6 Tips for Dealing With Urinary Incontinence After Childbirth

Your newborn baby (or maybe babies) is a most welcome addition to your family, but some of the side effects of childbirth are less enjoyable. Topping that list is postpartum urinary incontinence, which, on average, affects about 26% of women. And this number increases exponentially with each delivery.

To help you better navigate urinary incontinence after childbirth, the team here at Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley, under the capable direction of Dr. Fernando Otero, pulled together some great strategies.

1. Figure out which type of urinary incontinence

To make sure your efforts are aimed in the right direction, it’s a good idea to have us first evaluate you to figure out which type of incontinence you’re dealing with. After delivery, women can face three types of incontinence:

• Stress incontinence — urine leaks out with any pressure 
• Urge incontinence — you feel the urge to go more frequently, even if you just went
• Mixed incontinence — a mix of the two types

How we go about addressing these different types of incontinence can be different, so it’s good to know what you’re up against first.

2. Get going on Kegels

Pregnancy and childbirth can really weaken your pelvic floor — the band of tissues that supports your pelvic organs. As a result, your bladder can shift, and even the slightest pressure can cause urine to leak out. A great postpartum practice is to start strengthening these tissues through Kegel exercises. 

If you don’t know what Kegels are or how to do them, click here.

3. Try bladder training for urge incontinence

Damage to the nerves around your bladder during childbirth is common and often what leads to urge incontinence. As you wait for the nerves to heal, a great practice is to use bladder training — only going to the bathroom at specific times. 

You can start by going to the bathroom every 30-60 minutes, and then gradually stretch the time between visits.

4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Caffeine is a diuretic that can stimulate your bladder, so we suggest that you lay off the coffee until the incontinence resolves itself. As well, alcohol isn’t the best idea either, as it can lead to more frequent urination and less bladder control.

5. Use protection in the meantime

As you take steps to get to the other side of postpartum incontinence, we suggest that you use protection in the meantime, which means arming yourself with incontinence pads.

6. Be patient with the process

This final tip is particularly important. Your body went through considerable changes during your pregnancy and childbirth, so give it time and space to bounce back. And it should bounce back — only a small fraction of women, about 5%, experience ongoing urinary issues a year after childbirth.

So, be patient, follow our tips to control your postpartum incontinence, and focus on getting to know the newest member of your family.

If you have more questions about postpartum urinary incontinence or you’d like to schedule an appointment to figure out what you’re dealing with, please contact one of our offices in McAllen or Edinburg, Texas.