Incontinence – Urine, Gas & Stool

Incontinence – Urine, Gas & Stool

Incontinence is the term used for involuntary leakage of urine, wind or stool. It’s a common problem for many women during and after pregnancy, when the pelvic floor has been under increased strain. And although incontinence is common after childbirth, it can affect everyday life more than we tend to talk about.

What is incontinence?

Put simply, incontinence means having difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels. It can involve small or larger leaks of urine, wind or stool – and for some women, more than one type of leakage.

Incontinence is a symptom, not a disease. How much it affects everyday life varies greatly from woman to woman. The pelvic floor plays an important role, as it helps support the bladder and bowel and works together with the sphincter muscles to maintain continence.

Incontinence after pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnancy and childbirth put the pelvic floor under considerable strain. The weight of the growing uterus, hormonal changes and birth itself can all affect the muscles, connective tissue and nerves in the area. This can make it harder for the pelvic floor to respond quickly when it needs to.

That’s why some women experience incontinence after giving birth. For some, it starts soon after birth, while others first notice symptoms later – e.g. when everyday life becomes more physically demanding. Symptoms often improve with time, but they can persist if the pelvic floor is still having difficulty providing enough support and control.

Different types of incontinence

Incontinence covers several types of involuntary leakage. Urinary incontinence is one of them and can happen in different ways.

Stress incontinence is leakage that happens during physical strain, such as coughing, sneezing, laughing, lifting or exercise. When pressure in the abdomen increases, the pelvic floor muscles may not be able to provide enough support to prevent urine from leaking.

Urge incontinence, also known as urgency urinary incontinence, involves a sudden, strong need to pee that can be difficult to delay. You may struggle to reach the toilet in time, even when your bladder isn’t necessarily full.

Anal incontinence is the involuntary loss of wind or stool. It can occur, for example, if the sphincter muscles or nerves around the anus have been affected during childbirth.

How is incontinence treated?

Treatment depends on the type of incontinence you have and what is causing your symptoms. For many women, the first steps are getting the right information and guidance and doing targeted pelvic floor exercises. These can help improve the strength, control and timing of the pelvic floor muscles.

If your symptoms are having a significant impact on you, or if incontinence continues 8-12 weeks after giving birth, it’s a good idea to have your pelvic floor assessed and find out what further support may help.

Pelvic floor exercises for incontinence

Pelvic floor exercises can play an important role in managing incontinence. They can help strengthen the pelvic floor and improve how quickly the muscles respond in situations where leakage tends to happen – such as coughing, sneezing, lifting or moving.

Regular pelvic floor exercises can improve strength and control and help reduce leakage in everyday life. But pelvic floor training doesn’t have to mean setting aside time for a separate workout. You can also use your pelvic floor in everyday situations – gently engaging the muscles when you feel a sneeze coming, before lifting your shopping bags or during physical activity.

To get the most out of pelvic floor training, it can be helpful to have your pelvic floor assessed by a healthcare professional. This gives you a better understanding of where you’re starting from and makes it easier to follow how your pelvic floor strength improves over time.