General Urinary Incontinence – A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO PELVIC HEALTH

Women’s Urinary Incontinence – Overcoming Embarrassment

August 29, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT Find the Right Doctor General Urinary Incontinence Resources and Apps Urinary Incontinence

If you are a woman suffering from urinary incontinence, here are three things you should know:

Only about 50% of women with urinary incontinence ever seek help
Embarrassment is one of the primary reasons preventing these women from asking for help
According to the Agency of Healthcare Research and Policy, urinary incontinence can be improved in 8 out of 10 cases

Does this sound crazy to you?

Why Urinary Incontinence is Embarrassing
Despite the fact that urinary incontinence affects more people than conditions like diabetes or Alzheimer’s, half of all women with urinary incontinence won’t seek help. Those who do seek help wait, on average, almost seven years. Why?

In a recent seminar co-sponsored by the National Association for Continence, experts discussed how cultural taboos prevent people from talking about this topic. These experts explained how shame is associated with bathroom issues from an early age, during the potty-training stage. Young children are taught that they are either “good girls” or “bad girls,” depending on whether they “performed” well in potty training.

Years later, the same “good girl” and “bad girl” language subconsciously haunts women, and keeps them from discussing their problems of urinary incontinence with healthcare providers.

How to Overcome the Embarrassment
While discussing urinary incontinence is embarrassing for many women, there are ways to overcome that emotion. After all, most of us have learned to overcome embarrassment about other situations in our life, why not about urinary incontinence? If you are ready to get over your embarrassment and get help, here are two simple steps you can take:

Discuss Your Situation with the Right Person
Chat with a close woman friend who has had urinary incontinence and sought help. Not only will she understand and sympathize with your situation, but she will be able to offer you guidance and advice based on her own experiences. You need not feel embarrassed talking to someone who has had the same experiences as you.

Learn More About Your Condition
Knowledge is power. Learning more about urinary incontinence gives you the knowledge and power you need to ask for help from a healthcare provider. Learn more about the different kinds of urinary incontinence and the available treatment options. Knowledge about your condition helps you understand that there are solutions available, and gives you the words you need to comfortably discuss your condition with your doctor.

People say that it’s never too late to have a happy childhood. We say that it’s never too early to seek help for your urinary incontinence. The earlier you address your condition, the faster you will see positive results with the right treatment. Commit to taking a step toward drier panties today, whether it be talking to someone about your condition or learning more about urinary incontinence online.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Startling Facts about Adult Diapers and Briefs

August 27, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Women's Healthcare

Did you know that:

•Adult diapers and briefs currently make up 7% of our nation’s landfill?
•Baby diapers currently contribute just 2-3% of landfill waste?
•Diapers are the third largest type of landfill waste?
•The average adult diaper or brief will take up to 200 years to decompose (the same amount of time as an aluminum can)?

In the coming years, adult diapers will contribute an increasing percentage to our landfills. Not only are adult diapers and briefs larger than baby diapers, but the number of adults using diapers is on the rise.

Most diapers go into landfills, which exist on the edge of cities and towns and are eventually covered by dirt. As towns and cities expand over time, they appropriate and build on top of these landfills. Housing developments spread across these previous trash dumps, leading some to wonder what future archaeologists will think when excavating these sites. Will they wonder about the anthropological meaning of so much plastic-backed paper products?

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
If you or someone you know uses adult diaper products, there are two major ways to reduce your carbon footprint, or as some call it, your carbon “buttprint”:

Use diaper boosters or diaper doublers. These are pads that go inside adult diapers, providing extra absorption and making each diaper last longer.
Use long-lasting adult diapers. These diapers have been very popular in Europe and are available mostly online. While the average store-bought adult diaper lasts 2-3 hours, these long-lasting diapers allow users to go 6-8 hours before needing a change.

You can read more about ways to “go green” with adult diapers in Gary Hirsch’s blog.

Of course, the best way to reduce your carbon impact is to get out of adult diapers altogether by reducing symptoms of urinary incontinence. If you haven’t already, ask yourself the three questions we posed in our previous post to see if you have done everything you can to get out of diapers.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Some Facts about Urinary Incontinence to Inspire You to Get Help

August 20, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

Are you a woman suffering from urinary incontinence (UI)? Are you afraid to ask your doctor for help? If so, here are some facts and statistics about UI that may shock you, and give you the courage to ask for help.

You Are Not Alone
Between 13 and 18 million women are regularly affected by UI, and one in four women over the age of 18 has experienced UI. According to the American Association of Family Physicians (AAFP), the number of women affected by UI will only increase as baby boomers age (and there are currently about 79 million baby boomers). At the same time, studies show that about 50% of the women suffering from UI never ask for help. Women who do ask for help wait, on average, almost seven years before doing so.

You are not alone in dealing with UI or in hesitating to ask for help.

Doctors Are More Aware of the UI Problem
According to AAFP, primary care physicians are now seeing many patients complaining of UI. In fact, UI has now become a more prevalent issue than even diabetes or Alzheimer’s for these doctors. Urologists and ob/gyns are seeing the same rise in patients complaining of UI. As a result, UI is starting to become one of the issues to which doctors pay close attention. What does this mean for you?

Don’t be surprised if your doctor asks you about UI, and don’t be afraid to raise the issue if your doctor doesn’t ask.

UI is Not Normal at Any Age
An amazing 35% of the women who have never reported their UI symptoms to a doctor have not raised the issue because they assumed that UI was a normal part of aging. We’ve got news for you: UI is not normal at any age. While many aging women do experience UI, not all aging women do. More importantly, there are many treatments available for women experiencing UI at any age.

No matter your age, if you experience symptoms of UI you should get help.

Don’t run around with wet panties when you don’t have to. Arm yourself with knowledge by learning more about UI on this site, or ask for help from your doctor.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Can You Reduce Your Carbon “Butt Print”?

August 15, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

These days people and companies alike are starting to take action to erase their carbon “foot print,” whether that means driving a hybrid car or going vegetarian.

