This article is evidence-based, verified by Dr. Ahmed Zayed. For many pregnant women, incontinence is a serious issue; whenever you cough, strain, laugh or sneeze, some urine will always be leaking. No matter where or when it occurs, it’s incredibly embarrassing and could have a serious impact on a woman’s quality of life by a staggering 54.3%. Here, you will learn how to restore that control with some helpful tips. 5 Tips to Control Incontinence in Pregnant Women Pregnant women have a necessity to urinate frequently. But, when it becomes difficult to control, that’s when a woman can experience urinary leakage. To manage incontinence efficiently, it’s best to do Kegel exercises, control your weight, change your diet, and avoid any consumables that affect your bladder control. The cause of such a problem is relatively simple. Every pregnant woman can experience an increased blood flow to her kidneys from 35% to 60%. The bladder is equipped with nerves that send out signals to our brain. Such signals point out when the bladder is actually full. Then, the brain will send its own signals to notify the system that the bladder should be emptied. The signals and muscles work in sync, but when that blood flow is too much to handle, incontinence becomes difficult to manage. The baby in the womb can put a lot of pressure on the canal (the urethra), bladder, and pelvic floor. The more pressure is applied to the organs and muscles, the harder it’s to control urination. But, luckily, there are various ways you can manage this problem and boost urinary control. Here, we will focus on the most effective approaches to help extend the time between going to the bathroom by trying out the following tips. We will talk about: Why you should try Kegel exercises How diet impacts urinary control What kind of beverages should you avoid Why losing weight can be helpful How to train the bladder Why You Should Try Kegel Exercises To manage urinary leakage as a pregnant woman, you first have to restore the strength to the pelvic muscles. Keeping these muscles fit can be useful for preventing unexpected urine leakage or stool passage. This can be achieved with regular Kegel exercises. These exercises consist of holding, pulling up, and relaxing the pelvic muscles for a very short time. The idea is to slowly increase both the number of exercises and the amount of time for every set. Ideally, two sets every day can have excellent results. To do one set, simply pretend as if you are trying to stop yourself from peeing. Squeeze the muscles and pull them in. Hold them for 3 seconds and relax for another 3 seconds. Repeat the same type of contraction ten times for a full set. With every next set, increase the holding and relaxing time for a few seconds up to 10 seconds. The more you practice, the more sets you can do in a day. Eventually, you can do 3 or 4 sets a day. How Diet Impacts Urinary Control Any type of food that causes constipation like gluten-foods, processed foods, dairy or milk products, fast foods, etc., will put a lot of stress on the pelvic floor. Acidic foods can aggravate the muscles. The more pressure you put on the pelvic floor, the more difficult it will be to control the urge. To manage urinary leakage with a diet, you need plenty of fiber in your meal. Fiber-rich foods will help the body absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat and help with digestion. They can relieve constipation, which is recognized for causing bladder issues. Also, try to consume enough omega-3 fatty acids since they have potent anti-inflammatory compounds. Do’s Don’ts Fiber-rich foods Processed foods Plenty of water Dairy products Omega-3 fatty acids Fast foods Acidic foods Gluten What Kind of Beverages Should You Avoid Drinking plenty of water is crucial for a healthy body. That’s why a pregnant woman should consume around 12-13 glasses of water daily. However, with incontinence, it’s important to know what you can and can’t drink. Not all beverages have the same effect as water. Drinks like soft/fizzy drinks, alcohol, or coffee may irritate the bladder and cause you to lose control. If you steer clear of such drinks, it will be a lot easier to manage the leaks. You can achieve that by switching all those beverages with water or tea. Why Losing Weight Can Be Helpful Excess weight adds extreme pressure to the bladder. This type of pressure is often responsible for uncontrollable urine leakage. To handle uncontrolled urine leakage, it’s recommended that you keep moderate and healthy body weight. With a healthy weight, the bladder will have a much easier time to operate properly. How to Train the Bladder Training the bladder may sound strange, but it’s doable. The goal is to try and urinate every half an hour before you get an urge to do so. Then, slowly increase the time between each bathroom trip to get that control back. It’s all about timing the need to urinate. By creating a regular pattern, it will be easier for you to manage the times you have to go to the bathroom. You can train the bladder to hold a bit longer and replenish strength to the weak pelvic muscles. That way, it will be much easier to predict the next bathroom trip. Final Thoughts Incontinence is a very embarrassing problem for plenty of pregnant women. It can affect them on an emotional and physical level. However, it’s possible to manage the problem, and with the right exercises, diet, weight, and urinary control, it will be much easier to prevent it. With just a little bit of effort, you can achieve favorable results. Dr. Ahmed Zayed, MD holds a baccalaureate of Medicine and Surgery. An avid contributor to the Huffington Post and Chicago Tribune, Dr. Zayed believes in providing accurate and accessible information to general readers. With years of writing and editing content in the medical niche, Dr. Zayed likes to think of himself as a man with a mission, keeping the internet free of false medical information. References https://www.kidspot.com.au/birth/pregnancy/signs-and-symptoms/early-pregnancy-symptom-frequent-urination/news-story/a8cf9cc26df8dfd6665e6724ab6b4258https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16094-pregnancy-and-bladder-controlhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3671107/https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/urinary-incontinence#treatmenthttps://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/symptoms-and-solutions/urinary-incontinence.aspxhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02070042
