It's estimated that around 40 percent of women experience some incontinence during pregnancy and up to 30 percent have incontinence after delivery. Many bladder and bowel problems that do not become obvious until middle age can be traced back to child-bearing. Taking care during pregnancy and after birth can benefit you later.
For a few women, having a baby leads to unwanted leakage from the bladder or, sometimes, the bowel. Contributory factors include forceps delivery, more than one vaginal delivery, a baby larger than four kilograms, a long labour or tears in or around the vagina. Contributing factors are constipation, straining, chronic coughing and excess weight.
Prevention is possible:
- Learn and practise pelvic floor muscle exercises.
- Avoid constipation, which is common in pregnant women. Iron tablets, lack of fluid and fibre contribute. Eat a good variety of foods — fruit, grains, cereal, vegetables and legumes — and drink at least two litres of fluid a day (water is great).
- Take measures to avoid urinary tract infections or get medical help for them smartly.
- Don't delay passing urine — it's normal for pregnant women to urinate six to eight times in 24 hours.
- Don't drink alcohol.
- Keep active by walking. Stop smoking, not just for your baby, but because coughing can put strain on the pelvic floor and add to muscle weakness.
- Practise those pelvic floor exercises.
After the birth, avoid pushing down movements that may strain or weaken muscles. When opening your bowels, avoid straining. Before coughing or sneezing, if you can, squeeze, lift and hold in your pelvic floor muscles. This is called "the knack".
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