Question: I’ve had bladder leaks ever since I had my son 2 weeks ago. Will my bladder leaks improve over time after childbirth?

Answer: This is such a common question and one we get a lot from new mothers. The fact is, 1 in 3 women report urinary incontinence within the first 3 months of childbirth. Four years later? 1 in 3 women still reports urinary incontinence. Bladder leaks do not always get better on their own after having kids. 

Did you know that the pelvic floor muscles can stretch up to >250% during vaginal childbirth? And for women who have had cesarean births, those C-section scars can impact core muscle activity, and lead to poor support of the pelvic floor and bladder leaks. 

Caring for yourself after giving birth can be really difficult. Taking care of a newborn, navigating your professional and personal life, and maybe even caring for other children or family members puts a tremendous strain on mamas. However, as tough as it may be, working on improving your bladder leaks sooner rather than later will help keep them from getting worse.

If you have recently given birth or are currently pregnant, consider setting up a pelvic health assessment with a pelvic floor physical therapist (PT) at 6 weeks postpartum. If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort prior to 6 weeks, you can still see a pelvic floor PT to help gain some relief. A PT can be incredibly helpful during this time by providing you with an assessment of your condition. He or she will also help you learn how to address your symptoms. 

If seeing a pelvic floor PT is challenging due to your location, time, or finances, make use of free services that can help get you on the right track. Flyte offers a free Ask A (Pelvic) PT service that is available to anyone! Simply schedule a time that works for you and a Doctor of Physical Therapy will give you a call to answer your questions and help guide you in next steps.

About the author and Flyte: 

Shravya Kovela, PT, DPT, OCS is a pelvic health physical therapist and business development manager at Flyte. Flyte is an FDA-cleared novel treatment that tones your pelvic floor muscles and improves bladder leaks in only 5 minutes a day for 6 weeks. Flyte teaches you how to properly do a Kegel and delivers mechanotherapy, gentle mechanical pulses that when paired with an active pelvic floor contraction stimulate the body’s natural healing response to amplify the benefits of a Kegel by 39x. It’s simple, effective, and clinically proven. Flyte will give you your life back – without limitations or bladder leaks. With a free Ask A (Pelvic) Physical Therapist Service and private Facebook group moderated by pelvic health experts, Flyte supports women throughout their journeys to better bladder and pelvic health. Learn more about Flyte at www.flytetherapy.com. 

The NAFC Ask The Doc series provides answers to some of our reader’s most common questions from a group of experts in the fields of urology, pelvic floor health, bowel health, and absorbent products. Do you have a question you’d like answered? Click here to Ask The Doc!