Incontinence after child birth

[samz89]

I had my baby girl 9 weeks ago by forceps and ended up having an episiotomy. It's been very challenging but now my wound has finally healed and I'm doing loads of kegel exercises which has helped my incontinence with weeing but when it comes to my number 2's I can't seem to hold it (sorry tmi) I spoke to my gp and they booked me in for physio in October anyone have any ideas of what to do till then?

Oh i feel your pain, i was like this up till 6 weeks post partum (in fact i think i still am up but i stopped taking laxatives) unfortunately i have no good advice other than the exercises. I can also feel a vaginal prolapse i think, waiting on a referral also.

Feel like there's such a lack of support for post partum women and no one prepares you for the complications of forcep deliveries

Absolutely! There's definitely lack of support, especially for first time mothers! I'm so tired of getting fobbed of by gps and midwives. They keep saying everything will heal eventually and it's past two months now. Very frustrating!

I can't help and you are doing the right thing seeing your doc and getting it all investigated, but some people do just heal slower than others. I had a episiotomy and my scar was v painful inside and out for months and month, nobody knew why as all the docs said it looked like it was healing as it should be. It wasn't pain-free until about 7/8 months PP unfortunately.

Hi guys, just wondering if OP has had any improvement in symptoms now that it’s been a few more weeks?
I’m 4 days postpartum after a forceps delivery with an episiotomy. Most of my issue has been urinary incontinence - large leaks when I stand up and very difficult stopping the flow, I’m having to wear Tena ladies 24/7. Seen the physio who chatted about pelvic floors and seeing gp in 6 weeks if no better. Anyone had a similar issue and Can give me any hope of improvement?

@Eliza34 hi there, now I'm 12 weeks pp and I can tell you that I've made drastic improvements due to home remedies, thanks to my mother. Tbh the doctors haven't helped me at all. I've been doing my kegels, and bathing in himalayan salt every night for 15-20 minutes. The best advice i can give anyone is to try home remedies and not wait for doctors to help because I've been back and forth so many times and nothing has come from it!

Hi @samz899 sorry posted too early!! Thanks for your reply. So glad to hear you are doing much better, well done you. It’s a shame you couldn’t get the help required from your gp though! Really feel mums are just left to their own devices once baby is out!
I will keep going with the kegels and I’ll try a salt bath for my stitches. Thanks for the tips. Did it take the full 12 weeks for your urinary leaks to improve? (If you don’t mind me asking!)
Well wishes to you and your little one xxx

Hi @Eliza34 my stitches have fully healed this week but they do feel abit tender when i touch it! The incontinence actually stopped a few weeks ago! (With my bowel movement) for my wee's I still have a bit of incontinence but that's when my bladder is very full but for the most part I can hold it. Never thought I would say this but Trust me time will heal you love x

Good luck x

@samz899 Thank you for the reassurance, means a lot given how anxious I am at the minute.
All the best
Xxx

Hi @Eliza34 how are you feeling now?

Hi @samz899 I’m doing a bit better thank you. My episiotomy has healed okay and I’m only getting the occasional twinge of discomfort now. Things aren’t so great with the urinary incontinence though! Still having to wear heavy duty pads - it’s worst when out walking and of course laughing/coughing/sneezing results in Leaking too :( I have had one physio appointment and having another this coming Monday. Thinking they’ll just send me away with more exercises again but I’m not sure. How are you doing now? I hope the pain has fully resolved and that the incontinence has gotten better? X

@Eliza34 ahh I'm sorry to hear that love, hopefully by the time you hit the 6 month mark you'll be all good. My episiotomy has fully healed as well, I also leak occasionally but not as bad as before. I'm still doing my keels whenever I remember but physio didn't help.

@samz899 glad to hear you’re getting there! Yeah the physio appointment really didn’t add much to my recovery, I’m using the Squeezy app to help remind me to do them every day and keeping my fingers (and legs!) crossed haha. I would love another baby too but I’m just worried about a repeat pregnancy and birth worsening it all. Is this your first baby? Hope you’re enjoying the run up to the festivities X

Interestingly I found after baby no.2 my incontinence issue improved. Maybe the midwife did an extra stitch which might have helped. I don't know.
I still wear a tiny pad everyday - just in case I sneeze and a bit of wee escapes, but I no longer worry about a massive accident.

