Postpartum Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence after birth may show up in some women when they cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise, and in others together with a sudden urge to urinate. It stems from the physical changes associated with pregnancy and birth. It is not something to be embarrassed about. A physiotherapy assessment looks at your birth history, when your symptoms started and how they affect your daily life. Your breathing, abdominal wall, and the contraction, relaxation and coordination of your pelvic floor muscles are also assessed according to your needs. Based on the findings, exercises, bladder habits and adjustments to daily activities are planned individually for you.

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Postpartum Urinary Incontinence: Causes and Pelvic Floor Assessment

What Does Urinary Incontinence After Birth Look Like?

Leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, laugh or exercise may be stress urinary incontinence. Not making it to the bathroom in time because of a sudden urge is urge incontinence; some people experience both.

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Assessment

In the assessment, we talk about when the leaking happens, how often it occurs and how it affects your daily life. Beyond the strength of your pelvic floor muscles, we also look at their ability to contract, relax and engage at the right moment.

Your Personalized Physiotherapy Plan

Your exercise program is based on the assessment findings; giving everyone the same Kegel exercise is not the right approach. Depending on the type of incontinence, we work on pelvic floor muscle training, bladder habits or muscle coordination during everyday movements. NICE recommends at least three months of supervised pelvic floor muscle training as the first-line option for stress or mixed urinary incontinence.

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Common and Treatable

A 2023 study covering 32 studies and 28,303 women reported postpartum urinary incontinence in 26% of women.

"Since giving birth, I leak a few drops of urine when I cough."

"I had a C-section, but I started leaking urine anyway."

"I get a sudden urge to go and sometimes I don't make it in time."

Dai S, Chen H, Luo T. Prevalence of postpartum urinary incontinence: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2023;23:761.

Postpartum Urinary Incontinence FAQ

Is it normal to leak urine after giving birth?

Urinary incontinence can happen after birth, but experiencing it doesn't mean you can't get help or that you have to live with it. If leaking keeps happening, makes you avoid exercise or affects your daily life, you can come in for an assessment.

What is asked and checked in a postpartum urinary incontinence assessment?

We talk about the situations in which you leak, whether you experience urgency, how often you go to the bathroom and how long the problem has been going on. Then we assess your ability to contract and relax your pelvic floor muscles and to coordinate them with your breathing and movement.

If I leak urine, can I start Kegel exercises on my own?

It's important that the exercise works the right muscles and that the muscles relax after each contraction. That's why it's better to first assess how your pelvic floor muscles function and then decide on the exercises and technique that suit you.

Can postpartum urinary incontinence happen after a C-section too?

Yes. Urinary incontinence doesn't only affect people who have had a vaginal birth; pregnancy itself can affect the pelvic floor. If you have symptoms, you can be assessed regardless of how you gave birth.