But if you have women’s urinary incontinence and you use adult diapers or pads, you have to worry about more than your carbon foot print. You have to consider your carbon “butt print.”

What is a Carbon Butt Print?
Your carbon butt print is the amount of waste that you create by using adult diapers. Like many other consumer products that include plastic, diapers take a long, long time to break down in land fills. Hence, every diaper you use and throw away contributes to your carbon butt print.

Consider this:

Adult diapers and briefs currently make up 7% of our nation’s landfill
Baby diapers currently contribute just 2-3% of landfill waste
Diapers are the third largest type of landfill waste
The average adult diaper or brief will take up to 200 years to decompose (the same amount of time as an aluminum can)

Yowza … that’s a lot of carbon. And the number of adult diapers being thrown into landfills will only increase as baby boomers age.

What You Can Do to Reduce Your Carbon Butt Print
Naturally, the best thing for both you and the environment is to get out of adult diapers if at all possible. If you haven’t actually sought help for your women’s urinary incontinence (and about half of all women who have this condition have not), now is the time to do it. Here are some resources to help you get started:

Inspiration to Get Help
Finding the Right Doctor
Preparing for Your Appointment

Aside from that, you can reduce your carbon butt print by following the guidelines here:

Startling Facts about Adult Diapers and Briefs

Good luck and thanks for considering “going green” when dealing with your urinary incontinence!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of Iamnee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Better Get Mad Not Sad

August 13, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General General Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

If you suffer from women’s urinary incontinence, chances are that you will experience one of two emotions about your situation: you’ll be mad or you’ll be sad.

Well guess what? It’s better to be mad rather than sad.

Why Being Mad is Better than Being Sad
When it comes to women’s urinary incontinence, you are far better to get angry about your situation than to feel sad or depressed. Why? Because studies show that women who feel sad or depressed about their situation are less likely to seek help.

In addition, women who are sad or depressed are more likely to:

•Overeat, which only contributes to urine leakage
•Abuse alcohol or sedatives, both of which dull the senses and can interfere with the awareness of the need to urinate
•Lack the incentive to get up and go to the bathroom

While getting angry isn’t necessarily the healthiest emotional response, anger is a more active emotional response. The woman who is angry or frustrated enough about her urine leakage is more likely to pick up the phone and make an appointment with her doctor to get help.

The Bottom Line about Urinary Incontinence
The bottom line, literally, is that when it comes to urine leakage and wet panties, you are far better served if you get mad about your situation than if you just feel sad. Sadness and depression are stagnant emotions, and tend to keep you stuck in the status quo.

If you feel sad or depressed about your urinary incontinence, then stop it. Get mad instead! Think about all the parts of your life that you are missing out on because of your urine leakage problem. Think about all the social situations you no longer attend, all the friends you no longer see, and all the sex you might be missing out on.

Then get mad … and get help! Here are some tips to help you choose the right doctor, prepare for your visit, and use the right words at your appointment:

Find the Right Doctor
3 Steps to Prepare for Your Doctor’s Visit
Use the Right Words at Your Appointment

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: 5 Requirements for Bladder Health

August 8, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Kegels Pelvic Floor Muscles Urinary Incontinence

If you suffer from women’s urinary incontinence, you may be feeling quite frustrated about your wet panties, especially if you haven’t been able to solve your symptoms quickly.

But hold on … the human anatomy is a complicated system, and everything has to work just right for you to avoid urinary incontinence. Did you know that your urinary system has to meet 5 requirements for you to urinate properly?

Really.

The 5 Requirements for Bladder Health
Having a healthy bladder, and resolving your urinary incontinence, means you urinate every three to six hours, which is typical for a healthy person. Unfortunately, if you have women’s urinary incontinence, you probably run for the bathroom far more frequently.

Why is that? One or more of these five functions may not be working well in your body, preventing you from going when you want to … rather than when your body forces you to go.

Requirement #1 for Bladder Health: A Big Enough Bladder
A healthy bladder can hold up to 2 cups of urine before it needs to be emptied. If, for some reason, the walls of your bladder don’t stretch enough to accommodate this amount of urine, you’ll either have urine leakage or need to visit the bathroom often.

Requirement #2 for Bladder Health: Feel the Urge
When your bladder is full, it sends a signal through your nervous system to your brain, which gives you the urge to go. That means that your nervous system has to be functioning properly, and your brain has to interpret the signal correctly. Due to injury, illness, or neurological conditions, some women do not get the sensation of a full bladder and end up instead with wet panties.

Requirement #3 for Bladder Health: Get a Move On
Once your brain sends you the message that you need to urinate, the next impediment is finding a bathroom quickly enough. Hence the “bathroom radar” many women with urinary incontinence develop. For some seniors, speed of movement is a difficulty. For other women, getting their clothes off quickly enough can be a problem. For this reason, many women end up wearing pants with elastic waistbands or other “easy off” clothing. This can definitely ruin a gal’s fashion sense!

Requirement #4 for Bladder Health: Control Those Bladder Muscles
To control your urination and prevent urine leakage, you need strong pelvic floor muscles, especially the muscle called the bladder sphincter. To improve the tone of your pelvic floor muscles, consider doing Kegels and other toning exercises specifically for your muscles “down there.” Many women do Kegels, but incorrectly, so they see very few results. To discover how to do a correct pelvic floor contraction and more, download our free ebook, which gives you step-by-step instructions.

Requirement #5 for Bladder Health: Empty the Bladder Completely
If you are able to get to a bathroom in time to avoid a leakage accident, but then can’t empty your bladder completely, then you’ll feel the urge to urinate soon. The inability to empty your bladder completely not only increases the frequency of your urge to urinate, but can also increase your risk of urinary tract infections. If you feel that your bladder is not emptying completely each time you urinate, check with an urologist. A quick test will confirm whether this is one of the causes of your urinary incontinence.

Steps You Can Take for Bladder Health
Hopefully this snapshot of the different requirements necessary for bladder health gives you an idea of where your body’s urinary system may be breaking down. Armed with this knowledge, you can better communicate with your healthcare providers about your situation.

