How long did incontinence last after childbirth?

[Gogi1]

I've been suffering with urinary incontinence since I gave birth 7 weeks ago and it's not improved much at all. (I can sometimes hold on for a few hours now whereas when i was in hospital I'd stand up and I'd constantly wee everywhere)

I have urge and stress incontinence. It's the urge that's getting me really depressed as I leak urine all day. Things like turning a tap or seeing a toilet just trigger me leaking and once I start leaking I just can not stop it.

I'm really struggling to leave the house and it's affecting my mental health. Just want to know of anyone else has a similar story to tell amd how long it took for them to recover?

It's horrendous isn't it. Forceps deliveries should be banned in The UK. They are in some other countries.

Mine got better about 6 months pp but I'm not back to how I was. Still have yo wear pads everyday for the stress incontinence. But the urge incontinence is better. It's due to nerve damage I beleive. Nerves can heal but can take a long time.

Thanks guys. Sorry for commenting on such an old thread so everyone gets notifications, I could not find another that had similar experiences but il create a new thread.

well done you @Onestepfromendingitall

Hi. I wrote the original post and I don't mind at all! It's hard to find others that have gone through this. From my experience of speaking to other mums. Some completely recovered and some have gotten better but not fully recovered. Nerve damage seems to respond differently in different people. There's lots of women in Facebook groups that will be happy to chat to. It's a great support network, but also can be quite depressing. Can be good to get ideas of things to try and people to see. It can be an expensive journey, but what I do know is a lot of healing can happen in the first year post partum from nerve injuries.

A urogynecologist would be the best consultant to see and pelvic health physios.

I got the over active bladder at a later stage during menopause with a constant urge to go..so difficult. I had botox and it stopped it completely. Only needed one session as it broke the cycle for me. Never had an issue before that but wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

@Gogi1 it really is awful I didn’t even really know this could happen as everyone around me with children have never experienced this so was so unaware! I just can’t see myself living a happy life if I was to be like this forever it is completely ruining me and my social life which is hard when you have a baby you want to get out of the house with without the stress

Hello! My first baby was a forceps delivery. I went private for pelvic health support, 7 months later the NHS could see me. I saw a big improvement 12 months postpartum. Fell pregnant again, only had issues when I was being sick and right at the end! Opted for a c section for baby #2. My pelvic floor is now a 4/5 but that's without doing exercises...

I want to reassure you things will improve! I was a 0/1 out of 5 a couple of months after giving birth. I'm confident I could get to a 5/5 of my kids have me 20 minutes to myself 😂

Heyy

do you think c section was the best option after having it?

im considering c section I have bladder issues and stress incontinence after baby no.1 and don’t want to make things worse!

I was on the fence right until the end but ultimately it was the best decision for me. Especially considering my baby was 8lbs 13oz - the surgeon told me I'd made the right choice! It's harder to repair a tear is what I was told. I will say I wasn't prepared for the pain but it was very short lived. Within a week I was back at soft play, whereas I wasn't really going out for the first 7 months after baby #1!
If you're suffering stress incontinence, are you having physio?

Thanks for the response. That’s good to hear.

I am in physio, but I also have a chronic uti since my first birth just over a year ago so catheters scare me aha. I think the chronic UTI also contributes to the leaking.