We all know that there are many changes to our bodies
during pregnancy and, although we can cope with most
of them, bladder weakness is one of the more irritating
of these changes. Many women are unprepared for the
inconvenience they will experience and 2 out of 3
pregnant women will experience some form of
bladder weakness during and after pregnancy. This
is because pregnancy, labor and birth place additional
strain on the pelvic floor muscles, thus weakening
them.
You may leak a few drops when you sneeze, cough or
laugh. Some women find this to be a real problem.
So to avoid any embarrassment, particularly while
you are building up the strength of your pelvic floor
muscles, wear a panty liner.
Helping your bladder to stay healthy
The good news is that you can do a lot to help your
bladder to stay healthy:
o Drink plenty of fluids, but if you find you have
to go to the toilet frequently during the night then
cut out drinking before bedtime but make sure you
make up for it during the day.
o When you are on the toilet, trying rocking backwards
and forwards. This lessens the pressure of the womb
on the bladder so that you can empty it properly.
If you do this, you won’t need o pass water
quite as often as before.
o Don’t go to the toilet “just in case”
or every time you get the urge – try to hold
on.
o Cut down on bladder irritants such as coffee, tea,
cola drinks and of course no alcohol should be consumed.
o Maintain a healthy weight.
o Learn to do pelvic floor exercises.
Strengthening pelvic floor muscles through exercise
Your pelvic floor muscles are just like any muscles
and need a regular workout to stay strong! Your pelvic
floor muscles need particular attention both during
your pregnancy and after the birth of your baby.
The floor of your pelvis is made up of layers of
muscle and other tissues. From the tail bone at the
back to the pubic bone at the front, your layers of
muscles stretch like a trampoline. The urethra, the
vagina and the rectum all pass through those pelvic
floor muscles which support both the uterus and the
bowel. If you can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
through exercise, you will be able to improve your
control of your bladder.
.
You need patience as it may take 6 to 12 weeks before
you notice any improvement so the earlier you can
start in your pregnancy the better.
If you find it difficult to remember to do your exercises,
then put a note to yourself on the toilet door to
remind you! These exercises should be done at least
3 times per day but preferably 6 times per day.
o Squeeze and draw up the muscles around your anus,
vagina and urethra as strongly as possible. Try to
hold this squeeze and lift for 3 seconds and then
relax completely. Repeat this exercise 3-5 more times.
Gradually increase your pelvic floor muscle strength
by holding the squeeze and lift for a longer period.
o To progress your exercises, hold each contraction
strongly for as long as you can, slowly increasing
to 10 seconds. Rest between each contraction and repeat
as many times as you can, aiming for a maximum of
10 contractions. Always stop exercising when the muscle
fatigues.
o It is also important to include fast strong pelvic
floor contractions holding each exercise for only
1 second. The action is necessary for retraining the
muscle to contract quickly when you cough laugh or
sneeze. Now try doing 5-10 quick strong exercises.
Do not forget to rest between each exercise.
This exercise is very effective and can be done while
sitting, standing, lying down or even walking.
After the birth of your baby
After your baby is born, carry on with these exercises
to help the healing process. In addition:
o Rest in a horizontal position (15-30 minutes) at
least twice a day or as much as possible on your tummy
or back.
o Support the perineum when having a bowel movement.
o Do not lift anything heavier than your baby.
Twelve weeks after your baby’s birth, you can
check your pelvic floor strength by:
o stopping the flow of urine mid stream
o Coughing with a full bladder
o Prior to commencing strenuous exercise, check your
pelvic floor strength by jumping with a full bladder.
If there is no urine leakage you can reduce your
pelvic floor exercises to one set per day. This set
should include the long holds and quick squeeze.
However if you have leakage, do see a women’s
health physiotherapist and if you have any pain or
blood when passing urine, you may have a urine infection
that will need treatment. Please contract your doctor,
midwife or healthcare provider straight away for treatment
and do drink plenty of water to reduce the irritation.