In addition, check out these resources for women’s urinary incontinence:

Free Ebook: What’s Up Down There?
Online Resources for Women’s Urinary Incontinence

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Would You Rather Have a Red Face or Wet Panties?

August 6, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT Find the Right Doctor General Urinary Incontinence

Embarrassment.

It is the main reason women suffering from urinary incontinence (UI) hesitate to discuss the problem with their doctors. Two-thirds of women never do. The women who do ask for help from healthcare professionals wait, on average, almost seven years before doing so.

That’s a long time to wait, but nothing compares to the true story of a woman who waited 40 years before seeking help! This woman had been dealing with wet panties since the vaginal delivery of her youngest child 40 years ago. Why did this woman wait so long?

Forty Years of Wet Panties
This woman was kind enough to share her story with us so that we could share it with you. While her delay in asking for help is extreme, her story is much like that of many women dealing with UI. Below are the reasons she waited so long before getting help. If you suffer from UI then these will probably sound familiar. She says:

-I was embarrassed to tell my doctor.
-I thought my UI would go away naturally.
-I lost some weight and the UI symptoms got better.
-UI was not really interfering with my life until now.
-I was afraid I would be told nothing could be done.
-I was afraid they would just tell me I was too fat. In fact, one doctor did tell me that.
-Every woman in my family has had this problem so I thought it was normal.

Wow! Does that ring any bells for you? If you have used any of these reasons to justify not seeking help for your UI, you might want to reconsider your position. Here are some thoughts to consider about UI.

Urinary incontinence:

-is not healthy or normal at any age, even if it “runs in the family”
-can and does interfere with your life, whether you acknowledge it or not
-can improve with weight loss, but you may need additional treatment to get maximum relief from your symptoms
-usually does not go away without treatment
-is treatable, with most women finding significant relief or cure via conservative therapies or surgery

The bottom line is that UI can have a stronger negative impact on your life over the long run than any embarrassment you might feel about seeking help from a healthcare professional. Think about it: would you rather be red-faced for a short period of time or deal with wet panties for the rest of your life?

If you do decide to get help for your UI, here are some resources to get you started:

Some Facts about Urinary Incontinence to Inspire You to Get Help
How to Find the Right Doctor to Treat Your Urinary Incontinence
Discover Which Kind of UI You Have

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Post-Partum Statistics

August 1, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT Find the Right Doctor General Urinary Incontinence Kegels Urge Incontinence Urge Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

Did you know that women who have given birth are 2.5 times more likely to have urinary incontinence than women who have not?

It’s sad, but true. During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes many physical and hormonal changes. These changes can result in urinary urgency, urge urinary incontinence, and incomplete emptying of the bladder during pregnancy.

While some women who experience urinary incontinence during pregnancy do not have urine leakage after delivery, many do. The opposite is also true: women who were continent during their pregnancy may discover that they leak urine post-partum.

Some Statistics about Women’s Urinary Incontinence Post-Partum
What’s a mom-to-be or a new mom to think? Well, here are some statistics which may offer you some guidance on what to expect (according to Carolyn Sampselle as reported in the American Journal of Nursing):

–   Vaginal delivery is linked to a high rate of urinary incontinence in the period directly after birth
–   21% of women experience urinary incontinence after their first vaginal delivery with spontaneous birth
–   36% of women experience urinary incontinence after their first vaginal delivery with forceps delivery

Now zoom into the future about five years and you get this statistic: women who experience urinary incontinence for a period of time post-partum are three times as likely to have urinary incontinence five years later.

In addition, in a study by Brown and Lumley (2000), urinary incontinence was one of the three major health factors associated with poor emotional well-being post-partum. The other two factors were tiredness and a higher than usual number of minor illnesses. Ultimately, if left untreated, these factors can lead to long-term depression.

So What is a Post-Partum Mom to Do?
If you suffered from urinary incontinence during your pregnancy, or post-partum, then you should take definite and immediate action. Make an appointment and speak honestly with your doctor about your condition. Find out what conservative measures you can take to improve your symptoms.

Then take charge and be your own best health advocate! Browse through the various posts on this blog to learn how to find the best doctor, talk to your doctor, prepare for your appointment, and more. Or, download our free ebook, “What’s Up Down There” and do a quick self-assessment of your situation “down there.” The ebook also gives you step-by-step instructions on how to do a correct pelvic floor contraction, or Kegel, which helps alleviate many symptoms of urinary incontinence.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of imagerymajestic / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Solving Urinary Incontinence: Avoid Doorknob Conversations with Your Doc

July 30, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT Find the Right Doctor General Urinary Incontinence Resources and Apps Women's Healthcare

When it comes to female urinary incontinence, many women are doorknob conversationalists. What’s a “doorknob conversation”?

It’s where you avoid talking about urinary incontinence during the entire doctor’s appointment because you are too embarrassed to bring it up. Then, at the last moment, literally when your hand is on the doorknob and you are walking out the door, you raise the issue.

Those conversations usually start with, “By the way …” or “I forgot to mention this, but …”

You know what we’re talking about, right? We’ve all done it, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Unfortunately, these kinds of conversations prevent you from getting the help you need. Your doctor isn’t likely to have time at the end of your appointment to fully discuss your urinary incontinence issues, so you’ll end up having to come back for another appointment.

Three Steps to Avoiding Doorknob Conversations
Instead of waiting until you are walking out the door to ask your doc for help, get right to the heart of the issue at the beginning of the appointment. Here are three tips to help you avoid doorknob conversations.

1. Be Clear About the Purpose of Your Appointment
When you call to schedule your appointment, be sure to tell the staff at your doctor’s office that the purpose of your appointment is to discuss urinary incontinence. Be sure to use the words “urinary incontinence” so that your meaning isn’t lost in translation. Be firm with yourself about this!

2. Jot Down Your Symptoms and Questions
To be sure you get exactly the help you need, make a list of all of your symptoms. Include items like when you leak urine, how much urine you leak, triggers for urine leakage, and any other related symptoms. Make a list of all the medications you currently take, as some of these could be related to your symptoms. Finally, jot down any questions you want your doctor to answer.

