Pregnancy Incontinence: Tips For Expectant Mothers

When you find out you're expecting, it's important to get caught up in the beauty of this new journey.

But sometimes your excitement can come crashing down when you start to experience uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms - especially the ones you least expect.

Urinary incontinence during pregnancy isn't spoken about very often, but we're here to break the silence.

At Jude, we want to eliminate the stigma of this condition when you're expecting.

And the first step towards regaining your confidence is learning about what urinary incontinence is and how to manage it effectively.

Understanding Pregnancy Incontinence

Urinary incontinence in pregnancy is the involuntary urine leakage that many women experience when they find out they're expecting. Although it's a common issue, it can be an uncomfortable topic to discuss.

There are two types of urinary incontinence that are more common in pregnant women: stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder.

These bladder control problems may arise during pregnancy and continue after childbirth (known as postpartum urinary incontinence). Of course, this can create understandable concern for expecting mothers. Fortunately, there are ways of treating this condition that can help you find relief.

Before we jump into managing and treating urinary incontinence, let's take a closer look at the causes and types of incontinence you may be experiencing. This can help you understand your condition so you can regain control of your bladder in no time.

Causes Of Incontinence During Pregnancy

Part of managing this condition is understanding what may contribute to discomfort. While there are several factors related to urinary incontinence during pregnancy, the most common causes include:

Weak pelvic floor muscles

As your uterus grows to accommodate your baby, your pelvic floor muscles can become strained. This strain can lead to weakening. Since these muscles are essential for supporting your bladder and controlling urination, when they weaken, it can lead to weaker bladder control

The added pressure from your uterus can stretch and strain these pelvic muscles more as you get further into your pregnancy ). As a result, it can cause you to start leaking urine.

Hormonal changes

Pregnancy involves lots of hormonal changes. This is especially true for your progesterone levels.

Progesterone plays an important role in relaxing the ligaments and muscles throughout your body. Naturally, this includes the muscles in your pelvic region. While this relaxation helps to accommodate your growing baby, it makes the pelvic floor muscles weaker. In addition to increased physical pressure, these hormones contribute to the weakening of your pelvic muscles and can make it harder to control your bladder.

Increased pressure on your bladder

As mentioned, pelvic floor muscles may not work as well as they used to before pregnancy. When there is too much pressure on this muscle, it can lead to an involuntary loss of urine. You may also notice that you leak more pee during certain activities, like coughing, sneezing, or exercise. This is because these activities increase the pressure on an already strained pelvic floor.

Types Of Incontinence During Pregnancy

During pregnancy and after childbirth, many women experience different types of urinary incontinence. The two most common types include stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder, which can cause similar symptoms and bladder control problems.

While these changes may seem frightening, there are plenty of ways to manage and treat urinary incontinence. So, regardless of which condition you're dealing with, you don't need to feel helpless. Instead, educating yourself on your bladder issues can help you create a management plan much faster.

Stress incontinence (SI)

Stress incontinence is the involuntary loss or leakage of urine caused by extra pressure on your bladder.

This means that you may have leaks during activities like exercise or when you're lifting heavy objects. However, it can also be caused by coughing, laughing, and sneezing.

Stress urinary incontinence is mainly caused by the additional pressure from your uterus as it expands. But it can also be caused by childbirth - especially vaginal birth. Since vaginal delivery can stretch your pelvic floor muscles and cause them to lose strength, it may potentially cause long-term issues with stress incontinence. C-section deliveries can still be linked to stress urinary incontinence, as pregnancy itself places significant pressure on the pelvic floor muscles.

Overactive bladder (OAB)

The most common type of bladder issue you may experience is an overactive bladder. This causes you to feel like you need to pee more often and experience a strong urge to go which can also lead to leaks. An overactive bladder can also cause a loss of control even when your bladder isn't totally full because of spasms in your bladder muscles.

Pregnancy causes plenty of hormonal changes, which can affect the sensitivity and functionality of your bladder. As a result, you may be dealing with more frequent and urgent trips to the loo. Additionally, the extra pressure can irritate your bladder, which causes it to contract more frequently.

