Is my bladder leakage normal? Is wearing liners, pads or diapers my only solution? These are questions that approximately one in three Australian women who have had a baby are likely to ask in their lifetime. Before we get to the answers, let’s start with the basics. What is incontinence? Incontinence is a broad term that ranges in severity from a small amount of accidental leakage of urine to a complete loss of bladder and/or bowel control. During pregnancy and childbirth and over-time with ageing pelvic floor support structures, muscles and nerves are stretched and do not work as effectively. As a result you might leak urine when you cough, sneeze or run or you might feel the urge to pass urine and not be able to reach the toilet on time. Incontinence may start as a child, during pregnancy, immediately after childbirth or develop as you age. There are strategies that you can use to successfully treat and prevent incontinence from occurring including:

• Protecting and strengthening your pelvic floor muscles
• Maintaining good bladder and bowel habits
• Minimising heavy lifting
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Participating in regular low impact exercise such as walking until your pelvic floor is strong enough to tolerate high impact exercise

Bladder and/or bowel leakage are treatable conditions that can be managed in ways other than just by wearing pads. If you are concerned or have experienced any:

• Leaking from your bladder or bowel when not on the toilet
• Need to rush to the toilet or leak on the way to the toilet
• Or have any concerns about your pelvic floor function

It may be worth your time to speak to a Women’s Health Physiotherapist for a more individualised assessment. We have a Women's Health team that work across all our practice locations - – Heather Minnich (Westmead & Penrith), Samantha Khanna (Westmead & Blacktown), Lara Pogrolesky (Westmead) and Felicity Martin (Norwest).