3. Grab a Buddy
If you are afraid that you will chicken out at the last moment, either by skipping your appointment or failing to actually discuss your symptoms, take a buddy with you to your appointment. Ask your buddy to remind you of the purpose of your appointment, and ensure that you cover every item on your list during your appointment. A trusted friend can offer a lot of moral support and courage.

Need more tips? Check out these resources:

Using the Right Words – Don’t Let Your Symptoms Get Lost in Translation
Learn About the Different Types of Urinary Incontinence
How to Keep a Voiding Diary

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image courtesy of marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: How do You Feel about Bathrooms?

July 23, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT Find the Right Doctor General Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

When you think about bathrooms, how do you feel about them? Are they happy places or something less pleasant?

According to a study by the National Association for Continence (NAFC), the majority of respondents claimed that the bathroom was a happy place for them, a personal refuge. Aside from the obvious, what do these people do in bathrooms?

– 53% read
– 47% think about serious issues
– 33% talk on the telephone
– 27% make love

On the other hand, people with bladder issues had a very different take on bathrooms. Specifically:

People with bladder issues viewed the bathroom as a symbol of incarceration.

In other words, instead of being a happy place, for people with urinary incontinence the bathroom is more of a jailhouse. The fact that 61% of these people have to constantly look for bathrooms when they leave the house for around 3 hours would make it seem like they are perpetually “tethered” to some bathroom or other.

Get Help for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
So what should a gal with urinary incontinence do to “get out of jail”? Get help! Whether you read up about your condition to understand why you experience urine leakage, or simply pick up the phone and make an appointment with your doctor, do something. Here are some places you can start:

Read our in-depth book on women’s pelvic health
Read up on pelvic floor health with our free ebook “What’s Up Down There?”
Find the right doctor
Access discreet online resources about urinary incontinence
View the many faces of women’s urinary incontinence

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: What Questions Will Your Doctor Ask?

July 16, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT Find the Right Doctor General Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

Have you finally taken the big step of calling your doctor and setting an appointment to deal with your urinary incontinence symptoms? If so, good for you.

To prepare yourself for your appointment, you might like to know what kinds of questions your doctor will ask you. Well, we can give you the list of questions, straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

Most physicians in the U.S. will follow the guidelines issued by the Agency for Policy and Research, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

According to these guidelines, physicians are encouraged to ask the following questions:

•Can you tell me about the problems you are having with your bladder?
•Can you tell me about the trouble you are having holding your urine?
•How often do you lose urine when you don’t want to?
•When do you lose urine when you don’t want to?
•What activities or situations are linked with leakage?
•Is it associated with laughing, coughing or getting to the bathroom?
•How often do you wear a pad for protection?
•Do you use other protective devices to collect your urine?
•How long have you been having a problem with urine?

There you have it. Now that you know what questions your doctor is likely to ask, you can prepare your answers ahead of time, so you get the most from your appointment. In addition you may want to check out our three suggested steps for preparing for your appointment:

Three Steps to Prepare for Your Doctor’s Appointment

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

How to Find the Right Doctor to Treat Your Urinary Incontinence

July 11, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT Find the Right Doctor General Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

It can be hard to ask for help with your urinary incontinence (UI). In fact, the average affected woman waits seven years before getting help. What can make the situation even worse is finally asking for help, and then showing up at the doctor’s office and not getting the help you need.

Discussing UI is embarrassing enough, and dealing with a doctor who is insensitive or doesn’t offer the right solutions for you can make you regret asking for help. So how do you find the right doctor to treat your UI? Women who have experienced successful treatment for UI typically get recommendations from one of these sources:

Other women who have been treated for UI
Referrals from their family doctor
Advertisements or internet referral sites

Word-of-Mouth Still Works Best
No one understands the trials and tribulations of UI like another woman who has suffered the same symptoms. Ask women you trust if they have been treated for UI, and if they had a good experience from their care provider. According to the Women’s Sexual Health Foundation, asking women who have already been treated is an excellent way to find a care provider, since these women know “which doctors and other professionals have been helpful.” These same women “often know the inside scoop,” meaning they can provide a more personal view on whether the doctor showed caring, had the right knowledge, and offered useful treatments.

Your Family Doctor Knows You Well
If you don’t feel comfortable asking your women friends for referrals, check in with your family doctor. Chances are that he or she knows you pretty well. Many patients follow this route. A study by the Center for Studying Health System Change shows that seven out of ten people looking for a specialist relied on referrals from their primary care physician. One of the benefits of asking your family doctor for a referral is that he or she is likely to match you with a specialist who suits your personal treatment preferences and personality. They may also be able to refer you to a specialist who works within your health insurance plan.

Find a Specialist through Advertisements or the Internet
While it used to be taboo for doctors to advertise their services, these days it is a perfectly normal practice–and can help you find the UI specialist you need. A doctor who advertises a specialty in UI is likely to have a lot of experience treating this condition with a variety of methods.

Another option is to browse internet referral sites for doctors specializing in treating UI. If you do choose to use the internet as a referral resource, experts recommend that you look through multiple referral sites for greater accuracy. Also, place more importance on objective information (“Dr. X followed up within 24 hours to review my test results.”) than on subjective comments (“Dr. X was a jerk!”).

If you suffer from UI, there’s a world of help out there. All you have to do is ask. These three sources should give you some great places to start looking for the right doctor to help you with your UI.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=
RESOURCES

Online Referral Sites
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/04/17/ep.finding.docs.online/index.html

Word-of-Mouth Study
http://www.hschange.org/CONTENT/1028/

Women’s Sexual Health Foundation
http://twshf.blogspot.com/2009/02/finding-doctor-who-can-help.html

Urinary Incontinence – 3 Steps to Prepare for Your Doctor’s Appointment

July 9, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General General Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

The big day is just around the corner: your doctor’s appointment to evaluate and discuss treatment options for your urinary incontinence. Now that you have actually worked up the nerve to make the appointment, a little preparatory work will ensure that you walk away from your appointment with the solutions you seek.

