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Women & Postpartum Bladder Problems

Bladder problems are common among women immediately after childbirth, but if problems persist for more than 6-8 weeks, a health care professional should be consulted to discuss medical treatment options.

  1. The Facts

    • Postpartum women may experience bladder problems because the ligaments and pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder and keep the urethra closed are stretched during pregnancy and childbirth, according to Baby Center.

    Stress Incontinence

    • Stress incontinence, which is urinary incontinence that is commonly caused by childbirth, may occur when a postpartum woman sneezes, laughs or has pressure put on the bladder, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse.

    Risk Factors

    • Women who give birth vaginally, have a prolonged labor, give birth to large babies, experience multiple pregnancies, and those who are obese and smoke are more likely to suffer from postpartum bladder problems, such as incontinence.

    Time Line

    • Bladder problems may last for up to 8 weeks after childbirth and then cease completely, or may persist for months depending on the severity of the situation.

    Home Treatment

    • Using the restroom often can help to prevent overfilling the bladder, and doing Kegel exercises each day will strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and result in better bladder control.

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