If you've given birth to a baby, you know that things never really go back to the way they used to be. Our bodies are different, whether it's a few stretch marks, a new hair texture, or sagging boobs. And for many of us, that change also includes incontinence.
Plenty of women tinkle a bit when they cough, sneeze, and even laugh, but just because many of us do it doesn't mean it's normal or that we have to. Samantha Scroggin suffered for years from bladder leakage after the birth of her son, but she found life-changing results with pelvic floor physical therapy, and she wants us all to try it.
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Scroggin knew something was wrong the day she gave birth.
She lamented in an essay for HuffPost that she didn't remember having bladder leakage issues before giving birth, but as soon as her son was born, she knew something wasn't right.
"Labor with my son lasted 30-something hours. Later, when I pushed myself up to a sitting position in the hospital bed, IV hooked to my arm, the gush came and it didn't stop until my bladder was empty. This wasn't a 'cough and pee a little' situation. We are talking zero bladder control," she wrote.
She explained that she told her nurse, who expressed concern and advised Scroggin to talk with her OB at her postpartum appointment. The gushing stopped, but the leaking continued. She was so wrapped up in being a mom, she went on about her life and wore a pad.
Her mom friends experienced bladder leakage too, but hers was different.
Scroggin explained that friends spoke about the occasional tinkling when they laughed or coughed, but hers was much more intense and started to affect her quality of life.
"Even walks around the block at work during lunchtime could result in wet pants and a moist desk chair. And that was while wearing a pad. It was humiliating. Carrying around an extra change of undies and pants in your car trunk is no way to live," she shared.
She took some advice during a recent gynecologist appointment and met with a physical therapist.
Scroggin began pelvic floor physical therapy and has seen tremendous results. She wrote that Kegel exercises have dramatically improved her bladder control and changed her life.
"The best part of the pelvic floor physical therapy experience has been the results I've seen in a short time. With my physical therapist's encouragement, I've given up the security blanket of wearing pads at night and now just use pantyliners in my underwear during the day," she explained. "I've learned that it's important to stay hydrated and wait at least two hours between trips to the bathroom, instead of constantly releasing every tinkle 'just to be safe.' I have even been able to go on walks these past few weeks without soaking my pad and undies."
Scroggin continues to make positive changes in her life.
Working on her pelvic floor was just the start for Scroggin. She has made other positive changes, such as scheduling a mammogram and planning for LASIK surgery. She wants other moms to realize that self-care and wellness are important, and we need to make ourselves a priority.
"As mothers, we are used to putting our needs last. We can do it tomorrow, right? Until the tomorrows become weeks, months and years. But we are worth the time and effort of working on ourselves, and getting treatment when treatment is needed. It's not too late," she wrote.
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Lots of women experience incontinence.
According to the Mayo Clinic, about 50% of women experience urinary incontinence. In addition to physical therapy, surgical options include mesh bladder slings and urethral blocking. Although more invasive, they may be necessary to help women whose symptoms are not controlled by other methods. These surgical procedures have an 85% to 95% success rate, the Mayo Clinic claims.
"Although urine incontinence is common, it's not normal. It's important to have a thorough evaluation to determine the type of incontinence and potential causes," Mayo Clinic notes. "Treatment options are available to help women improve the quality of their lives. Discuss your symptoms and concerns with your health care professional."
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
