Exercising with Wee

I have to do this. I cannot blog about mummy life without mentioning the Plague of so many women's lives. Nope not the Wii (that arguably keeps the males out of your way). I'm breaking taboo and mentioning something that the romanticists of childbirth gloss over: urinary incontinence. 

About 40% of women will suffer urinary leakage after having a baby. For some, leaking only happens when they cough, laugh or sneeze (stress incontinence). For others they leak en route to the toilet or when they have an urge (urge incontinence). Many women's symptoms will improve over the first year after a baby especially if they do pelvic floor exercises. Hard to believe that simple exercises can make such a huge difference to your daily life but they do. For some women, their bladder or their urethra is weakened and they may need some surgery to help. 

What's a pain is the inability to do high impact exercise like jogging, tennis, skiing, Zumba etc. If you have stress incontinence you need to avoid too much pressure on the pelvis and stick with walking or yoga. It can feel really restrictive and depressing at times especially if you're a young woman and thought you had a life ahead of you. There are things to take heart though. One, you do not smell of wee. No one can smell it on you. Two, Tena Lady is a god send for those 'oops moments', especially the panty liners. Three, if you want to dance then do, strap on the Always discreet for sensitive bladders and away you go. Four, you're not alone. Loads of women are in the same boat as you so don't let it stop you. Five, losing weight and not drinking too much irritants like caffeine and alcohol helps. Oh and do your pelvic floor exercises.