Do you have questions about postpartum incontinence or bladder weakness? Ask INNOVO’s experts - £200 voucher to be won

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Please note, questions have been answered and the experts are no longer available to answer new questions.

Post-birth incontinence can be difficult to come to terms with both physically and emotionally. Despite many women suffering from it, it’s rarely discussed, which is why [[https://www.myinnovo.com/uk/
INNOVO]] wants to encourage conversation and raise awareness of the issue. INNOVO’S experts, Dr Meg Arroll, a Chartered Psychologist and Behavioural Change Specialist, and Aoife Ni Eochaidh, a Chartered Physiotherapist and Clinical Specialist in Women’s Health & Continence, are here to help answer any questions you might have about bladder weakness.

Here’s some more information about Dr Meg Arroll:

“Chartered Psychologist with The British Psychological Society. Dr Meg started her career in academia, focusing on medically unexplained conditions that leave people feeling lost, neglected and at sea in a world of symptoms, stigma and pain. Dr Meg's interest in bladder conditions stemmed from her own experience of bladder pain and the sheer lack of open discussion on this topic, leading her to publishing What's Up With Your Bladder (Hammersmith Books) in 2018. Dr Meg's aim is to guide people through their journeys, so that they have the confidence to move forward with resilience and psychological flexibility, rather than shame and embarrassment.”

Here’s some more information about Aoife Ni Eochaidh:

“A Chartered Physiotherapist and clinical expert in the field of Women’s Health & Continence, founder of International Pelvic Physiotherapy Management (IPPM). Aoife is a peer nominated Medico Legal Pelvic Physiotherapy Expert, providing services in the UK & Ireland. Passionate about the pelvic floor, Aoife was inspired to work in pelvic floor physiotherapy seeing first hand the awful impact pelvic dysfunctions had on her late Grandmother.”

Would you like to know more about the causes of postpartum incontinence or bladder weakness? Maybe you would like to know how to cope with it and treat it? Have you got questions about how you can strengthen your pelvic floor? Does bladder weakness and experiencing leaks affect your emotional wellbeing, making you feel anxious? Whatever you question, please post them on this thread. Dr Meg Arroll and Aoife Ni Eochaidh will be back on the 12th July to answer a selection of them.

All who share a question on the thread below will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

I am waiting for an operation for a pelvic organ prolapse, and this has been cancelled twice so far, is there any exercises I can help to constant leaking I can feel bulging and lower back pain, I do not see my operation being brought forward any time soon.

am 4 years post partum from DS2, and still have leakage, and dread sneezing when out in public, I did pelvic floor exercises, and did stretching with oil of my perineum, and did not tear when I delivered 2 babies - so cannot understand why I still have leakage. Pelvic floor exercises have not helped - and I don't think it's bad enough for surgery - so what's your best advise ?

I have serious anxiety about going out due to leakage following 2 births in 2 years, I won't drink when I am out, and have regular dreams about being in a supermarket and loosing control of my bladder.
When I think about it logically because of the amount of leakage, and then fact I wear tena, this won't happen - it's just my inner anxiety getting the better of me - I think the stresses of the pandemic, lockdown with 2 little ones have just been so hard to cope with - are there any self-help (recommended) that I could use. (I do the clench and hold technique several times a day)

Since having the kids (my youngest is now 7) I dread going to places where I don’t know where the toilets are. There have been times when I’ve been out and I’ve just pee’d in my pants without any control over my bladder, no matter how hard I tried. I wear a sanitary towel everyday. I’ve tried pelvic floor but hard to be consistent as I’m so busy. I also don’t drink much as this makes me want to pee more. Please help.

I suffer from the urge to go even when l have just been..over active bladder. I am older and this began in the menopause. I am paranoid about knowing where toilets are and during Lockdown this has becomea bigger issue. I find myself turning down opportunities as l know there will be no toilets nearby and it is very stressful. I have never even had a tiny leak..its the feeling of urgency that is so debilitating. It is taking up too much of my thoughts.

So after many referrals I’ve the last 18 years, private physio appointments and NHS it has finally been concluded that there may be damage caused by my daughters first birth. Generally things are ok. However there seems to be a hormonal change in the month and things get bad - how come there seems to be little online regarding hormone changes and the impact on your pelvic floor? Is there any hormone we can take to help? I had no issues with my pelvic floor when on Zoladex (just no sleep and severe hot flushes).
Thank you 😊

I am wanting a hysterectomy (preventative for family ovarian cancer) and I do have a weak pelvic floor following 2 large babies and 2 long labours, can this surgery to help the bladder weakness be added on, or is this a totally new surgery (thinking of killing 2 birds with one stone so to speak)

Do the levels of incontinence or leaking differ between natural births and csection biryhs?

I've had an overactive bladder since birth. I am literally the person in the posters at the motorway service station toilets. My life has always been ruled by knowing where the nearest toilet is. I'm fast approaching 50 & its only getting worse. I get up several times a night to go to the toilet. I can't go anywhere that doesn't have a toilet. I can't even visit my dad in his care home anymore at the moment because of needing a covid test & having to wait for the results before actually seeing him is too long. Its driving me nuts & I'm desperate to find a way of fixing things!

