How to keep your pants DRY during workouts!

Hey mama.
Did somebody tell you that peeing your pants while you exercise, sneeze, or run to the toilet is normal after you've had a baby?

If so, I'm here to tell you some good news:

This is NOT normal!

It's super common but not normal and there IS something you can do about it.

When I first met Melissa, she told me that she has two kids and wants to go back to her exercise class but is afraid....

"I pee when I work out and I can't stomach the embarrassment, not to mention I have had allergies this spring and every time I cough or sneeze it is almost impossible to keep my pants dry.”

Melissa is a forty-three-year-old busy mom of two kids (5 and 7). She didn't remember leaking being as pronounced a problem when she first had her kids but when we first met she was leaking all the time and was constantly worried that people would notice the smell. She wore pads and always always always carries extra clothes. The doctor told her after she had kids that the symptoms would go away but her youngest was five and it had only gotten worse. She joked around with her friends, and a few  shared that they had the same concerns too. Melissa was afraid that this may just be a normal part of having babies but then it started getting progressively worse and she began to think about what life might look like as she got older...

Could this be happening to you too?

Ordinary incontinence is a loss of urine when you are not intending to go. There are three main types: urge incontinence, stress incontinence, or mixed urinary incontinence. 

Urge incontinence is increased frequency... meaning that you go to the bathroom more than 10 times in a 24 hr period. (A normal range of frequency is 6 to 8 times during a 24 hr period). If you have urge incontinence, this also means you could be triggered and feel an urge to go when you hear running water... or even when you put the key in the door when you get home and automatically think you have to go so bad you're afraid you might pee your pants.

Stress incontinence is a loss of urine when sneezing, coughing, jumping, running ,or any kind of increased pressure to the system. 

Mixed urinary incontinence is a combination of both.

Another important measure of health - in general, when you pee the urine should flow easily without discomfort in a good, steady stream until the bladder is empty. No pushing or straining should be necessary to empty the bladder.

Unfortunately Melissa suffered with this for a long time. She resisted taking medication because she didn't want to deal with the side effects. She went to the chiropractor and her acupuncturist but didn't see any improvement. She did kegels - all the kegels. Her doctor told her she wasn't a candidate for surgery until she was sure she was done having babies. Deep down, even though she knew she was done, she didn't want this one surgery to be the final ticket that secured her fertility future.

After years of disappointment, shame, and constant embarrassment she finally got the help she needed. Melissa gained a new sense of confidence and even new energy - she was finally able to workout (she calls her barre class her therapy) and felt like a whole new person.

Here's what helps Melissa:

1. Melissa started a bladder diary and explored this with a pelvic expert physical therapist who guided her in ways to regain control of her bladder.
2. Melissa actually didn't need to be doing kegels. You see, Melissa's pelvic floor was already contracted  (tight) and kegels were only making the situation worse. Melissa learned the essential components of down training.
3. Pelvic floor therapy for Melissa included manual therapy techniques to balance and restore her pelvic floor and entire body.
4. Finally, she established daily habits that helped secure her confidence in her continence.

By taking a big picture, full body approach to rehabilitation Melissa was finally able to heal and enjoy her busy life of keeping up with the kids. Today she is so much healthier because she is no longer keeping herself out of exercise classes.

If you have been struggling with incontinence for longer than a few weeks and you want to learn more about what the “root cause” could be…

Apply here to speak with an expert pelvic floor therapist at Empower PT & Pilates.

We'll schedule you for a free first 30 min session one-on-one with an expert pelvic physical therapist, where you'll get a chance to:

1. Share any concerns, problems, or frustrations you may be having.
2. Meet us in person to see if we're a good fit before you ever decide to work with us.
3. Get a glimpse into what could be causing your incontinence, or the root cause of why you may be hurting.

All you need to do is tell us a bit about what's going on through this quick form and we will have a conversation about how we may be able to help.

See you soon,

Dr Casey

P.S. If you'd simply like more information, check out our free guide "Top 5 Secrets to End Embarrassing Leaking."