There is a wide range of “normal” when it comes to emptying your bowels or bladder. Some people poop three times a day, and some, three times a week. Roughly 6-7 visits a day to pee is average; generally, every three to four hours is what we’d expect in a healthy, well-hydrated person. But a range of 4-10 times a day is alright, assuming you aren’t bothered by other symptoms. It’s when you’re going [...]
Whether you're coughing from a cold or sneezing from allergies, leakage isn't anyone's idea of a great way to pass the time. Sometimes that incontinence happens because the small muscles around the urethra (where we pee from) were injured or weakened during delivery. Sometimes it's because the muscles are too tight, and when your bladder is full, those muscles can't tighten anymore when suddenly loaded from above with a sneeze, cough, or a jump. [...]
1 in 3 women has bowel bladder or sexual issues after delivery 1 in 3 new moms report bowel and bladder issues after giving birth, and about half of all new moms have pelvic pain in the months after they’ve delivered. These problems don’t just go away on their own, and many women just suffer in silence, assuming this is “the new normal.” It doesn't have to be. Your body can heal... [...]
Women Spend $750 a Year Out of Pocket to Manage Their Incontinence Leak when you sneeze? Dribble when you jump? Another Momma Care Monday is upon us, and I'm here to lay some cold hard truth on you: urinary incontinence (UI) affects approximately 20 million people in the United States. Among women, the prevalence ranges from 26–46%, depending on the study you read (Wilson et al 2001). But just because it's common doesn't mean [...]
A study in a European ob-gyn journal: it found women who get EARLY postpartum physical therapy (as soon as the first month after delivery) when they sustained 3rd or 4th degree tears (into their anal sphincter regions) recover better and faster in resolving incontinence (which includes unexpectedly passing gas!) than those who wait until after the six week follow up to start. SO DON’T WAIT. Don’t let your MD dismiss your pain or your concerns. [...]
Another Word of the Day Wednesday is upon us. Also, Happy November! Today's word is NOCTURIA. It means waking up a lot at night in order to pee. Normally, the body produces less urine at night, so you can have some restful, uninterrupted sleep for 6+ hours. But if you're an older adult, you produce less of the antidiuretic hormone that helps you decrease urine production and retain fluid. The pelvic floor muscles that hold [...]