How To Manage Leaks During And After Pregnancy - National Association For Continence (2024)

You’re expecting and you couldn’t be happier! There’s literally a mini-you baking in the oven and you feel proud, excited, and even nervous about it. However, now the phrase, “you’re expecting”, has taken on a new meaning. Sure, you’re expecting a baby, but you also may begin to throw up at random times, crave things you’ve never desired before, and even leak a little after a sneeze. Nobody told you that you should be expecting all of that!

You’re able to get past the sleepless nights and aches and pains, but these leaks, they’re not your thing. However, this too shall pass. In the meantime, you can implement a few techniques and products to make it a little more bearable.

What’s Up With These Leaks?

A woman’s body goes through A LOT while carrying a baby! The uncomfortable experiences are the body’s way of adapting for the baby and preparing for childbirth. I mean, we’ve got to expect a little discomfort with a baby growing and organs shifting to make room for it, right?

Stressed Out Sphincter

You can thank your expanding uterus for putting pressure on the bladder and making you spritz when you walk, talk, laugh and sneeze. This extra pressure on your bladder is known as stress incontinence and this happens when the bladder sphincter doesn’t function well enough to hold in urine.

Hormones Going Haywire

Hormones play a big part too. Relaxin is a hormone that relaxes your muscles in preparation for labor. Progesterone is also released to soften your ligaments. The result? A pelvic floor that’s looser and softer, which leads to less control of your bladder.

Bladder Spazzes and Spritz

Are you frequenting the ladies’ room more often than usual? Then you might have an overactive bladder. This happens when the bladder starts uncontrollably spazzing out and it’s a common condition for pregnant women.

Can I Do Anything About It?

The short answer is yes, you can do something about it. However, what you do about it might not actually stop the leaks. It’s one of those things that you can’t 100 percent control. However, there are things you can do to help manage it during your pregnancy.

Kegel exercises are helpful before, during and after pregnancy. Doing just a few sets of 20-30 Kegel exercises a day can help whip your pelvic floor muscles into shape. Keep in mind, a stronger pelvic floor can better support your uterus and bladder, which could mean fewer leaks. Plus, they’ll come in handy when it’s time to give birth! However, before you decide to implement anything new, like Kegel exercises, be sure to consult with your doctor first.

You’re probably tempted to cut back on your water intake but that’s not a good idea. Ensure you’re getting the recommended amount of water each day. Otherwise, you could wind up with dehydration or an unpleasant UTI.

Could your diet irritate your bladder? It’s certainly possible. Ditch the soda pops, coffee (sorry!), tomatoes, and citrus stuff.

Products Can Help You, Too

One way to keep your leaks to yourself is by using pads, but not just any kind of pads. If you’re tempted to grab one of your menstrual pads that have been stashed away for a while, please don’t. They might look like they can get the job done but they won’t. Menstrual pads are great for absorbing menstrual flow but not the rapid output of urine. Instead, look into bladder control pads. They’re much more comfortable and offer better protection. Bladder control pads are designed to control odor, keep you dry, and let you remain discreet about your leak

Using a Product is Okay

A lot of women are embarrassed about bladder leakage and don’t discuss options with friends or their doctor. Others feel like a few leaks aren’t that big of a deal. No matter how you feel about it, you don’t have to just deal with it. Doing a few Kegels and wearing a bladder control pad as a backup is a great strategy for managing leaks.

Growing a human being inside of you is going to cause a lot of physical and hormonal changes that you may or may not expect. However, one thing you can expect is to have options to make those pesky leaks a little more bearable!

What are you currently doing about leaks? Tell us about it in the comments!