10 years after giving birth and I had my pre op assessment for a bulkomed procedure. Just waiting for a date now.

Cannot wait not to leak all the time.

Do you think we should know about the risks of bladder weakness pre-delivery and why is there such little pre-preparedness amongst mums-to-be so exercises can be carried out pre delivery to help some mums from this debilitating condition ? I would have loved to have my surgery to have given me exercises and preparedness for this

Is surgery the only real solution to constant leaking, or should I persevere with the exercises - i cannot get anywhere with my GP as he says the waiting list is around 19 months long - thank you.

What can I do to help my sister who has severe post partum leakage of pee, she has severe anxiety over going out because of the worry of wetting herself, she has gone from a bubbly confident young woman to one who has made herself housebound, thinking I can smell her (I cannot) and showering 4 or 5 times a day down below - I think OCD and anxiety is more of a problem than the leakage she experiences - she has asked her HV for advice and has been recommended exercises. Her mental health has been more affected than her physical health. Thank you.

I have suffered from bladder weakness all my life , it is a hereditary issue . It affects my daily life and in the past has meant I haven't taken jobs that I have been offered due to the lack of enough loos in the building.
I always have to carry a spare pair of knickers with me and staying away overnight is not possible as I have wet the bed in the past when I cant get up quick enough .
It runs my life !

For them that use tena , have you tried Always for sensitive bladders ? I find them much better esp the extra long ones , in places like home barging's they are around the same kind of price as Tena's the only down side is they are scented .

When I gave birth to my last child nearly 13 years ago I had over 100 stitches as they got stuck behind my pelvis (Shoulder Dystocia). I've suffered with incontinence ever since. If I need the toilet and have to wait I start leaking even before I sit down. It is so frustrating. I am still feeling the effects of the scarring around my stitches and get so sore if I can't effectively clean my private quickly. (Like when I'm at work or out and about)
Is there a way to deal with my leaking and not make my scarring worse?

Does pelvic floor exercises help? Even a year after the birth of my child?

I'm 8 weeks pp. I had noticeable incontinence at first - I didn't make it to the loo a couple of time in the early days. I've been doing pelvic floor exercises every day and I now feel the same as before and can 'hold' it in when needed. I don't have any leaks when coughing or sneezing either that I can feel. However, my undies and Pjs often smell of urine so I must be leaking without realising? Is this common and what can I do about it?

Period pants are a good idea. They are just enough to look after any oops moments.

Hi ladies. Am I going mad or do these three tests have faint lines on? I took one yesterday afternoon and one about 3 days ago. I took one this morning with FMU but was completely a BFN. I am 5 days late. Any advice? Could I be pregnant?

TMI

Why do I accidentally do a small poo when squeezing the last drops of wee out? Only happened since third baby.

From what my urogyn explained to me, the neck of my bladder and urethra prolapsing are the cause of my urge and stress incontinence. I feel incredibly uncomfortable standing whenever there is as little as 20ml in my bladder. This impacts where I go and what I do because walking is uncomfortable and I need to constantly go to the toilet for a basically empty bladder.

Is there anything I can do to reduce this sensation of painful fullness all the time?

How likely are you to suffer weakness/prolapse after a c section?

What is your opinion on surgery versus physio? I have bladder and bowel prolapse after a forceps delivery but have had good success with exercises regimes I have found online. However i’m still so aware of it and it hasn’t corrected completely. I don’t have leakage but can have urgency and frequent need to wee. Not sure is surgery would be worth it or not. Thanks.

I was told it was my fault for not doing my pelvic floor muscles when pregnant with dd.

She was 11lb 4 at birth and I had a cesarean.

My bladder has never been the same.

Is there anything I can do to help? I don't lose a lot of pee but when I lean forward when I need the loo, it just starts and I can't stop it.

I gave birth at the end of October last year, but after a completely healthy pregnancy and being in active labour for over two hours, my little girl suddenly stopped recovering from contractions and then died. Then I was left for several hours (apparently to 'process' although there was none of that then, it took months) before being given syntocin to bring back the contractions. Then after pushing for several more hours they ended up using forceps so I had an episiotomy. I was fully dilated for more than eight hours, and they said that leaving it longer could have resulted in permanent damage to my pelvic floor. Now I'm worried that could have happened anyway, as all the exercises I've been doing for months have made little difference - but the pelvic health physio I've spoken to twice (with about four cancelled appointments and the service shut down for months in between, because of covid) said that you can't permanently damage it. I'm confused, especially as I've heard of and seen here many women complaining of what sounds like permanent damage.
All I can think about, and the only thing getting me out of bed and eating each day, is trying to have another baby. I'm trying to do what I can to get everything in as good a shape as possible, so delays and confusion around this is just one more thing I'm worrying about.