Have you suffered from postpartum incontinence or bladder weakness? Share your experiences with INNOVO - £200 voucher to be won

[BellaMumsnet]

This sponsored discussion is now closed

Incontinence is a common problem for women after giving birth, but very few people talk about it and simply suffer in silence. Living with bladder weakness can feel overwhelming both physically and mentally, affecting everyday tasks. With this in mind, INNOVO would like you to share your own experiences of bladder weakness, to help destigmatise the issue and raise awareness of it, so that others know that they are not suffering alone.

Here’s what INNOVO has to say: “Often thought of as a temporary issue, activities once enjoyed are curtailed or abandoned, and leaks just managed with pads …daily…Forever. I’ve always viewed urinary leakage as an invisible ball and chain for a woman. I see women every single day in my practice and I would encourage you to seek help from your GP, a specialist physiotherapist, talk to the people in your inner circle - you’d be surprised how many people could be suffering too. Try pelvic floor exercises, aka Kegels, but if you struggle to get them right, or still experience leaks, INNOVO can help take the effort and complexity out and help you along the way” Dr Ruth Maher PT, PhD, DPT, MISCP & Co-Inventor of INNOVO.

Were you prepared for the possibility of postpartum incontinence or was it a total surprise? Did you speak to friends about it or seek professional help? Maybe you have tips for managing it, or you found a specific exercise really helped to speed up your recovery? If you’re suffering from bladder weakness currently, are you worried about adapting to normal life and managing leaks while you’re out and about now that lockdown restrictions are easing?

All who post on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

7 weeks pp. Forceps delivery. Since birth I’ve had no urge to wee or any sensation that my bladder is full. Infact, I can’t even remember what it feels like to need a wee. Constantly leaking whenever I stand up, walk, pick up baby or anything remotely heavy, cough, sneeze, laugh. Not seeing any improvement and am in a pretty dark place at the moment as no medical professional can give me any answers or hope. Never for one minute thought that this would be my life so I’m pretty terrified about what the future holds.

I was completely unprepared for bladder leaks. I was probably aware of them, but didn't seriously consider that I could be affected by them. Mine started when DD was 7 months old. I personally think that carrying her everywhere in a carrier caused my leaks to begin. I should have had her in the pram more. Wish I'd know!
I am quite open with people about the damage to my pelvic floor and my reliance on Tena Lady every day. I refuse to be embarrassed because it's the reality of life after childbirth (for some).
My gp recommended I keep a bladder/urijne diary, but it's so hard to accurately measure output at work (can't discretely carry in a jug), so I've kind of given up and not sure how to get help now.
It really gets me down as I can feel a near constant trickle.

It is good to read that other people have these problems in this thread
Not good for us all but it's the only place I've found solidarity in this issue

@jenniferjane21

I notice rectal incontinence hasn't been mentioned... that's what I have. My bladder is fine. Physio says I have a good pelvic floor but if my number twos are even slightly loose, I leak due to sphincter damage. I remember the exact point in my third labour when it happened; baby was back to back and I felt an excruciating pain as his head passed my rectum. I now take immodium everyday.

Me, too. And it's awful. It doesn't help that I have IBS so when I go anywhere, I always need to know where the loo is because it can strike suddenly. And going for long walks in the country used to be so stressful. I get breathless walking now, due to Long Covid, so at least I have an acceptable excuse to skip walks with friends.....

this whole thread makes me weep, usually i just have small leaks easily controlled through pant liners, but very very occaisionally it is inexplicably biblical. My GP is a totally condescending person who I can't bear the idea of talking to about this. Covid has also made it worse since I'm always near a loo and my body may have just given up on the idea it needs to wait 😭😭

I hadn't thought much about the possiblity of postpartum incontinence before having a baby - but my Mum (who is a midwife) - prompted me often to remember the importance of pelvic floor exercises following the birth of my son, who weighed in at 9lb 8oz. I am now eternally grateful for her prompting as I came through relatively unscathed in terms of incontinence - but I am really saddened to read of the experiences of so many women here who have bravely taken the step to seek help from their GP, & are being dismissed.

@CharleyC0956
This was me 2 years ago. Every word of what you describe. I know have much more control, but still can't run, sneeze or cough etc. I have done a hell of a lot of pelvic floor exercises! Please try not to worry - there are solutions out there and you won't be like that forever. Your body will still be healing at this point. Most of all, enjoy your beautiful baby - be gentle with yourself and get out as much as you can. You should not have to miss out because of this issue!

I had a long labour and DS1 was 11lbs 8oz - with a perineum tear (and subsequent repair) and leakage - it's awful, I wear light pads which I change regularly - but feel really something could have prepared me for this - advice on strengthening my pelvic floor muscles pre delivery.
I had taken advice from my health visitor and am doing some pelvic tightening exercises and the leakage seems to be a lot lighter and I am hoping this will solve the issues - but sending a virtual hug to all those affected by this debilitating condition,

I hate that it's something women are just expected to "get on with"

I find I can't wait so much any more. If I need to go, I need to go. Also find I need to wear pant liners. I'm OK jogging but trampolines, well it's like Russian roulette.

Exercises don't seem to do much for me either!

