ASK THE EXPERT
QSINCE
I had my baby six months ago my bladder’s been very weak and I wet myself, even though I do pelvic floor exercises. Could I be doing the exercises wrong, and is this likely to be a permanent weakness? ASPECIALIST
pelvic health physiotherapist Emma Brockwell, aka Physiomum (physiomum.co.uk) and author of Why Did No One Tell Me?, says: “Leaking urine is unfortunately very common postnatally – it’s reported that one in three women leak urine after having a baby.
“There are various reasons why postnatally women leak urine. Often it’s because the pelvic floor muscles (essential to maintaining continence) need strengthening. During pregnancy and childbirth, the pelvic floor is lengthened and weakened and sometimes injured during a vaginal delivery.
After childbirth, these muscles need to be rehabilitated and pelvic floor exercises are a great start.
Often, women I see who are not seeing improvements are doing their exercises incorrectly.
“Pelvic floor exercises are best done in an upright position, for example sitting. They have to contract and relax (this is the part that’s often forgotten) and they need to be exercised regularly.
“To carry out pelvic floor exercises I recommend sitting upright, but make sure you feel comfortable. Gently squeeze your back passage (as if trying to stop yourself passing wind) and hold up to a count of 12 seconds. Relax for a count of three seconds. Repeat eight to 10 times. Then do some quick squeezes, squeeze your back passage quickly and slowly release, and again repeat eight to 10 times.
“Keep breathing throughout. If you feel you’re holding your breath, squeezing your bottom muscles, or gripping your tummy or inner thigh muscles rather than your perineum (the bridge between your front and back passage) it’s likely you’re doing your exercises incorrectly.
“Research shows a chronic cough, constipation and being overweight can lead to urinary incontinence. Certain drinks, particularly alcohol and fizzy drink, may also aggravate symptoms.
Why Did No One Tell Me? How to Protect, Heal and Nurture Your Body Through Motherhood by Emma Brockwell is published by Ebury, £14.99. Available now.