Preparing for your appointment doesn’t have to be complicated, but you should take the time to do so. Good preparation leads to good communication during the appointment. Your doctor gets all the information he or she needs to accurately evaluate your condition. You get answers to your questions and can explore your treatment options. You can prepare for your appointment in three easy steps.

Step 1: Observe Your Symptoms
If you have been dealing with symptoms of urinary incontinence, this may seem odd, since no doubt you are quite familiar with your symptoms. However, your doctor will probably ask you some very specific questions, so you will need to observe your symptoms closely for a few days, and jot down some notes. In fact, some healthcare providers even ask their patients, when they schedule their appointment, to keep a voiding diary prior to the appointment.

Keeping a voiding diary is a good idea whether your doctor’s office requests it or not, and will help your doctor assess your situation more accurately. To keep a voiding diary, simply keep track of the following for a few days:

-when, how much, and what kinds of fluids you drink
-when and how many times you urinate during the day
-how many times a day you experience leakage, how much you leak, and under what conditions (such as coughing or sneezing, or during the night)

Also jot down any other health issues you experience, even if you think they are not related to your urinary incontinence.

Step 2: Make Your List
In addition to keeping a voiding diary, jot down a list of supplements and medications you are taking, and write a list of questions you have for your doctor. The list will come in handy during your appointment and remind you to ask all of your questions. For urinary incontinence, you may wish to ask your doctor the following:

-what kind of urinary incontinence you have (stress, urge, mixed, or pelvic organ prolapse)
-whether your urinary incontinence symptoms can be improved or cured
-what kinds of tests you might need to assess your situation
-whether lifestyle changes or diet modification might help
-what kinds of conservative therapies might improve your symptoms
-whether your medications could be aggravating your condition
-whether there are medications that would help your condition
-whether surgery is necessary

Step 3: Gather Your Stuff and Prepare Yourself
On the day of your appointment, gather up all of your “stuff.” You’ll want to take your voiding diary, your list of questions, as well as a notepad and pen so you can write down important information during your appointment. If you were not able to list all of the medications and supplements you are taking in the step above, simply gather all the bottles and pills into a bag and bring them with you to your appointment. If you have difficulty seeing or hearing, be sure to bring your glasses or hearing aids.

You may also want to ask a close friend or family member to come with you to your appointment. Your companion can help you remember to ask all of your questions, and remember important information. Finally, your doctor may want to do a pelvic exam, especially if you have scheduled an appointment with a urologist or urogynecologist, so you may want to take special care with your personal hygiene before your appointment.

Then, having thoroughly prepared yourself for your appointment, you are ready to fully explore the many available treatment options for solving your urinary incontinence issues.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

What Will You Free Yourself From This Independence Day?

July 4, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Resources and Apps Urinary Incontinence

Happy Independence Day! What a wonderful day to consider a problem that bothers millions of ladies all over the world:

poor pelvic health

Whether you suffer from women’s urinary incontinence, decreased sexual sensation, or pelvic organ prolapse, today–Independence Day–is a great day to consider how you can gain independence from poor pelvic health.

Don’t Delay – Get Independence Now!
Whether you have urinary urgency and frequency, urinary leakage, pelvic organ prolapse symptoms, or decreased sensation “down there,” here’s what you need to know: you don’t need to deal with these symptoms anymore. You just need to declare your independence from these troublesome symptoms of poor women’s pelvic health.

Try these resources to find the motivation, education, and help to declare your independence!

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: What You Give Up When You Don’t Seek Help

Women’s Pelvic Health: Why You Should Talk to Your Doctor Now – Video

Got Women’s Urinary Incontinence? Tests You Can Expect

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: The Power of Knowing Yourself

Tired of Being Publicly Humiliated by Women’s Urinary Incontinence? Bladder Retraining Can Help

Women: Are Your Bedroom Encounters “Not” Instead of “Hot”?

Women’s Urinary Incontinence – Coping at Work – Video

Pelvic Floor Exercises: How a Physical Therapist Can Help Improve Your Results

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Overcoming Your Fear of Surgery

How Do You Talk to Your Partner About Women’s Urinary Incontinence?

Actually Talking to Your Partner About Women’s Urinary Incontinence

Get it? Got it? Good! Now go forth, declare your independence from symptoms of poor pelvic health. Take whatever massive action you need to gain your independence. You can do it. We know you can!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Women’s Urinary Incontinence: Understanding Your Water Works

July 2, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Urge Incontinence Urge Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

As they say, “Knowledge is power.” If you have women’s urinary incontinence, power means having knowledge about how your urinary system works. After all, if you want to understand why and how you are leaking urine or experiencing urinary urgency or frequency, then you have to first understand how your urinary system works, right?

So… if you want the knowledge that will empower you about your urinary incontinence, prepare yourself for a VERY SIMPLE anatomy lesson on your urinary system. Don’t worry, we’ll keep it simple. We will only relay the facts you absolutely MUST know to understand how your water works, work!

The Parts of Your Urinary System
When your urinary system is healthy, it acts as a well-synchronized system of organs that remove waste from your body. Your urinary system includes:

kidneys
bladder
ureters
urinary sphincters
urethra
your brain

Yup, your brain is part of your urinary system! Your brain sends and receives signals from your organs, coordinating them all so that you arrive at the bathroom in time to urinate.

How Your Urinary System Works
Your urinary system is not complicated, especially when it is working! The whole process starts with your kidneys, which produce urine by filtering waste products and excess water out of your bloodstream. Your kidneys send this waste material to your bladder via tubes called ureters.

Your bladder then stores the urine until you are ready to urinate. Your bladder, a hollow muscular organ that sits in the bowl of your pelvis, should be able to hold one to two cups of urine for up to two to five hours. As your bladder fills, circular muscles (called sphincters) keep the urine in your bladder, preventing leakage.

When your bladder is full, nerves in your bladder send signals to your brain, which results in your feeling the urge to urinate. Hopefully, at that point, you seek out a bathroom in plenty of time, and spell R-E-L-I-E-F. Specifically, when you are ready to urinate, your brain tells those urinary sphincters to relax and your bladder to contract. As a result, urine leaves the bladder, travels through the urethra, and out of your body (and hopefully into the toilet and not onto your panties)!

