Why Leaking Isn't Normal -
Even After Kids
Ever feel like you’re constantly running to the bathroom, and everyone keeps telling you to “just drink less water”? You cut back, only to find the issue doesn’t go away— or maybe it even gets worse 😅
Here’s the truth: frequent urination or the urge to use the toilet isn’t always about how much water you drink. The real problem could be tied to your pelvic floor and other pelvic girdle musculature weakness.
When your pelvic muscles aren’t functioning properly— due to tension, weakness, or poor coordination— you might feel like you always have to go, even when your bladder isn’t full and this is you rushing to the restroom 👉 🏃🏽♀️
Ignoring these symptoms or blaming them solely on your hydration can keep you stuck in the cycle…
Addressing the underlying issue comes with working with a professional who understands what triggers you. It’s not about drinking less water (your body needs hydration!!), it’s about teaching your muscles how to work the way they’re supposed to 😉
A Little Anatomy Lesson
The pelvic floor is a group of muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue that form a supportive hammock at the base of your pelvis. These muscles are responsible for bladder and bowel control, sexual function, and supporting your pelvic organs like the bladder, uterus, and rectum.
When these muscles are too weak, they can’t properly support the bladder, leading to leakage. Conversely, if they’re too tight or uncoordinated, they can cause dysfunction, resulting in urgency, pain, or difficulty fully emptying the bladder.
You Are Not Alone
I have a bunch of videos from my “conquering your bladder leakage” course in my free Skool community— if you are still spinning your wheels on your own I urge you to join and watch my hundreds of hours of FREE resources !!!
I talk a lot about how we shouldn’t normalize leakage… We shouldn’t settle for it, etc… because there’s so much help to be had for it! so of course I’m going to advocate to seek help! But I’m also not going to dismiss the facts or feelings that a lot of my clients (and probably some of you) experience day in and day out as an active woman.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is WAY more common than you might think and can affect anyone, regardless of their fitness level, motherhood status, or age.
That girl running next to you in a 5k? Might be wearing a panty liner just in case.
That postpartum mama opting for bands instead of dumbbells? She might also be terrified to make her diastasis and back pain worse.
That lady choosing black leggings daily for her group fitness class? She might also be embarrassed someone else will see.
These issues are common. I’m not saying they are normal, but they are common and that should help you feel a little less alone in your health and fitness journey.
The Truth About Kegels
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m not “anti-kegel,” but I am “pro-find the root cause before prescribing a pelvic floor muscle contraction (aka kegel).”
Let me explain what I mean 👇
The advice to perform kegel exercises to improve pelvic floor symptoms might not work for everyone, and in some cases, it CAN make symptoms worse.
This is because many instances of symptoms are due to uncoordinated pelvic floor muscles and nerve connections.
Instead of contracting automatically and subconsciously when they should, these muscles may not be doing that. And repeatedly doing kegels while consciously thinking about it won’t necessarily resolve this issue… in fact, it could make things worse. Additionally, if someone has pelvic floor tension, performing kegels can exacerbate the problem, leading to increased muscle tightness and discomfort.
For example, my client Kelly used to do kegels all the time (per her doctor’s order), but she would wake up with pelvic muscle spasms (in her glutes and anus) and worsening leakage symptoms in the middle of the night 🥴
See why in this case it wouldn’t be helpful?
She was already struggling with a tight pelvic floor.
This is why a kegel is not appropriate for everyone, and the advice of “just do kegels” is extremely touchy to a pelvic floor PT.
We want to help you get to the root of the problem (muscle incoordination, for example), then teach you how to re-coordinate that muscle FIRST. Then, maybe we can do a kegel to retrain that strength and endurance of the muscle.
The Whole-Body Connection
Oftentimes, your symptoms may have nothing to do with that pelvic floor muscle group itself—we have to look at the whole body 👀It’s sooo important to understand that the entire body, not just the pelvic floor muscles, provides information about pelvic floor health. Working with a specialist who can identify and address the root cause of your incontinence is essential for effective treatment!
Understanding Stress Incontinence
Leaking with jumping, sneezing, and lifting?
This is known as stress incontinence. It’s due to intra-abdominal pressure mismanagement in the abdomen, which indirectly causes incontinence. Pretty frustrating, right? But want to know what else is frustrating?
The number of people that accept that it’s a normal part of being a woman or having a baby (although it happens without ever being pregnant) and choose to do nothing to change it. Many, once diagnosed, seek help. Many, do not.
Common Misconceptions Holding Women Back
Here’s why 👇
Perception of severity ➡️ “Oh, it’s just a little bit, it’s not a big deal.”
Taboo ➡️ “This is so embarrassing to talk about.”
Limiting belief ➡️ “My mom had it, I guess it’s just normal for me to have it too.”
Lack of awareness ➡️ “My doctor told me it’s normal after having a baby, so I didn’t know I could treat it.”
Fear of treatment ➡️ “I don’t want surgery, so I just deal with it.”
I’ve heard every single one of these reasons so many times.
But none of them are valid reasons.
If some of these hit home for you… we don’t blame you. It’s okay.
But now that you know better, we ENCOURAGE you to seek treatment (pelvic floor physical therapy) for stress incontinence because it’s often the FIRST sign of pelvic floor dysfunction that can be FIXED before other symptoms arise.
Ready to Take Action?
You don’t have to live with leakage. There are proven, effective treatments that can help you regain confidence and control.
Your body deserves care, and you deserve to feel strong, empowered, and leak-free.
xo Dr. Courtney
Additional Links:
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