How to prevent leaking
Leaking is something lots of women talk about after having children, or at least think about.
It's something I often hear women discuss, years after childbirth - many of them accepting that this is just something they have to live with.
I wanted to write this blog to finally tell you the truth. That leaking is not something you have to accept and that there are many things you can do to prevent it from being part of your life.
Your Pelvic Floor Can Recover from Pregnancy and Childbirth
During pregnancy, the muscles of your pelvic floor are stretched, loosened and put under increased pressure, therefore it is understandable that you may experience leaking before and after childbirth. That being said, I want to reassure you that full recovery is absolutely possible, it just may take focus, work and consistency on your part. Good news is, there are many professionals who are experts in this field who are on hand to help you. A Women's Health Physiotherapist is my go-to recommendation as your first point of call when it comes to assessing your pelvic floor function and starting a progressive rehab plan which is bespoke to you and your needs. From kegels, to breathing work, to exercises that can be done easily at home, following a plan and sticking with it will help you on the road to recovery. I work closely with a brilliant Women's Healthy Physio based in Cardiff (Gillian McCabe - find her information here) and would be happy to help you find someone based near you if you need a recommendation.
Exercise Will Make a Big Difference in your Recovery
The next step is looking into your exercise routine and making sure you have a focussed, progressive programme which incorporates pelvic floor and core work as a priority. Recovery of your core after pregnancy is initially (and most importantly!) an internal process. With my clients - and I do this during pregnancy too! - I teach them breathing techniques which enable them to work their core and pelvic floor in sync. We ensure that they are supporting their pelvic floor muscles effectively when exerting force during exercise. Strength training is not just about increasing muscle mass or ‘toning up’ the muscles you can see on the outside, it's about strengthening from the inside. It's about learning how to breathe and how to move your body in a way which supports and improves your pelvic floor and core function and recovery. Adding strength exercises into your routine which specifically focus on pelvic floor rehab will ultimately help you to get back into other exercises you love which may be higher-impact such as running and jumping.
Leaking is common…but it isn't normal. And you shouldn't have to ‘put up with it’.
Just because lots of women experience the side effect of leaking after having children, it does not mean that we should accept it as ‘normal’ and something that cannot be fixed. By looking into a physiotherapy assessment, or starting some physio-advised exercises like kegels and breathing work is a really great place to start. Technology can even help lots these days - such as the Elvie Trainer and the Squeezy app which aim to encourage and support you with your pelvic-floor specific training.
Essentially, I want to highlight to you how we, as women, do not need to put up with a dysfunctional pelvic floor. We do not need to accept the fact that we can no longer go running, or play with our children at the trampoline park, or take part in the skipping station at an exercise class. What we do need to do is to figure out where our pelvic floor function is at currently and make a plan of action regarding our recovery.
Has this hit home with you? Or perhaps you know somebody who does experience leaking and wants to know how they can stop it? Please pass this email on, or get in touch any time for more advice and info - I am always happy to chat!