Bringing a baby into the world is a life-changing experience—but it can also bring unexpected changes to your body. One of the most common (and least talked-about) postpartum challenges is urinary incontinence. If you’re leaking a little when you sneeze, laugh, lift your baby, or feel a sudden urge to go, you’re far from alone. Up to half of new mothers experience some level of bladder leakage after childbirth.
The good news? Postpartum incontinence is usually treatable and often temporary. Here’s what causes it, what you can do at home, and when to seek professional help.
Why Incontinence Happens After Birth
Pregnancy and delivery place significant stress on the pelvic floor—the group of muscles and tissues that support your bladder, uterus, and bowel.
Common causes include:
- Weakened pelvic floor muscles from pregnancy pressure
- Nerve stretching during childbirth
- Hormonal changes that affect tissues and muscle tone
- Vaginal delivery or long pushing stages, which can temporarily reduce bladder control
Even C-section parents can experience incontinence due to pregnancy-related pelvic floor changes.
Types of Postpartum Urinary Incontinence
Understanding the type you’re experiencing can help you choose the right strategies:
- Stress incontinence: Leakage when you sneeze, cough, lift, or exercise
- Urge incontinence: Sudden, strong urge followed by leakage
- Mixed incontinence: A combination of both
Most postpartum parents experience stress incontinence, especially early on.
What You Can Do to Improve Incontinence at Home
1. Start with Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegels)
Strengthening your pelvic floor is one of the most effective ways to regain bladder control.
How to do a proper Kegel:
- Imagine stopping the flow of urine (don’t actually practice on the toilet)
- Squeeze those muscles for 3–5 seconds
- Relax for the same amount of time
- Repeat 10–15 times, 3 times a day
Tip: If you’re unsure whether you’re doing them correctly, a pelvic floor physical therapist can help.
2. Try Postpartum Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
This is one of the gold-standard treatments for postpartum incontinence.
A pelvic floor therapist can help with:
- Correct breathing and core engagement
- Biofeedback to improve muscle control
- Strengthening or relaxing pelvic muscles depending on your needs
- Guidance for returning to exercise safely
Many people see improvement within weeks once they begin therapy.
3. Stay Hydrated (Yes, Really!)
It might feel counterintuitive, but drinking too little water can make symptoms worse. Concentrated urine irritates the bladder, increasing urgency.
4. Consider Bladder Training
This method helps retrain your bladder to hold urine longer.
Try:
- Going to the bathroom on a schedule instead of waiting for the urge
- Gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits
This works especially well for urge incontinence.
5. Watch Your Triggers
Certain foods and drinks can irritate the bladder, including:
- Caffeine
- Carbonated drinks
- Citrus
- Artificial sweeteners
- Alcohol
Limiting them—especially in the early postpartum weeks—may help reduce leakage.
6. Strengthen Your Core (Gently)
Postpartum core weakness affects pelvic floor function. Avoid intense ab workouts early on, but consider:
- Diaphragmatic breathing
- Gentle core activation (like “drawing in” exercises)
- Postnatal-specific training programs
Avoid sit-ups or heavy lifting until your pelvic floor feels strong and supported.
When to Seek Professional Help
While some leakage in the first 6–12 weeks is common, you should talk to a healthcare provider if:
- Incontinence is getting worse instead of better
- You can’t feel your pelvic floor engage at all
- You have significant pain or heaviness in the pelvis
- Leakage continues beyond 3–6 months postpartum
- You had a severe tear during birth or assisted delivery (forceps, vacuum)
Medical treatments may include pelvic floor therapy, pessaries, medications (for urge incontinence), or minimally invasive procedures for long-term cases.
Postpartum urinary incontinence may feel frustrating or embarrassing, but it is common, treatable, and nothing to hide. With patience, the right exercises, and sometimes professional guidance, most new parents regain full bladder control.
Your body has done something extraordinary—give it the time and support it needs to recover.Looking to optimize your well being with pelvic floor physical therapy? Reach out to us at Pelvic Health Center in Madison, NJ to set up an evaluation and treatment! Feel free to call us at 908-443-9880 or email us at [email protected]