Eliza, you should have the option of an elective caesarean if you have another baby, to avoid worsening your problems.

@Eliza34 yeah it's my first baby, but after all this I think it'll be a while till baby number 2 haha! Hope you and your family have a merry Christmas x

@kayakingmum that is strange indeed, but lucky I guess!! How bad was your leaking 12 weeks postpartum out of interest? Just trying to gauge if I’m not recovering as fast as I should, or if I am truly recovering at all!

@MrsNoMopp definitely would have an elective section next time, but there’s also the hurdle of being pregnant and it’s role in pelvic floor battering to consider :(

@samz899 happy Christmas to you and yours too!

And to all you other ladies who have replied! X

From memory I don't think I saw much improvement after 12 weeks.

@eliza34 - did this improve? I am experiencing the same 4 weeks PP.

[quote Emmasims2]@eliza34 - did this improve? I am experiencing the same 4 weeks PP.[/quote]
Hi @Emmasims2 congratulations on your baby.

It has improved to a large extent but I still can't run/cough/sneeze without some leaks. (It was really bad until about 1year mark - leaking walking on flat ground, laughing etc) I think I'll need surgery eventually but I want another baby and that won't happen until my family is complete.

How are your symptoms?

Much the same as you described. Going to be a long year then if it takes that long. But I have been advised it takes time.
What surgery are they suggesting? I went to see a urologist and she mentioned surgery if there were no real improvements after a year.
Was there anything that helped speed up the recovery for you?

@Emmasims2 mine also improved around 10-11 month mark. Tbh I just had to work on my kegels because they said that I need physio but didn't have any available appointments till a year after.

I strongly suggest that you get a second opinion from a private doctor rather than go through surgery..

Thanks both. Did you have any good ways of managing the incontinence on a day to day basis and looking after a newborn?
Feels like a long old time at the moment to get through it and out the other side closer to a resemblance of normality.

@samz899 @Emmasims2 I've done pelvic floor exercises til I'm blue in the face, seen an NHS physio a few times, done well women Pilates for pelvic floor etc but I still have leakage.

There are other options such as bulking agents around the urethra which do reduce leakage in a lot of people but it depends how bad it is to begin with.

@Emmasims2 it is so tough not feeling 100% looking after a new baby. I had to force myself to go out some days! I just had to put on a (big) pad and go for walks, reminding myself that it will get better. Avoid going to the loo 'just in case' as that can lead to an overactive bladder. Do your exercises as much as you can - NHS website for good advice, Michelle Kenway on YouTube (great women's physio) and the Squeezy app is great. Most people do get much much better, I think I might just be unlucky

Thanks @Eliza34 that’s really helpful. How did you manage going back to work and the incontinence?
Did you have a catheter at all when you first got discharged from hospital?
I just can’t believe this is happening. I prepared for most things to happen in childbirth and after and didn’t expect it to be easy but never anticipated it to be this hard and probably go on for quite a while if it ever fully recovers. I have been told I have got it really bad so expecting to be in for the long haul.

so heartbreaking to read. :-( the fgm that continues to be standard practice in human birth (but not in other animals?) Is just so cruel.
I'm so sorry you were subjected to this.

From what I've read, breastfeeding slows down healing which is not a bad thing it just takes a bit longer.

Kegals are good but also core strength over all as it's also abdo muscles that are involved. I think they do a bit ying/yang. I've also learnt your pelvic floor, foot arch and diaphragm are all linked.

So breathing exercises and ensuring good overall posture with foot support helps too.

Dehydration is another thing. If you are dehydrated by the afternoon you're more likely to have issues. Drinking cup fulls rather than grazing helps to retrain the bladder. Drinking loads before midday rather than catching up in the evening helps.

You can also buy pessaries and have injections to help with sensitive bladders but doesn't sound like you have this.

I would definitely look at Jilly Bond. People with flat bottoms often more likely to have problems so exercising your glutes seem to have benefits too.