@SearchingTheSkies having had to faff about with this myself I feel your pain .Could you keep a record over a weekend or when not at work and just use that to "forge" the rest of the diary ?

You need to get it sorted .

Kids are 14 & 10 & I'm set young trampolining again! Luckier than many on this thread as it's just jumping & sneezing but still a royal pain. I took up hula hoping recently & that seems to be improving things. But it appears to yet another thing that women just have to live with....

I had a traumatic Labour with a 4th degree tear and I had pelvic physio afterwards for almost a year. They discharged me even though I hadn't made progress because as I was breastfeeding they said I probably wouldn't recover fully until after I stop feeding and my hormones shift again. I'm now almost 2 and a half years post partum and have to wear pads every day. I cannot hold my wee for long at all and if I cough or sneeze I have no control. Even if I've JUST been to the toilet I always leak. I'm only 30 and none of the few friends I have that have had children have suffered with this issue so I don't have anyone that can relate to me. I feel so ashamed and terrified of what will happen to my body if I were to get pregnant again.

I really wish this wasn't such a taboo subject and that people were readily available for help. During my pregnancies, it wasn't much talked about so yes it was a surprise the first time it happened.

I wish there were more support groups available for this with people who are genuinely supportive. These days when you mention something like this to people, you get the whole 'well you decided to become pregnant, so deal with the consequences'. Unfortunately, it happens with close friends too, especially those that have not had children.

@ruqiya1965

I really wish this wasn't such a taboo subject and that people were readily available for help. During my pregnancies, it wasn't much talked about so yes it was a surprise the first time it happened.

I wish it wasn't so taboo as well And no I never anticipated this happening

[quote peridito]@SearchingTheSkies having had to faff about with this myself I feel your pain .Could you keep a record over a weekend or when not at work and just use that to "forge" the rest of the diary ?

You need to get it sorted .[/quote]
You're right - I do need to get it sorted. I think fudging the 'diary' might be the way to go. Thanks for the suggestion.

My youngest is nearly 7 and I am still having issues when I sneeze/cough/laugh. It makes me very self conscious.

My youngest is now 23. I think the menopause has not helped but now I can't run , even walking sometimes is embarrassing. I work in a physical job . I asked my gp for help and was told it's a sign of ageing and get used to it . I'm now on restricted duties due to this and still can't get help. I used to love running but it's a lost cause now .

I had to resort to google for my concerns because it really felt like I had no help from others.

I was too embarrassed to speak about my issues to anyone for a long time and hid behind an online identity. It's a shame that as women we feel there is some sort of stigma with this when it's all natural. Help should be readily available.

I asked my gp for help and was told it's a sign of ageing and get used to it

No No No No No

this is so shocking ! Go back and ask for a referral to a Urogynaecology department for an assessment.

or I wonder if where you work has an occupational health department who have the means to contact your GP on your behalf or who could refer you ?

I have three children. First one decided to yoyo in and out until the midwife realised the cord was round her neck. My second shot out like a rugby ball and my third got stuck and had to have her clavicle (I think that's the name of her shoulder!!) broken to get her out. I pretty much have no pelvic floor and have to wear pads all the time. I've never gone to the GP because 1, I'm agoraphobic and can't get there and 2, I'm hugely embarrassed by it. I live in fear of getting a cough and it's not just my emetaphobia that makes me dread getting a vomiting bug, I know I would completely wet my self. It's horrible.

I thought when I had my first child at 29 that as my mum never had incontinence when she was pregnant I wouldn’t either. I couldn’t have been more wrong. About 6months in I would wee uncontrollably not just a small amount, ever time I coughed laughed sneezed or vomited. Having to work with this was a nightmare, as I was also lazy with my Keegels I was still weeing uncontrollably till well after birth, but felt embarrassed So didn’t share it with anyone other than my partner at the time. 3years past and I still had the issue and then I fell pregnant with my twins during 2nd lockdown. During 1st lockdown I was doing more core exercises which helped but knew that now I was pregnant again core exercises couldn’t continue so it would definitely come back - it did. most noticeably within the first trimester as I had a lot of morning sickness. Weeing and vomiting at the same time I had down to a fine art by the end- Countless accidents later - I have 2 12week old twins and it is not as bad as it was. I would recommend trying to hold or stop you flow every time you normally go to the loo just for a second or two, this helped me retrain my muscles again.

I saw a female physiotherapist and was told I wasn't doing pelvic floor exercises correctly, barely moving anything. They lent me a machine, but I hated the sensation of buzzing in there It was like an electric shock. Also I could only keep it for a short time, then would have to buy one, so I've given up now. I wee myself when I cough, laugh or run and if I need to go I can't hold it in. I can't even wear liners or pads, because they make my skin condition very sore.

I was unprepared for it. I had a largeish baby but an incredibly long and difficult delivery that ended up being an assisted one.

I suppose I expected it to get better after a few months post-parfum but it's got worse as I’ve got older. I can't sneeze or laugh if I haven't been to the loo very, very recently. Similar to others, walking at pace or running is just impossible without leakage.

It's so horrible and no one prepares you or talks about it. The doctors just shrug as if it's just one more uncomfortable, annoying thing about being a woman that we have to quietly put up with...