Becoming a mother can be one of life’s most joyful events. But while it’s a joyous event, that doesn’t mean it’s easy!
Just as your body experiences significant changes while pregnant, your body will also experience substantial changes postpartum. During pregnancy, organs are moved around to accommodate the growing baby, and once the baby is born, those organs start moving back to their original positions. It’s no small feat carrying a human for nine months!
And to add to postpartum stress, some mothers may have false expectations based on myths about post-pregnancy incontinence.
Let’s set the record straight, and do some myth-busting around the issue of post-pregnancy incontinence.
A Quick Word About the Bladder
Your bladder, which rests under the uterus, is a muscular organ located above the pelvic bone and held in place by the pelvic muscles. A tube (the urethra) lets urine flow from the bladder and out of your body. Your bladder muscle relaxes as urine fills the bladder, and the sphincter muscles help keep the bladder closed until you’re ready to urinate.
The nervous system is an essential component of bladder control. When your bladder is full, it sends signals to the brain, and in turn, the brain sends a message back to the bladder signaling it’s time to empty it.
The short story is that muscles and nerves must be in sync for the bladder to function properly.
What Happens to My Bladder When I’m Pregnant?
When a woman is carrying a child, the baby can place a lot of pressure on the bladder, which can lead to leakage (urinary incontinence). Since your bladder rests under the uterus, as your growing baby expands, the bladder compresses and leaves less room for urine and incontinence occurs.
While this issue usually goes away within a few weeks after birth, bladder control problems may continue for some women long after giving birth.
What Causes Bladder Control Loss in Women After Pregnancy?
Several conditions can cause post-pregnancy incontinence, including:
Pelvic Organ Prolapse: If the pelvic muscles that hold the bladder in place become weak, the bladder can slip out of position (a condition called cystocele).
Pelvic Nerve Damage: If a woman experiences a long or difficult delivery, pelvic nerves can become damaged and may not send signals to the brain when the bladder is full.
Injury: In instances where a doctor uses forceps to facilitate the delivery, pelvic floor muscles and anal sphincter muscles (which help keep urine from leaking) may be damaged.
Prolonged Pushing: Prolonged and difficult labor can also cause nerve damage and weakening of the pelvic muscles that hold the bladder in place.
It should be noted that the risk of incontinence after pregnancy is often determined by your particular pregnancy, type of delivery, and even the number of children you have.
Treatments
One prevailing and stubborn myth about post-pregnancy incontinence is that it is inevitable and is a permanent condition. Neither of these statements is true!
In cases where women do experience incontinence after having a baby, there are a number of excellent treatment options. Let’s take a look at a few.
Kegel Exercises
Kegel exercises are an easy way to strengthen your pelvic floor. Imagine you are trying to stop the flow of urine so that the pelvic and bladder muscles contract and tighten. Doing these exercises once a day can go a long way to help with incontinence.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
In the case of Pelvic Organ Prolapse, there are several treatments available:
A doctor may recommend something called Cystocele repair, which is a surgery to correct the bladder prolapse.
Or your urologist may recommend Enterocele/Rectocele repair, which is a surgery that corrects issues with the small bowel and rectal prolapse.
Finally, a surgery called a Sacrocolpopexy repairs the prolapse of the vaginal vault and restores it to its normal position and function.
Coaptite Injection
This procedure involves the injection of an agent underneath the lining of the urethra to prevent incontinence. It is used to achieve closure at the bladder neck to mid-urethra.
Urethral Sling
This minimally invasive, outpatient procedure is used to provide support to the urethra or bladder neck. The sling itself is usually made from synthetic material or, in some cases, a strip of the patient’s own body tissue.
When to See Your Doctor
Most post-pregnancy urinary incontinence resolves itself, but if you’re experiencing symptoms for six or more weeks after giving birth, it’s time to consult the experts.
The Norman Urology physicians are experts in the field of urology, and we can walk you through the best exercises and treatments that will be most effective in keeping your bladder healthy.
We have years of experience helping patients attain and maintain bladder health and are also trained to perform many minimally-invasive, outpatient surgeries for those who would benefit.
We’d love to talk with you today!