Bladder control...what Is Going On?

Yep you are not alone. I have been amazed over the years, being over weight and having 2 babies who weighed over 9 pounds each, and not exercising much, I never had trouble with bladder control. But then about 2 years ago I had bronchitis and coughed so much my stomach muscles just couldnt hold it in any longer and I leaked a few times. As I got better with the coughing I didnt have the problem as much. Then I got sick again with a kidneystone and everytime I had the wave of pain I would gag and throw up a bit and it started to make me dribble at the same time. I passed the kidneystone and have noticed even more change in how I am not able to hold it when I coughed or sneezed. Then last month I had bronchitis, and pneumonia and it got really bad with coughing. Im better now but I do the keegles and I wear protection. I do have days where it doesnt happen, but I just dont trust those muscles anymore. I may have to have something done to fix it, but not right now.

My best friend had this problem - it got to the point it happened when she jogged, she did see a doc about it and come to find out she did medical attenetion - is was simple out patient procedure but it fixed it and is now back to her old self - good luck

this has been a problem with my third pregnancy. My doc said that there is a quick procedure they can do once the baby is born if it continues. And I do my kegals regularly, still happens, and it is worse with a cold! Check with your doc about solutions once the baby is born.

I soooo understand!!! I had a hysterectomy in February and had the bladder sling put in at the same time...

after babies - and sometimes with age - the bladder sinks...

I can be fixed!!

This is common after having children. Your pelvic floor muscles have been pulled apart and weakened (they are what hold the urine from escaping) and need to be strengthened.

Kiegle exercises are your best bet to strengthen them. Next time you are are going to the bathroom, try to stop your flow of urine. Changes are you won't be able to, but this is how you do the exercise. Just sitting around, squeeze the muscles as if you are trying to stop your flow of urine.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kegel-exercises/WO00119

Good luck and you are not alone! It's very common! I didn't know this, and several weeks after my first I decided to go running to start to get back in shape and had your same problem. And, yes, you should talk to your OB as well.

Ditto to Mommy R. Make sure you are doing kegels. And the best way to see the strength is to stop peeing midstream. You want to do that same movement with those muscles (as you do to stop peeing) through out the day. It'll end up strengthening it.

Also, you might want to check wtih your doctor about a prolapse of some sort. Hopefully it's not the case, but that is more serious and happens after having babies some of the time. It can actually happen years after women have had babies because they had babies...weird, eh?

Just know you're not alone. I know enough women who have that issue that it's normal...sadly enough.

N., since you are so young, you might want to ask your Dr. about a Physical Therapy referral before considering surgery. It sounds like your pelvic floor muscles are weak and over-stretched from your previous pregnancy. This is pretty common and can often be fixed with PT. It's best to find a PT who specializes in "Women's health" but you might have good luck since you are near Mobile and they have a Univ. with a PT program! Much easier to go to PT than recover from surgery, even a minor one.

I don't, but a good friend of mine did. She had surgery to correct it. She says she is soooo happy she did it. Talk to your doctor!