Incontinence When Pregnant and After Birth

Have you experienced little involuntary leaks during your pregnancy, or afterwards? Do you dread sneezing, coughing, laughing or even standing up from being seated?

Urinary incontinence is the medical term for when you involuntary leak urine. Incontinence when pregnant, and after birth is very common. During pregnancy, your pelvic floor muscles relax as they prepare your body for labour. These, now relaxed, muscles are usually responsible for supporting the uterus away from the bladder and bowel. Hence, feeling like you constantly "need to go" during pregnancy.

Your pelvic floor muscles are also somewhat weakened by a growing baby, and birth itself. Plus, during vaginal birth muscles can become damaged, further contributing to postnatal incontinence. The whole experience of pregnancy plays havoc with our internals!

Constipation is also a contributing factor with incontinence. Straining while emptying your bowels can weaken the pelvic floor muscles. So, if you suffer from constipation, make sure you mention it to your midwife or GP.

Another possible factor is epidural and spinal blocks, especially if you also had a catheter. You may be unable to feel the need to urinate in the days after.

Is it just me?

Incontinence when pregnant and after birth is very common. Sadly, not many women want to seek help and feel embarrassed about it.

Well, you shouldn’t! Keeping quiet and not seeking help could impact your social life, career, relationship and wellbeing. It's not worth sacrificing anything through shame of something that happens to so many women! Talk to your midwife or GP. They will find the right treatment, or refer you to a physio for pelvic floor exercises. Talking to a medical professional also helps reduce the possibility of urinary tract infections or amniotic fluid leaks.

glass of water

How to help your bladder at home:

cut down on caffeine
keep drinking 6-8 glasses of water per day. Don’t avoid drinking as it might lead to a urinary tract infection!
avoid heavy lifting
consult your GP if you are constipated.

DON'T FORGET TO PROTECT YOUR BED!

woman on the bed

If you’re worried about incontinence when pregnant and after birth, make sure to have a good waterproof mat to protect your mattress and bedding!

PeapodMats stay put even if you're known worldwide for your wriggling and fidgeting at night! A PeapodMat will also protect the bed if your waters break.

You can use them again and again to protect your bed. Smaller sizes of PeapodMats will also help to protect your sofa or armchair.

little girl sitting on the bed

In a few year's time your Peapod mat will come in handy for potty training 👍

There's no shame in little leaks, just make sure you're protected!

Pink PeapodMat on the bed

source: nct.org.uk, webmd.com, nhs.uk,

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This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It does not constitute medical or other professional advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

I bought the large one for when my grandaughter came out of nappies, she is a fidgety sleeper and this has not move. I now have a second one for her little sister both are excellent. Saves my mattresses on new bed and stay in place for a comfortable sleep. Can’t Recommend enough. Brilliant!

Peapods are an absolute life saver. I have both the large and the medium.
With a urostomy it’s inevitable there will be leaks; just a fact of life.
Having one of these on the bed does away with the stress of airing the mattress etc when “a big one” happens.
It doesn’t feel clinical and thankfully doesn’t give that horrible sweaty feeling others do.
Amazing amazing amazing!

Hi GG, it's great to hear that you're happy with PeapodMats and that they take the stress away for you. Thank you for a great review. All the best, Team JOIZI

Absolutely incredible! We used to buy at least 2-3 new mattresses a year! This magical matt has saved us so much money. Never leaks and lovely soft towel texture. Highly recommend for mummy's or adults with incontinence issues.

Hi Aimee, thank you for your lovely review and recommending PeapodMats to others! It's great to hear that PeapodMat helped you save money on mattresses and you love its leakproof qualities! All the best, Team JOIZI

I purchased 2 of the medium sized Peapods (after a personal recommendation and then reading the excellent reviews) for my partners bed, she has incontinence due to early onset dementia. I am generally pleased with their performance and they have made life easier in this situation. However, usually a small amount of urine does pass through the Peapod with the result that I back it up with two layers of normal towels underneath to absorb this small excess. This system works well and the bed sheet always seems to be dry. It is for this reason that I have given 4 stars.
I would still say that they are worth the cost, obviously I alternate the two Peapods each night and am thinking of getting a third one as extra backup.

Hi David, thank you so much for your review and your lovely words about PeapodMats! Because PeapodMats are breathable (but leak proof) the water from urine may evaporate, causing the sheet underneath to feel cool to touch and giving it a damp feeling. Please also be advised that we generally recommend large size of PeapodMats for adults. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at hello@joizi.com.

After doing loads of research, we purchased a medium sized PeapodMat for my son who is still in pull-ups at night age 5 and a half! We're two nights in and there have been accidents both nights but the mat has worked - it didn't move around in the night and the sheet underneath remained dry so the matress is well-protected.

Hi Hannah, thank you for a great review. We're so happy to hear that PeapodMat has protected your little one's bed so well and stays in place all night. We wish you and your family all the best, Team JOIZI

Incontinence When Pregnant and After Birth

Is it just me?

How to help your bladder at home:

DON'T FORGET TO PROTECT YOUR BED!

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