Not Too Complicated, Right?
So there you have it… the anatomy and workings of your urinary system. When everything works in synchrony, you have no problems. However, when the signals get mixed up along the way, the result is women’s urinary incontinence. The resulting symptoms include urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage. If you have these symptoms, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your doctor or specialist!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Got Women’s Urinary Incontinence? Tests You Can Expect

June 27, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Mixed Urinary Incontinence Overactive Bladder Pelvic Organ Prolapse Stress Urinary Incontinence Urge Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

If you have women’s urinary incontinence and are finally ready to discuss your condition, we congratulate you! One of the best ways that you can prepare for your doctor’s appointment is to understand the tests your doctor will likely perform to assess your condition. These tests are designed to help your doctor discover which form of urinary incontinence you experience: stress, urge (or overactive bladder), or mixed urinary incontinence. Learn about the three different types of women’s urinary incontinence here. In addition, these tests will inform your doctor about your symptoms, whether you have urinary urgency, leakage, or frequency (or all three)!

Tests for Women’s Urinary Incontinence
Don’t worry, none of the tests your doctor will perform to assess your urinary incontinence is painful. At the most, these tests are slightly embarrassing, but then, most women already feel embarrassed discussing their urinary incontinence with their doctors. If you have overcome that embarrassment and actually have an appointment with your doctor, these tests will be a breeze.

Initial Tests
Your doctor or specialists (urologist or ob/gyn or gerontologist) will first discuss your symptoms and condition. In addition, your doctor will perform some initial tests, which usually include a physical examination, a urinalysis, and a post-void residual. Here’s what each of those tests involves:

– Physical Exam: The physical examination will include a pelvic evaluation, so you may wish to take extra care with your hygiene prior to your appointment. This physical exam helps your doctor determine the anatomy associated with your incontinence. During this evaluation, the specialist will determine whether any of your pelvic organs have prolapsed or fallen out of place, which may contribute to your urinary incontinence issues.

– Urinalysis: This initial test helps your doctor rule out infection or blood in the urine as the cause of your urinary incontinence. You will be asked to provide a urine sample for testing. If the specialist suspects that you have a urinary tract infection, he or she will recommend a specific treatment plan to resolve the infection and send the sample for further testing. If blood is found in your urine, further testing may be needed to determine the cause.

– Post-void residual: This test confirms whether you are fully emptying your bladder when you urinate. A catheter or ultrasound machine is used to measure the urine remaining in your bladder after urination. A normal post-void residual is less than 100 ml

Further Testing
If your doctor is unable to fully determine the cause of your urinary incontinence, he or she may perform further tests. These can include a cystoscopy, urodynamic testing, and asking you to keep a bladder diary. These tests will include the following:

– Cystoscopy: A cytoscope is a thin, lighted viewing instrument that is inserted into the urethra and bladder. Your doctor will use this instrument to examine the interior lining of the bladder and urethra for issues, other than weakened pelvic floor muscles, that may be affecting your continence.

– Urodynamic Testing: This minimally invasive test focuses on your bladder’s ability to fill and empty. It measures how much your bladder can hold, how much pressure builds inside your bladder as it stores urine, and how full it is when you feel the urge to urinate. Urodynamic testing helps your doctor determine how well you might respond to certain treatments.

– Voiding Diary: Your physician may ask you to keep a voiding diary as part of your evaluation. This diary will allow you to communicate clearly with him or her about the status of your bladder, including how frequently you urinate during the day and at night, how much fluid you drink daily, and the volume of urine leakage you experience. The voiding diary will most likely also educate you about your own condition, too. Many women who keep a voiding diary are surprised at how frequently they urinate or have leakage accidents.

So there you have it. Now you have a better understanding of the tests your doctor or specialist may run to fully understand the causes of your women’s urinary incontinence. Knowledge is power, and at this point you are armed with the knowledge to confidently go to your doctor’s appointment to get on the path the relief!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Not Enough Beauty Sleep Can Lead to Women’s Urinary Incontinence

June 20, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Urge Incontinence Urge Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence Women's Healthcare

Many women are concerned about getting enough sleep so they can stay beautiful. Studies indeed show that getting enough sleep helps with healthy skin, hair, weight, and overall health.

But get this: getting enough beauty sleep (insomnia) can actually reduce your risk of having women’s urinary incontinence.

Now get this. According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF):

at least 40 million Americans suffer from 70 different types of sleep disorders
at least 60 percent of those adults have sleep issues multiple nights of the week
40% of adults have daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with daily activities a few days a month

That’s a lot of adults suffering from insomnia. For the many women affected by lack of sleep, this may lead to an increased risk for symptoms of urinary incontinence, such as urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage.

How Insomnia is Linked to Women’s Urinary Incontinence
If you already suffer from women’s urinary incontinence, then you already understand how symptoms like urinary urgency can interfere with your sleep, especially if you have to get up one or more times per night to urinate.

But did you know that the reverse is also true? Lack of sleep can also lead to women’s urinary incontinence. Here’s why.

1. Overall Physical Weakness
When you don’t get enough sleep, your body suffers as a whole, resulting in physical weakness. According to Frank Ervolino, N.D., L.Ac., “Staying up late at night is a big risk factor for urinary incontinence. Your body needs to rest and reset every night or it will get weaker over time, which can bring on urinary incontinence much quicker.”

2. Poor Food Choices
Certain foods and beverages can irritate the bladder. Specifically, these types of foods and drinks are likely to make your bladder unhappy:

acidic
contain caffeine
have alcohol
contain tyrosine, tyramine, tryptophan, aspirate, and phenylalanine
cause allergies in your body

When you are tired, you are less likely to make smart food choices. Instead of paying attention to what you eat and avoiding bladder irritants, you are more apt to reach for whatever food is handy. Or, you might reach for alcohol at night and coffee in the morning, both of which can irritate your bladder. Read more about bladder irritants HERE.

