- Advice and Products for Postpartum Incontinence
- Advice for Managing Postpartum Incontinence
- Top Picks In Washable Incontinence Underwear
Advice and Products for Postpartum Incontinence
Bringing a new life into the world is a joyous and transformative experience. But (yes, there is a “but”), the postpartum period often comes with a whole host of challenges. For many new mothers, this includes postpartum incontinence.
Urinary incontinence is extremely common after having a baby, particularly after a vaginal birth. Given the dramatic hormonal and physical stresses that pregnancy puts on the body – the pelvic area in particular – the fact that roughly one in three women experience incontinence after giving birth shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. But, even if it’s not surprising, it’s certainly not much fun.
Fortunately, there are various strategies and products available to help manage and alleviate postpartum bladder leaks and allow women to focus on the joys of parenthood without the undue stress and discomfort caused by incontinence.
Advice for Managing Postpartum Incontinence
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Pelvic Floor Exercises
Engaging in regular pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegels, can strengthen the pelvic muscles and help improve incontinence. These exercises involve contracting and relaxing the muscles that control the flow of urine. Incorporating Kegel exercises into a daily routine can enhance muscle tone and improve bladder control over time.
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Seek Professional Guidance
Consulting with a healthcare professional, such as a pelvic floor therapist or gynecologist, can ensure that women receive the personalized advice and guidance they need. A gynecologist, for example, may be able to identify a correctable cause for postpartum incontinence and recommend a specific, targeted treatment. .
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Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Adopting healthy lifestyles like eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly can positively impact pelvic floor health. Weight management is particularly important, as excess weight can put increased pressure on the pelvic floor and exacerbate incontinence symptoms.
Top Picks in Washable Incontinence Underwear
Pick #1 Incontinence Pads and Liners
Disposable or reusable incontinence pads and liners are designed to absorb urine, providing a discreet and comfortable solution for managing leakage. These products come in various absorbency levels, from light to heavy leakage.
Pick #2 Absorbent Underpads
Absorbent underpads quickly absorb liquids, providing reliable protection to help keep beds, chairs, couches, and other surfaces dry and clean. If you’re worried about the way they’ll look in your home, consider the single-use absorbent underpads by Boom Home Medical; they’re beautifully designed and come in a variety of colors and patterns.
Pick #3 Pelvic Support Products
Supportive garments, such as postpartum support belts or compression underwear, can provide support to the pelvic area and help prevent urinary leakage.
Pick #4 Pelvic Floor Trainers
Pelvic floor training devices are tools specifically designed to enhance the quality and efficiency of pelvic floor workouts like Kegel exercises. They range from relatively inexpensive pelvic weights to pricier electronic devices with biofeedback or electrostimulation.
Pick #5 Hygiene and Skincare Products
Using gentle hygiene and skincare products on the pelvic area after childbirth can help with healing and recovery after a vaginal delivery. For instance, some women find barrier creams useful. These creams form a protective layer on the skin that protects the area against additional irritation and injury.
How To Do Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises involve squeezing, holding, and then relaxing the pelvic muscles. Although that sounds straightforward, when attempting to do Kegels, many women have trouble isolating the correct muscles, contracting the inner thighs or buttocks instead of the pelvis. To properly exercise the pelvic muscles, try squeezing the muscles you would use if you wanted to stop yourself from passing gas or urinating. Alternatively, when you are on the toilet, try stopping your urine mid-stream and then releasing it. As with any strength-training routine, to be effective, Kegels need to be done regularly. Ideally, you can find a few minutes to practice them intermittently throughout the day. Doing eight or 10 repetitions of Kegels three or four times a day can go a long way in preventing bladder leakage.
There is some good news: postpartum incontinence typically improves quickly. As the pelvic muscles begin to heal after delivery, bladder leaks become less frequent and, when they do occur, less severe. For most women, after just a few weeks, baby’s wet diapers are the only thing that need changing!
