Urinary Incontinence Treatment After Childbirth: Solution Available Now
Some women are lucky enough to not experience any urinary incontinence after giving birth.
Unfortunately, most women do have some degree of urinary leakage due to the stress that childbirth places on the bladder.
Luckily, there are several treatment options available for postpartum incontinence including Kegel exercises and pelvic floor physical therapy.
One easy way to find out if you’re experiencing postpartum incontinence is by testing your urine after laughing, coughing, or sneezing.
If you are leaking a few drops of urine during these activities then it’s likely time to seek treatment before it becomes more problematic!
Disclaimer:
This article is written for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information should not be construed as offering medical opinions. Any of the recommended treatments presented here may cause side effects and complications of varying severity; therefore one must always consult a medical professional before administering any treatment.
Urinary incontinence treatment after childbirth
There are a wide variety of bladder control solutions available for postpartum urinary incontinence.
The most common treatment option is Kegel exercises which help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder.
Another popular treatment option includes using a pessary, or a soft silicone ring inserted in your vagina to keep your urethra from opening too wide and allowing urine to leak out.
If pelvic exercises or pessaries don’t quite fix your problem then your doctor might suggest a bladder lift, labiaplasty, or vaginal vault suspension.
These procedures are designed to tighten the loose muscle around the urethra which will help prevent urinary incontinence after childbirth.
Let’s see in detail what is exactly Kegel exercises and how it helps in the treatment of urinary incontinence after childbirth?
What Is Kegel Exercises?
Kegel exercises help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles which support the bladder and urethra. The most common symptom of weak pelvic floor muscles is urine leakage.
Kegel exercises for urinary incontinence may be done either with or without equipment and can be effective in reducing the amount of urine that escapes. Kegel exercises usually require a period of practice before results are noticed.
How do Kegel Exercises help?
Pregnancy changes a woman’s body forever, which includes weakening your pelvic floor muscles. Eventually, these pelvic muscles will lose the ability to contract and support your bladder which results in urine leakage.
Kegel exercises can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by exercising them through specific exercises that isolate the muscle groups.
The more practice you have with isolating these muscle groups, the faster they begin to contract and support your bladder.
No special equipment is required to perform Kegel exercises, but some women choose to use either vaginal cones or resistance devices for added comfort.
How To Do Kegel Exercises?
Kegel exercises can help prevent urinary incontinence after childbirth by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder. Kegel exercises are generally easy to do, but require practice before you see results.
You can learn how to do Kegel exercises by first identifying your pelvic floor muscles.
Start by stopping the flow of urine when you are on the toilet to fully empty your bladder. Once your bladder is completely empty, try to squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles.
These are the same muscle groups that you would contract if you were trying to stop yourself from passing gas.
To help isolate these muscle groups, imagine pulling up as though you’re trying to bring your vagina closer to your belly button.
The next step is practicing Kegel exercises. Perform these exercises three to five times a day. Start with one set of 10 repetitions and build up to three sets of 15 overtime.
How Long Will It Take To See Results?
Pregnancy changes a woman’s body forever, which includes weakening the pelvic floor muscles which eventually lose the ability to contract and support your bladder resulting in urine leakage.
Kegel exercises help strengthen these weakened pelvic floor muscles by exercising them through specific exercises that isolate the muscle groups.
The more practice you have with isolating these muscle groups, the faster they begin to contract and support your bladder.
What is a pessary?
Pessaries are devices that fit into the vagina. They’re made of either silicone or rubber, and they usually have a rough outer layer to help them stay in place.
Unlike Kegel exercises for urinary incontinence, pessaries do not provide support for your bladder. Instead, these devices physically lift your bladder up, which helps to reduce the amount of urine that leaks out.
How Do Pessaries Help?
Pessaries are hollow devices that sit between the vagina and the bladder to prevent leakage.
They come in many different shapes, but they usually consist of a round or oval-shaped bar which allows for movement up and down. This can be helpful if you experience frequent pelvic floor muscle spasms.
