluids. Although you should continue drinking at least eight glasses of fluids every day (cutting back on water to control the peeing only makes you vulnerable to dehydration and urinary tract infections), you may find it helpful to limit fluid intake around bedtime if you experience incontinence during the night.
• Avoid coffee, citrus, tomatoes, soft drinks and alcohol. These beverages can irritate your bladder and make urine harder to control.
• Invest in postpartum pads. Pads can help absorb leaking urine (you should not use tampons during your postpartum recovery period — they don't block the flow of urine and they're considered unsafe during the postpartum period).
• Maintain a healthy weight. Extra pounds can put added pressure on your bladder.

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