Welcoming a new baby can be an exciting time for all involved. There can be a lot to do and a lot involved but one thing that shouldn’t be put off is preparing your other children. Adjusting to a new sibling can be difficult for any child. However, if you have a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) it can be especially challenging. If you’re expecting another child through pregnancy, adoption, or foster care, there are some things you can do to help the older sibling understand and adjust. We’ve done our research and consulted the experts on how to introduce a new baby to your autistic child. Keep reading on to find out what we learned. Understanding the Challenges for Your Autistic Child The first thing that needs to be considered is the unique challenges a new baby presents to your autistic child. The main three things that should be focused on since they can be challenges for ASD children are communication, managing change, and sensory consideration (Surrey Place Centre, 2016). Many autistic children struggle with communication. Therefore, it can be difficult for them to ask questions they might be curious about. They may also have trouble understanding what is being told to them about the pregnancy and birthing process. Change can be a struggle for many of us but autistic children can take it especially hard. Changes of any kind, both big and small, are hard for ASD children. With a new baby comes a lot of change. Therefore, proper preparation and consideration are needed to help your child adjust. Finally, sensory considerations can be a big hurdle when introducing a new baby to your autistic child. Every child with ASD is different but often things like sounds and scents can be a trigger. Some children may seek out this sensory input while others may very sensitive to it. In order to meet these challenges, it’s important for both you and your autistic child to be prepared and ready together. Continue on for the best tips and practices to help introduce a new baby to your autistic child. How to Introduce a New Baby to Your Autistic Child In order to be ready for the challenges ahead, the best thing you can do is prepare. Use the tips below to help your child understand what is coming and what you can do to plan ahead. Communication is Key Since communication can be challenging for ASD children, it’s essential that you work to forge effective messages. The first recommendation is to use the proper terminology when referring to your pregnancy (Wang, 2013). If your child is more verbal they may be able to ask questions on their own. If not, it’s a good idea to start talking about the pregnancy earlier on with proper terms. The reason for this is your child likely already associates words like ‘stomach’ or ‘tummy’ with eating and food. Therefore, it can be confusing when you tell them a baby is growing in your tummy. Instead, tell them there is a baby growing in your uterus and you will use your muscles to help push it out. Another recommendation is to choose a name as early as possible and use it (Autistic Mama, 2015). Autistic children can struggle with abstract concepts which includes what a baby is. By giving the baby a name early on and using it, your child will associate the baby with a person which gives them a better understanding of the concept. Even though your ASD child might have questions, they may be unable to verbalize them. You can help anticipate these questions and answer them by using books, TV shows, and movies about babies. Pictures and simple storybooks about the pregnancy, how the baby will be born, and life at home after the baby arrives can be extremely helpful. “Baby on the Way” by William Sears, MD, Martha Sears, RN, and Christie Watts Kelly and “The New Baby at Your House” by Joanna Cole are highly recommended (Wang, 2013). Make Major Changes Before the Baby is Born Change can be difficult for anyone but especially challenging for ASD children. Since the arrival of a new baby can come with a lot of change, it’s recommended you do as much as you can before the baby arrives (Surrey Place Centre, 2016). Make a list of any changes you can think of. Then, work to start them as soon as possible or at least 2 months before the new baby arrives. For example, if your child will need to move to a new bed or another room, you do it as soon as you can. Make it a positive experience for your child and one they can be an active participant in. While other changes such as a change in school routine or daycare should be done at least 2 months before the baby arrives. Plan for Alternate Caregivers If your child is very attached to you, it can be difficult for them to deal with you being away. This can be especially hard if they aren’t familiar with the people taking care of them. Plan ahead for alternate caregivers such as for when you’re in the hospital or time after the baby arrives (Surrey Place Centre, 2016). Take your child to visit grandparents or other family members who might be helping out afterward. By getting your child more familiar with them and their environment now, it will be easier for them with the day comes. Introduce the Idea of Babies to Your Child There are several different recommended ways of introducing the idea of babies to your child. Previously we suggested books and TV shows, which is a great start. This would be considered the next step. The first way to do this is to visit a friend or family member that has a baby (Center for Autism Research, 2016). Not only will this introduce the concept of babies but you’ll also be able to gauge how your child reacts. Check to see if they are sensitive to the noise, crying, or scents of a dirty diaper. Having this information can help you be prepared for the future. Another recommendation is to get your child an anatomically correct baby doll (Wang, 2013). This is usually the type of doll used for childbirth education classes. Giving your autistic child a baby doll can help them get used to the size and appearance of a baby. After the baby is born, they may also like to mirror your behavior like changing their doll’s diaper when you change the baby’s diaper. Having a new baby can be a major adjustment. However, by following these recommendations for introducing a new baby to your autistic child, you can help prepare yourself and your child for success. References Autistic Mama. (2015). 4 Super Helpful Tips to Prepare Your Autistic Child for a New Baby. Retrieved from Autistic Mama: https://autisticmama.com/special-needs-baby-coming/ Center for Autism Research. (2016). Birth of a Baby. Retrieved from Center for Autism Research: https://www.carautismroadmap.org/birth-of-a-baby/ Surrey Place Centre. (2016, February). Helping your Child with ASD Adjust to New Siblings. Retrieved from Surrey Place Centre: https://www.surreyplace.ca/documents/Resources/autism/Parent-Resource-Before-Birth.pdf Wang, K. (2013, February 27). How To Prepare Your Special Needs Child For The New Baby. Retrieved from Friendship Circle: https://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/02/27/how-to-prepare-your-special-needs-child-for-the-new-baby/