5 Tips For Managing Urinary Incontinence In Pregnancy

When you experience urinary incontinence, it can often feel overwhelming. But you aren't alone. In fact, you can work closely with your GP to create a treatment regime or management programme. Your medical team will also advise you on what will work best for your body during pregnancy.

Still, there are certain management techniques and activities you can safely incorporate into your routine. These may include:

1. Pelvic floor exercises

If your pelvic floor muscles have weakened during pregnancy, you may benefit from pelvic floor exercises like Kegels. Kegel exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles in your pelvis, which is super important for controlling your bladder.

In some cases, you can work with a physiotherapist to help guide you through these exercises. They will teach you how to perform them safely and comfortably for your stage of pregnancy.

Typically, you'll want to perform pelvic floor exercises at least one to three times a day. But remember: Consistency is key. And the earlier you start incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, the more effective they will be. Ideally, you'll want to start practising them before pregnancy, but it's never too late to work on strengthening your pelvic muscles.

2. Bladder training

When you experience urge urinary incontinence (which is the sudden and intense urge to pee), it can cause a lot of mental distress. You may even find yourself looking for a bathroom long before you feel the need to pee or worrying about reaching the bathroom in time. Not only is this physically uncomfortable, but it may also lead to feelings of anxiety.

You don't have to let your bladder control you, though. Rather, work on getting better control over your bladder through bladder training.

Bladder training often involves :

• Setting up scheduled bathroom trips at regular intervals. For instance, going to the bathroom once every hour.

• Then, work on making the time between these trips longer to make your bladder stronger.

It is best to undergo bladder retraining under the supervision of a healthcare professional. When you're training your bladder, you'll want to remember to listen to your body. If you hold your pee for too long, you may end up with leaks anyway. So, while you want to wait as long as possible between trips to the loo, you never want to wait too long. Support from a healthcare professional will help you get the right balance.

3. Dietary changes

When you're pregnant, there are plenty of changes you need to make to your diet. And, with a few extra tweaks, you can adjust your diet to manage or prevent incontinence, too.

For instance, you probably already know you need to limit your caffeine intake during pregnancy. This is already a great step to managing your bladder. However, if you can avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee altogether, your bladder is sure to thank you.

Caffeine is a known bladder irritant, which means that it can make your existing symptoms worse. In addition to limiting your caffeine intake, you'll want to limit or avoid other foods and drinks, such as spicy and acidic foods.

4. Medications

In more severe cases of urinary incontinence, your doctor may prescribe certain medications to help you manage your symptoms. These medications are designed to relax your bladder muscles and lessen your bladder contractions, which may be responsible for your leaks. Your doctor can advise you on what medication offers may be available for you. Bear in mind, Jude supplements are not recommended while trying for a baby, during pregnancy or when breastfeeding.

5. Incontinence products

No matter what management techniques you try, having a little extra protection can go a long way. Products like incontinence pads can give you peace of mind when you're out and about. So you can reduce your anxiety and embrace pregnancy without any additional stress or worries.

If pads aren't really your thing, then there are plenty of other products on the market you can use. For example, Jude's leak-proof pants are ultra-comfortable and discreet, making them comfortable for all-day use. They're also super absorbent, so you can go about your day without a care in the world.

FAQs

Can pregnancy cause permanent incontinence?

In many cases, pregnancy can cause temporary incontinence that may fade after birth. However, some women may experience long-lasting incontinence even after childbirth. However, with the right treatment regime and consistent management, most women can improve their symptoms.

Does drinking more water help bladder leakage during pregnancy?

Staying hydrated is important for your overall health and is especially important during pregnancy. However, you'll want to watch your fluid intake. While you want to stay hydrated, you'll also want to avoid overhydration since it can lead to more frequent trips to the loo.

Final Thoughts

Bladder control problems during pregnancy may be uncomfortable, but they don't have to be. Rather, with the right management, you can take control of your bladder and reduce your symptoms.

Plus, with Jude's range of incontinence products, you can stop worrying about the state of your bladder. It's time to let your fears go and embrace this new chapter of your life - leak-free and more confident than ever.

Jude’s clinically proven supplements give you better bladder and pelvic floor control, helping you sleep through the night and regain the freedom to live life on your own terms. With just one capsule morning and night, you'll have relief from need-to-go urgency in just 12 weeks.