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

Is it ever too late to take steps to strengthen pelvic floor muscles?

What can I do post hysterectomy to help with stress incontenance?

Sorry if this is not the right thread! I got piles during my first pregnancy and they went away after. Got them again second time around; he’s now three and they haven’t gone away (despite cream, pessaries etc.). Are they here for life now?! I’ve heard surgery on them is often not very satisfactory.

Can carrying a baby in a sling/carrier make bladder leaks worse?

Leakage seems to be worse at different points in my cycle. Do hormone levels have an impact on the pelvic floor making the problem worse? I do pelvic floor exercises x3 a day. What other options are there? Are there any measures I can take to prevent leakage during exercise?

I am 5 years post a forceps delivery. I have been told I have nerve damage that might or might not repair itself. I have double incontinence issues but manage OK with routine and have some feeling that has returned but need to find a toilet pretty quickly which is why a routine works well. I struggle with pelvic floor exercises as I can't feel much. I hate being near running water/taps/fountains/ rivers as it just makes me release whatever is in my bladder- is there anything I can do to stop this? I am no longer under any medical professionals (as of 4 years ago) as they didn't know what to do with me as progress plateaued - is it worth trying again? And if so who would e the best person to see?

I saw the thread title and opened it up to read more and was disappointed MN only seem interested in questions about bladder incontinence.

Is having ongoing faecal incontinence after obstetric anal sphincter injury a taboo? I certainly wish someone had told me more about the risks of this before I agreed to be induced.

Should women have to put up with bladder weakness after birth as a normal thing that can't be fixed? I really want to run to get fit but I wee myself every time....

Do we just have to accept that women will have some incontinence after birth? I find it so demoralising as I'm not bad enough but it still affects my life

What is the best non-surgical way of tackling slight incontinence after birth, and is there ever a point when these exercises have rendered you as good as you are going to be and further exercises will not improve the situation any more?

Can the pelvic floor muscles always be recovered with pelvic floor exercises or can it be permanently weakened after multiple pregnancies? Is very slight leakage just something to live with?

Do pelvic floor muscles get weaker with age as well as after birth?

Normal pelvic floor exercises seem to do nothing for me, what else can be done? As in what can I do to help myself?

I’ve had two c sections.
I have pretty bad stress incontinence, and have leakage even when I blow my nose.
Here in Switzerland “training of the perineum” is covered by insurance post childbirth.
I did the whole programme, including a thing where you insert something in your vagina and then play a kind of video game using your pelvic floor muscles. Horrendous.
Anyway this achieved nothing. I still leak when I cough, sneeze, jump or blow my nose. Is there anything left to try?

I am 3 years post partum and still experience some stress incontinence. Is it too late to make a difference with pelvic floor exercises?

Thanks to everyone who has posted questions for the experts to answer so far. The winner of the prize draw is @Wheresthebeach - congratulations!

Thank you so much!

Are pelvic floor exercises enough for treating most straightforward bladder leakage / stress incontinence / weak bladder following birth, or is there merit in using pelvic floor training devices? If so, would they give better results than pelvic floor alone, and do you have any recommendations?

Looking forward to reading the answers.
Specially about bladder control being worse around period time.

For @indigosmother

My question is about tiny amounts of bowel leakage. Are normal pelvic floor squeezes the right approach to help this?

Hey all, I’m very confused I have taken the morning after pill Ella one on the Thursday and now have pink spotting and bright red bleeding also which started on Friday 9th July. I took a OPK on Monday 5th and it came back as positive peak and Tuesday 6th also came back high. I did the deed with my partner on Tuesday morning about 1:00 am. I feeling nauseous and achy pain in my back like period pain but my period ain’t due till next Friday. I was wondering if anybody had this type of experience.

thanks

Mine was not about muscle weakness but post C section complete bladder numbness for about a year later then minimal fullness feeling eventually coming back.

No idea Eli but hope you are feeling better soon

Not a question as such-just thought i would share my experience.