3. Emotional Distress
According to the American Psychological Association, getting less than eight hours of sleep per night, on average, can lead to emotional disorders and distress. Other studies indicate that emotional disturbances can cause or worsen certain symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence, such as urinary urgency and frequency, or even urinary leakage.

Sleeping Beauty is a Healthy Woman
Are you starting to get the picture that getting enough sleep is a very important factor in preventing or reducing your risk of women’s urinary incontinence? Plus, getting enough sleep is just plain healthy for you. Getting enough sleep also reduces your risk of stroke, obesity and diabetes, anxiety and depression, cancer, and heart disease (read more HERE). So go ahead… sleep away. Not only is sleep a luxury that is good for you, but you are actually taking charge of your health when you get enough sleep!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

5 Simple Ways to Speed Weight Loss and Reduce Women’s Urinary Incontinence

June 11, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Urge Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence

In our past two articles on our blog we have discussed ways women can lose weight as a conservative therapy to alleviate symptoms of urinary incontinence, such as urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage. These weight loss tips are useful for any woman who is carrying even a few extra pounds and who has urinary incontinence symptoms. Being even 5% overweight can worsen these types of symptoms, so dropping just 5 or 10 pounds could equal a lot of relief!

Be sure to read our last few blog posts if you are unsure why extra weight contributes to and worsens symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence. The short version is that extra weight between your collarbone and your pelvis puts pressure on your bladder and urinary system, which equals urinary urgency and possible leakage. This is true whether you are a new mom or a menopausal woman!

How to Slim Down Fast – 5 Simple Ways
Assuming that you have already committed to losing weight as a way to reduce or even stop your urinary incontinence symptoms, we have 5 simple tips on how you can slim down even faster. These tips enhance what you are already doing by eating healthy, staying hydrated, and getting some moderate exercise. These tips are designed to maximize the effectiveness of your weight loss plan by making a few tweaks.

Tip #1: Intensify Workouts
Whether you walk or visit the gym or do yoga at home, you can always take steps to make each workout a little more intense. Studies in exercise science show that short intense workouts burn fat faster than longer workouts that are slower and less intense. While you still need to get enough cardiovascular workouts to ensure heart and circulatory health, aim to intensify at least one or two of your weekly workouts.

For instance, if walking is your workout of choice, you can intensify each session by climbing a hill or two as part of your route. You can also take longer strides, walk off-road, or carry light weights to burn fat faster. By the same token, yoga does not have to be all about serene music and slow movements. Moving through certain poses–such as some forms of the Sun Salutation–can be quite intense. Or hold the Down Dog position for three to five minutes to really work your arms, core, and legs. If you are not sure which poses will work best for you, join a yoga class for a few weeks or months until you find a workout plan that is effective for you.

Tip #2: Eat Breakfast
While this tip is a no-brainer, a surprising number of women skip breakfast anyway. Nutritional studies demonstrate that eating a healthy breakfast keeps you full throughout the morning, and helps you avoid food cravings and snacking before lunch. A healthy breakfast, eaten within one hour of getting out of bed, also stabilizes your blood sugar, which provides you with plenty of energy all morning.

Tip #3: Sneak In Workouts
Instead of spending your energy figuring out how to sneak snack foods into your diet plan, focus on sneaking quick workouts into your day. Intense workouts do not have to be long in order to be effective. Spending just 15 minutes on your spin bike at home or speed-walking around the block between coming home from work and spending time with your family is all you need for your daily workout. You know your workout is intense if you are able to build up a sweat during that 15-minute period.

Tip #4: Eat a Bite Before Your Workout
If you find yourself fading fast during workouts–especially during evening sessions after work–try eating a small snack before you workout. Try eating a heaping spoonful of peanut butter or a few healthy crackers. Your snack will give your body some extra calories to fuel your workout, not to mention stabilizing your blood sugar so you feel enthusiastic about your exercise session.

Tip #5: Setup Rewards for Yourself
Without rewards, exercising and dieting can feel like one long jog down a dark tunnel–with no visible light at the end! Choose a reward that will really motivate you to stick with your dietary and exercise goals. For instance, if you absolutely adore Rocky Road ice cream, promise yourself a bowl of it when you have stuck with your program for 30 days in a row. Or if massage is more your style, buy yourself some time on the table when you have lost 7 pounds. Studies show that reward is an extremely effective motivational tool, so use it to boost your commitment to your weight loss program!

Beat the Leak with Weight Loss
While weight loss continues to be the most popular New Year’s Resolution, this goal is especially important for women who experience urinary urgency, leakage, or frequency. If you are overweight, shedding a few pounds will go a long way toward helping you “beat the leak”! Plus, you will be contributing to your overall health–and you will LOVE the way you look. Hopefully the five tips in this article will enhance your weight loss plan and help you slim down faster while getting healthier.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

How to Lose Your “Mommy Middle Muffin-Top”

June 6, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Women's Healthcare

In our previous article we discussed guidelines for healthy weight gain during pregnancy, and healthy weight loss after delivery. One of the main benefits of losing the extra baby weight post-partum is reducing the risk of women’s urinary incontinence. The joy of welcoming your new baby can be marred by always having to run for the bathroom, so making a plan to lose extra baby weight post-partum is a really good idea.

Unfortunately, a lot of women don’t receive the information they need from their healthcare providers on losing baby weight. A recent study (http://huff.to/13pfqxT) indicated that up to 85% of women had not received post-partum weight loss information 4 months after they had given birth!

If you are looking for ways to lose your “mommy middle muffin-top” hopefully the following tips will give you some good ideas.

How to Slim Down Post-Partum
The good news is that the delivery process itself pretty much guarantees you a 10-pound weight loss (the baby’s weight plus placenta and amniotic fluid). You can also expect to lose another 3 to 5 pounds of water weight in the first week after delivery.

To continue that weight loss trend–with every pound loss reducing your risk of women’s urinary incontinence–consider some of these tips.

