Feel like you are at war with your bladder? 5 tips to make peace

by | Jul 28, 2020 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

The key to ending bladder urges and discomfort may lie in how you empty your bladder. When you adopt the correct posture for peeing, problems like urinary frequency and urgency are MUCH better. Learn how to empty your bladder better to end the bladder wars ‘down there’.

I’m getting a lot of bladder urges and peeing all the time, what can I do to stop it!

I could feel the frustration in the voice of my client as she shared her difficulties with bladder urges and frequency. This all started after the birth of her first child, and at first she thought it was normal to go a lot after giving birth, but as the months went by the urgency did not get better, it actually got worse! As a Pelvic Physical Therapist (Physio for those outside the U.S.), I hear this a lot in my practice especially from busy moms with young children.

In this case my client was a busy mom and the last thing she wanted to spend time doing was peeing! So to hurry things along she started pushing her pee out by holding her breath and bearing down to get it out faster. At first this was successful, but it also started a feeling of not being fully empty, having to pee more often and an increase in uncomfortable bladder urges.
When she finally came to see me, she was peeing a lot. And she was starting to notice an increase in urges to pee at night. Her frequent trips to the bathroom at night meant that her sleep was interrupted, turning her into an even more exhausted mom.
As a Pelvic Physio, I see these problems often and I know how debilitating they can be. I reassured her that there is help for her bladder problems, and this is not a pattern she will have to live with forever. The key to reversing this problem starts with understanding the pelvic floor muscles and how they communicate with the bladder.

What are the pelvic floor muscles?

Your pelvic floor muscles extend from your pubic bone in the front to your tailbone in the back. These muscles are shaped like a hammock and surround our urinary and bowel sphincters. These sphincters are our gatekeepers for our organ systems and they work with our pelvic floor muscles to either relax and let the urine out, or contract and hold the urine back.

When the pelvic floor muscles relax, they send a signal to the urethra that it’s time to empty. The urethra then dilates and opens, this opening sends a signal to the bladder that it’s time to empty. If you don’t fully relax the muscles then this sequence is disrupted, leading to poor bladder emptying and a feeling like you need to sit back down and pee some more.

What if I think I might have a bladder infection?

No amount of behavioral strategies are going to help you if you have a bladder infection. If you know or suspect you might have one get it checked out right away. Home testing kits are a good start but going to your doctor and having your urine tested is best so that you don’t end up with a more serious medical condition.
If you do have an infection, make sure that you get your urine cultured. When they culture urine, it means that they allow the bacteria to grow so they can look at it under a microscope and determine the exact type of bacteria that gave you the infection. Once they know what type it is your provider can give you the correct medication.
After the infection is gone, you will be much more comfortable and can focus on learning how to keep your bladder happy. The tips listed below help with bladder emptying and that can help prevent bladder infections from happening in the future. So how does this work?

How you empty your bladder is actually very important!

Sitting on the toilet and giving the muscles surrounding the urethra the time to relax is key to getting all of your urine out. If you are hovering over the top of the toilet, you are using your hip and leg muscles to hold yourself in that position. By doing so, the pelvic floor muscles don’t get a chance to fully relax.
Or if you have adopted a habit of using your abdominal muscles to push the urine out because you’re in a hurry. Again the pelvic floor muscles don’t have a chance to relax and you may feel like you have to go again, sooner than you should. Both habits of hovering and straining can lead to uncomfortable bladder urges, frequency and in extreme cases a bladder infection.
So if you recognize that you are hovering, straining or just not taking enough time when you pee, don’t worry! The solution is easy, just follow the steps below to get it right!

Yes, there is a posture for peeing.

  1. Don’t hover! Sit fully on the toilet with both feet resting on the ground. If it’s a public toilet and you’re feeling squeamish, use the paper covers for peace of mind.

  2. Adopt a knees-apart sitting posture. Having your legs apart, allows your leg and hip muscles to fully relax. It also makes leaning forward easier.

  3. Lean forward with a straight spine, resting your forearms on your thighs. This angles your pelvis forward for optimal emptying.

  4. Take some deep breaths! Deep belly breathing is key to get your stream started and to keep it going as you’re peeing. Take a deep inhale breath that expands your belly outward at the level of your belly button. This deep breathing helps to relax you and your pelvic floor muscles, giving you a good urine stream so you get it all out.

  5. Most of all, TAKE YOUR TIME! Allow yourself the time to fully empty no matter how full your bladder is. This is bladder self-care and being kind to your body, means you are kind to yourself and ultimately a peaceful happy bladder.

CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD AN EASY REFERENCE PDF:
Once this busy mom understood the best way to pee, and how to work with her pelvic floor muscles, her bladder calmed down in no time. The ‘war down there ended’ and she felt much more confident and in-control. Best of all she was no longer bothered by strong urges and constantly looking for a toilet. Freedom!

Want to know more about how to end the bladder wars?

Click for my free printable Tips for a Happy Bladder!  laughing

Tami Lines is a licensed Physical Therapist with certifications in Pelvic Rehabilitation and Women’s Health Coaching.  She is the founder of Pelvic-Health-Matters.  Tami has over 15 years of experience with expertise in bladder Health, and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction for adolescent and adult women.  She is also a mom of two wonderful young adults working their way through college. 

Wang K, Palmer MD.  Women’s toileting behavior related to urinary elimination: concept analysis. J Adv Nurs. 2010; 66:1874-84.

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