Knowing the problem of a new mother, the doctor told why this problem occurs.

Becoming a mother is considered to be the most beautiful and pleasant feeling in the world, but after this beautiful journey of nine months and delivery, many such physical and hormonal changes occur in the body of women, talking about which openly is still considered a matter of hesitation in our society. After delivery, when a new mother is busy taking care of her newborn baby, many times she feels some strange and uncomfortable changes in her own body which scare her from inside. One such very common but very sensitive problem is leakage of urine while coughing, sneezing, laughing or lifting even a little weight. In the language of medical science, it is called ‘Urinary Incontinence’. Recently, when many women presented this personal and embarrassing problem to gynecologists, the doctors explained in detail why this problem arises suddenly and which internal structure of the body is responsible for it. Today we will discuss this important topic in detail so that new mothers can understand that they are not alone and what is the scientific solution to this problem.

A woman’s body undergoes many types of physical changes continuously for nine months during pregnancy. As the size of the uterus increases, the full weight and pressure of the baby begins to fall on the muscles of the pelvic floor i.e. the lower part of the abdomen and the pelvic area. These pelvic floor muscles act like a swing or strong trampoline, holding the bladder, uterus and intestines in place and supporting the valves that control the flow of urine. When a woman has a normal delivery (vaginal delivery), there is excessive stretch and pressure on these muscles and tissues, due to which they become weak or loose. Sometimes during delivery, there is slight damage to the nerves of the pelvic area, due to which the coordination between the brain and the bladder gets disturbed for some time which helps in stopping urination. This is why when a new mother coughs, laughs loudly, climbs stairs or suffers a sudden shock, urine leaks involuntarily due to the pressure on the bladder.

People often have this misconception that this problem of urine leaking occurs only in women who have had a normal delivery, whereas doctors say that this problem has also been seen in many women who have had a cesarean delivery (C-section). The main reason for this is the hormones released in the body during pregnancy, such as Relaxin, which loosen all the joints and muscles of the body to make delivery easier. Additionally, the weight of the baby in the womb continues to exert pressure on the pelvic organs throughout the nine months, no matter the eventual mode of delivery. Increasing age, excessive weight (obesity), chronic constipation due to which one has to put pressure on the stomach, or repeated pregnancies also further weaken these muscles. In many women, this problem resolves on its own within a few weeks or months after delivery as the body’s muscles recover, but in some cases it can persist for a long time and deeply affect the woman’s self-confidence and mental health.

If you or any new mother in your family is struggling with this type of urine leakage problem, then first of all it is important to understand that there is no need to panic or feel embarrassed because it is a medical condition which is completely treatable. To deal with this problem, gynecologists strongly recommend doing ‘Kegel Exercises’ first. Kegel exercise is an easy and effective method that any woman can do at home, sitting or lying down, and it strengthens the loose pelvic floor muscles again. In this exercise, the muscles around the bladder and urethra are contracted for a few seconds as if trying to stop the flow of urine, and then released. Apart from this, improving your water drinking habits, avoiding excessive caffeine or carbonated drinks, and controlling your body weight also prove to be very helpful in eliminating this problem. If the problem is very serious and home exercises are not improving, then you must consult a good urogynecologist for physiotherapy or other medical consultation so that you can enjoy a healthy and happy motherly life without any hesitation.