1. Eat Right
Let your body tell you when you should eat. Another way to put it is, “Eat only when you are hungry.” Women who breastfeed will need more calories, as babies who are exclusively breastfed require between 500 and 800 calories per day. Focus on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. Eat small portions and consume small meals more frequently during the day. If you are not sure you can stick to a diet, consider joining a recognized weight loss program to support you through the process.

2. Return to Gentle Exercise
Check with your healthcare provider about when you can safely return to gentle exercise. Women who have straightforward vaginal deliveries can expect to return to light exercise within days of giving birth. Women with more complicated deliveries (including C-sections) will need to follow guidelines offered by their doctors. Of course, women can and should do pelvic floor muscle exercises during pregnancy and after delivery to keep those muscles toned and fit. Focusing on pelvic floor muscle exercises significantly decreases your risk of women’s urinary incontinence during and after pregnancy.

3. Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps
In other words, get as much beauty rest as your baby allows. Studies show that women who got adequate rest were more likely to lose baby weight more quickly than women who had less pillow time.

4. Hydrate Regularly
Getting plenty of pure water is important post-partum, especially if you are breast-feeding. Hydration is also important as you return to your exercises program. As a bonus, water can also help you feel more full so you avoid snacking on unhealthy foods. Finally, if you don’t get enough water your urine will become more acid, which can irritate your bladder and worsen symptoms such as urinary urgency and frequency.

5. Set Realistic Goals
When slimming down after delivery, a healthy rate of weight loss is about one pound per week. This may seem slow to you, yet this rate of weight loss is healthy and tends to be more permanent. Be gentle with yourself, acknowledge that pregnancy and delivery equal major body changes, and be patient with the weight loss process. Trying to fit into your skinny jeans a few weeks after delivery isn’t realistic for many women. Often, healthy post-partum weight loss can take up to six months so set realistic weight loss goals so you don’t end up judging yourself too harshly.

Hopefully these simple tips on getting rid of your “Mommy Middle,” which definitely decreases your risk of urinary incontinence, will help you lose weight in a healthy manner post-partum. Most importantly, if you are able to avoid or minimize symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence, you will be able to devote your full attention to your new baby!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Is Your Pregnancy Weight Gain Contributing to Your Urinary Incontinence?

June 4, 2013

by Elizabeth E. Houser, MD and Stephanie Riley Hahn, PT General Urinary Incontinence Urge Incontinence Urge Urinary Incontinence Urinary Incontinence Women's Healthcare

Almost every expectant mother has been warned to expect some symptoms of urinary incontinence during pregnancy–everything from urinary urgency and frequency to actual urinary leakage. As the baby grows and takes up more room in the abdomen, internal organs, such as the bladder, are pushed into an increasingly smaller space. The result? Urinary incontinence issues.

But new studies show that it’s not just baby who contributes to women’s urinary incontinence during pregnancy. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is another issue to consider. Whether a woman is pregnant or not, she is at risk for urinary incontinence if she carries too much extra weight. Every extra pound below the collarbone and above the pelvis puts downward pressure on the bladder and urinary system, causing symptoms of urinary incontinence.

Gain the Right Amount to Reduce Risk of Urinary Incontinence
During pregnancy many women fall prey to the idea that they are “eating for two,” mistakenly believing that this means they can eat twice as much as they normally do. Not so.

In fact, women who have a normal body mass index (BMI), or who started at a normal weight before pregnancy do not need to increase their caloric intake during the first trimester according to the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The same organization recommends that women at a healthy weight increase calories by 350 calories per day during the second trimester, and 450 calories per day during the last trimester. Women who start out under or overweight should work with their healthcare providers to adjust these calorie guidelines accordingly.

Eating the right number of calories during each trimester should result in healthy rather than excess weight gain, which decreases a woman’s chance of urinary incontinence symptoms both during pregnancy and after delivery. According to the Institute of Medicine, underweight women (with a BMI of 18.5 or less) should gain between 28 and 40 pounds. Normal weight women (BMI between 18.6 and 24.9) should strive for an overall weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds, while overweight women (BMI between 25 and 29.9) need to gain only 15-25 pounds. Obese women (BMI of 30 or higher) are encouraged to gain just 11 to 20 pounds.

Studies show that women who gain more than the weight recommended by the Institute of Medicine tend to have more trouble losing weight post-partum (http://bit.ly/15o3ait). Again, the excess weight is a definite contributing risk factor to women’s urinary incontinence.

The Importance of Shedding Baby Weight
If you don’t think that a few extra pounds of baby weight puts you at risk for urinary urgency, frequency, or leakage, consider these studies. In one study, overweight women with urinary incontinence who lost 8 percent of their body weight saw a 47 percent decrease in leakage accidents. Other studies demonstrate that losing 5 to 10 percent of excess weight is as effective for alleviating urinary incontinence symptoms as any other form of conservative treatment.

If you are unsure of how much weight you should gain during pregnancy, and how much weight you should lose after delivery, ask your healthcare provider. We stress that you may need to ask your healthcare provider because some may not volunteer that information.

In one recent study, only 42% of women received information on appropriate weight gain from their healthcare providers, while 22% of overweight women were advised to gain more than the recommended amount of weight (http://huff.to/13pfqxT). According to Glenn D. Braunstein, M.D., many healthcare professionals may be hesitant to broach the subject of weight gain because of the sensitivity of the topic. Others may simply feel ill-equipped to handle the conversation. That is why it is important for you to ask for the weight gain and post-partum weight loss information that is appropriate for your situation.

Dr. Braunstein points out that asking for this information before your baby is born is important because chances are that you will be too busy or tired to raise the subject after delivery. Yet, excess weight is a significant risk factor for women’s urinary incontinence. If you don’t want urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage to interfere with the joy of mothering your new baby, get your weight gain and weight loss facts straight before delivery. Then, have a plan that will help you achieve a healthy level of weight gain during pregnancy, and lose the excess baby weight at a healthy rate post-partum.

Stay tuned for upcoming articles on how to shed the “Mommy middle” after delivery to reduce your risk of post-partum urinary incontinence.

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.