Pessaries are also made of either silicone or rubber. Silicone pessaries tend to feel more comfortable than rubber, but longer-term use may irritate your skin.
These devices are usually recommended after childbirth because they’re the least invasive option for managing postpartum urinary incontinence.
How Do You Use A Pessary?
Pessaries can be a great option for urinary incontinence if you’re looking for a quick and simple fix.
First, your doctor should perform a physical exam to identify the severity of your postpartum urinary incontinence.
This is because some pessaries may only provide temporary relief while others work better for more significant leakage.
Your doctor will probably fit you for a pessary by having you place one hand on your lower abdomen and feeling your pelvic floor muscles contract. This is so they know where to place the device within the vagina.
Next, they’ll pull down your underwear and insert a speculum into the vagina so that they can get a better view of the vaginal walls.
Afterward, they’ll slowly peel your skin away from your bladder and insert a pessary into the vagina. They should also use a ring to secure it against the wall of the vagina.
In most cases, this is a quick, non-invasive procedure that can be repeated as needed to help you maintain your normal activities. These should only be worn during the first six weeks after childbirth while you recover, and should not be left in for more than 12 hours at a time.
What is Surgical Treatment for urinary incontinence?
If pessaries or Kegel exercises fail to provide adequate relief from your urinary incontinence, your doctor may recommend surgery. This is typically reserved for severe cases in which other treatments have not worked.
Some men and women who experience stress incontinence may also consider this option to help them regain bladder control.
Do I Need Surgical Treatment?
Surgery is recommended when soft tissue repair, pessaries, and Kegel exercises fail to provide you with adequate relief from stress urinary incontinence.
The three common surgical options for managing urinary incontinence are:
A sling procedure: This can be performed as an outpatient procedure with local anesthesia. A surgeon will make a small incision around the urethra and pull it up closer to your abdomen. The idea is that wearing this sling will help you maintain complete control over your bladder contractions.
A mid-urethral tape or mesh: In this procedure, the surgeon will place a tape or mesh at the level of your urethra to help keep it closed. The benefit of these devices is that they don’t involve cutting through the bladder wall, which means that you’ll experience less pain and scarring.
Bladder neck suspension: If your pelvic floor muscles are too weak to prevent leakage, your doctor may recommend this procedure. It involves cutting through the bladder’s neck in order to stabilize it closer to your abdominal wall.
This procedure will generally restore continence in most cases of stress incontinence after childbirth. However, some patients experience urinary incontinence again when they cough or perform other activities that put pressure on the bladder.
In some cases, it’s possible to have more than one type of surgery. For example, a sling might be used in combination with a mid-urethral tape to manage stress urinary incontinence after childbirth.
What Can You Expect Post-Surgery?
It’s essential to note that every patient is different. Some individuals are able to return to work within a matter of days while others need several weeks or even months.
You’ll have an easier time recovering from surgery if you’re in good health prior to the procedure and if you avoid smoking before and after surgery.
Post-surgery, you’ll experience some level of pain and discomfort depending on the type of surgery that you had. For this reason, it’s important to let the doctor know if your symptoms become severe.
It can take up to six weeks for you to recover from urethral sling surgery. The typical recovery period for mid-urethral tape or mesh is around two weeks. However, some patients report that it took much longer to feel completely recovered.
Depending on the procedure that you had, you may experience urinary incontinence again if your muscles are too weak to keep control over your bladder contractions.
You’ll need to follow up with the doctor after surgery to help ensure that you do not experience ongoing issues related to stress damage or weakening of pelvic floor muscles.
If you’re considering vaginal birth after a cesarean, it’s important to know that your risk for urinary incontinence increases significantly if the procedure fails. For this reason, it’s recommended that you don’t have another C-section if you previously experienced urinary incontinence after having a vaginal delivery.
If you’re suffering from stress incontinence or are at risk of developing the condition, it’s important to consult with your doctor.
He or she can prescribe treatment options that are best suited for your needs. In some cases, you’ll need to take oral medications for a brief period before surgery.
