Stress incontinence is one of the more embarrassing side effects of pregnancy. Stress incontinence is the small amount of urine released when you sneeze, cough or even laugh. For some women, the amount is so slight it is barely noticeable. For other women, this is a real problem. It can cause some women to avoid social situations for fear of having an episode in public.
Stress incontinence is more common in Caucasian women than in African American women. How you have your babies and how many you have also has an effect. Women with more than one baby are more likely to experience stress incontinence than women in their first pregnancy. Women who have had c sections are less likely to experience incontinence than women who have given birth vaginally.
This happens because the pelvic floor muscles are weakened during pregnancy and child birth. During pregnancy, the weight of the baby on the pelvic floor muscles causes them to become weak. The pressure of the baby on your bladder can also be responsible for this problem. During the birth, the baby’s head moving through the pelvis can put further strain on these muscles.
Doctors agree that Kegel exercises are the best way to deal with stress incontinence. Kegels are exercises for the muscles of the pelvic floor. To strengthen these muscles, you must do about one hundred kegels each day. The muscles used in kegel exercises are the same muscles you use when you are urinating. To find the right muscle, stop the stream of urine when you are going to the bathroom. These are the muscles you will be using during a kegel.
Contract the muscles and hold for a few seconds and then release. Another method is to gradually contract and hold the muscles. Contract a little and hold. Then contract a little more and hold. Do this a third time before releasing the muscles. One hundred sounds like a lot, but it doesn’t take a lot of time.
The nice thing about kegels is you can do them anywhere and no one will know the difference. Try doing them at every red traffic light or during the commercials while you are watching television at night. Before you know it, you will have done enough kegels for the day. Doing this is important because it reduces your risk of having incontinence later in life.
For most women, stress incontinence improves after the birth of the baby. Within a few months, it resolves itself and is no longer a problem. For some women, the problem may persist long after the baby is born. If you are still having problems with stress incontinence by the time your six week check up rolls around, bring it up during the appointment. Don’t be embarrassed to discuss this with your doctor. He or she may be able to help.
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