Incontinence During Pregnancy and How to Manage It
Waiting for the arrival of your baby is surely exciting. But the changes your body goes through to bring them into this world can also worry you at times. One of those is urinary incontinence which you may experience during pregnancy and even after your child is born. This is very common and natural. While surely embarrassing, urine leakage can be easily managed using adult pant-style diapers.
Let’s dig into this issue deeper and learn more about it; the most common types of incontinence issues during pregnancy and how to manage them for your and your baby’s good health.
Is Urinary Incontinence During Pregnancy Normal
Over 30% of all pregnant women tend to experience incontinence. This implies that while it is normal and fairly common to experience urine leakage during your pregnancy, it isn’t absolutely necessary either. Many pregnant women do not suffer from this issue at all.
The urinary incontinence experienced this time is usually stress incontinence which is basically due to the pressure put on the bladder by the growing foetus.
Stress incontinence occurs due to the pressure on the bladder which can be exerted while coughing, sneezing, lifting weights, jogging or even when you stand up from a sitting position. Pant-style diapers are very helpful to prevent urine leaks due to stress incontinence and can help you avoid embarrassing situations.
When Are You Most Likely to Be Incontinent During Pregnancy
As the baby grows in the uterus, it expands and puts pressure on the internal organs, especially the bladder. This is more pronounced during the third trimester making this time more prone to urine leaks.
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However, incontinence in pregnant women can also occur due to the hormonal changes they experience at this time causing overactive bladder. Hence, leakage can also occur earlier in the pregnancy, sometimes making the use of adult diaper pants a necessity.
Another thing to note here is that, while many women find incontinence to relieve once they give birth, others may have urine leakage even after that. This can happen due to:
● Weight gain which puts extra pressure on the bladder
● Weakened pelvic floor muscles due to the strain caused by childbirth
● Muscle tearing caused by the baby, medical equipment or an episiotomy
● Damaged urethral or anal sphincter
Women who have had multiple pregnancies and are older are also at risk of developing urinary incontinence that can occur both before or after the birth of the baby.
How to Manage Urinary. Incontinence During Pregnancy
While there is always the option of using adult pant-style diapers to manage incontinence, there are a few other things that you can do to manage it.
● Exercise- Strengthening pelvic floor muscles through exercises including Kegel exercises can help you gain better control over your urethral sphincter and avoid accidents.
● Diet- Hormonal changes during pregnancy can disturb bowel movements leading to constipation which can indirectly cause incontinence. Hence, you must eat a diet rich in fibre to avoid it and thus prevent urine leakage.
● Weight Management- If you have gained too much excess weight you can talk to your doctor who can advise you on healthy ways of managing it. This can help relieve some pressure from your bladder and prevent leaks.
● Journaling- You can also maintain a diary mentioning your daily food and drink intake to determine which of those may cause or worsen incontinence and avoid those in the future. In general, caffeine and citrus fruits tend to irritate the bladder and cause leakages.
How Can Adult Diaper Pants Help in Incontinence During Pregnancy
Adult diapers are a great tool to manage incontinence. They are made with very soft and absorbent material which can absorb large quantities of liquid quickly and effectively. This prevents it from escaping and causing leakage. Pant-style diapers also help you to stay dry and comfortable all day by keeping moisture at bay. And since they are designed just like regular underwear you can easily wear them too and discreetly under most clothes. Adult pant-style diapers come in a wide range of sizes as well. You can pick one that fits you perfectly. It should neither be too tight nor too loose which is important to prevent leaks and avoid skin rashes, restricted blood flow etc. The waist and the leg bands must be firm but gentle on the skin to prevent leaks. All in all, adult diapers are extremely comfortable to wear, you can stay restful during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Pregnancy brings in lots of changes in the body and incontinence is unfortunately one of them for many women. But as you are now aware, you can manage this condition with proper diet and exercise. And when everything else fails, you must remember that diapers for senior citizens aren’t just diapers for the older generation but are apt for managing incontinence during pregnancy too. So, grab one that fits you well and enjoy a comfortable pregnancy awaiting the arrival of your bundle of joy!
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