How To Avoid Postpartum Leaking
Tis’ the season…for coughing, sneezing, & leaking?
Unfortunately so many of us have had that moment…at a holiday party, a play date, running errands, you feel a sneeze coming on and try to play coy crossing your legs hoping for the best. Well, we can do better, much better. You can’t fix your pelvic floor issues overnight, or right before you need to cough or sneeze, but there are definitely a few things you can do to set yourself up for success, and hopefully, less leakage.
Untuck your butt-this might sound counterintuitive, especially when we need to cough. Typically we hunch over and cough/sneeze into our arm, but this really doesn’t support our pelvic floor. Instead, try sticking out your bum, so when you exert that downward pressure, your pelvic floor is pulled taut. We don't want you walking around like that all day, but when you need to exert max force, bum out will give you max protection.
Breathe down-If you have a few moments to spare before that cough/sneeze, try taking a purposeful inhale down into your pelvic floor, letting it fully relax. Think of this as prepping your pelvic floor for a maximal contraction. By achieving its full range of motion with a lengthening inhale, you’ll be more prepared for a maximal contraction when you need it the most.
Don’t hold that sneeze-by holding a sneeze you’re holding in pressure, and by tightening your pelvic floor before sneezing, you’re actually working against its power to prevent leakage. Pro tip-never blow your nose on the toilet!
Don’t cross your legs-Again, this might sound counterintuitive, but if you already have pelvic floor weakness, crossing your legs forcefully mixed with max downward pressure from a cough/sneeze won’t give your pelvic floor muscles a chance to lift and contract properly.
See a pelvic floor therapist-you’ll learn many more strategies to optimize your pelvic floor function, and prevent unwanted symptoms such as leakage, heaviness, pain, and more.
