It is simply NOT acceptable
Let’s talk about this more openly and stop saying it's something we have to live with.
OK I'm angry. I am still dealing with women on a regular basis who have been told by their friends and family members “the fact they leak when they jump on a trampoline is simply because they have had children”.
This needs to ******* stop . 😡
It is not acceptable that because we are women and we have chosen to perpetuate the human race, we have to be OK with the idea we are going to leak urine for the rest of our lives. We are literally being punished for our choices according to some people .
We're told that having a baby changes us. I agree with this. After giving birth, I have never felt as much love towards another person in my entire life. My body changed, and my life changed.
BUT, I should still be able to...
find joy in moving my body the way I want to
have sex with my husband and be adventurous in my sex life
choose another colour of pants other than black
sneeze without fear
even jump on a trampoline
Please please stop telling women what to do with their bodies and what to expect after they have a baby.
Every person on this planet who has been through an illness, an injury, a trauma and or childbirth, experiences things differently. This is what makes us different. It's what makes us who we are.
This is why I do what I do. I love the uniqueness of every person who comes to see me and the lessons I learn from them. Treatment plans are never the same, goals are never the same.
So why is it that every woman is expected to leak after they have a child or have hip pain, back pain, neck pain, or shoulder pain?
Do men not contribute to having children as well? Why do they not have to be subjected to these things? We need to change the narrative. I don't know how many times I say this and I don't know how many ways to say this .
Pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, prolapse, painful sex, these are not dirty words. It is reality for some women. They CAN be treated, they can be helped, they can get better, but only if we stop stigmatising them. We need to stop laughing at people who have accidents, it's not funny, we need to show compassion. We need to offer support and guidance .
I would love to live in a world where treatment was free but it's not. But I also don't believe running for a surgical intervention is the best option, and taking medication has its toll on the body.
We need to educate each other. We need to create more practitioners who can perform internal exams so I can help women .
Let’s talk about these things more openly and stop saying it's something you have to live with.
If you don't know where to start contact me or a local Pelvic Health Physiotherapist check out Pelvic Health Solutions, and Pelvic Guru.
Nicola Robertson
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist