Let’s talk about adult incontinence with #AlwaysDiscreet

Sharing is caring!

Admit it, we’ve all had those moments where we’ve laughed so much we’ve wet ourselves, we even say we’re wetting ourselves laughing! For some women, it’s no joke though, and whereas some of us get a bit of leakage when we get the giggles, sneeze, cough or attempt trampolining, for others it’s more serious. One in three women in the UK lives with some form of adult incontinence. So when should we seek advice? It’s very common, especially after having children (whether you gave birth vaginally or by caesarean) to get some form of stress incontinence (when you sneeze, laugh, cough etc), if you can do some pelvic floor exercises regularly this should happen less and less. If it’s still happening after 6 months or you are experiencing urine leaking without a stressor, seek advice from your Doctor. If you find it’s more than a small leak happening, or you are getting urge incontinence – where the moment you need to go it sends a trigger to your bladder and if you don’t get to the toilet NOW, you run into problems. If you need to wear pads and take a change of clothes out with you – that’s when to seek help.

Last week I headed to the Mondrian Hotel in London for a special screening of a film commissioned by Always Discreet to raise awareness of adult incontinence and the effect it has on every day women. It featured the stories of several women whose lives are affected by adult incontinence. There are so many women who suffer and don’t talk about it or seek help, they manage in silence. It’s so important to seek help if it’s something you are suffering from, talk to your GP, there are therapies or even surgery that may help, it isn’t just an inevitable part of getting older or am unavoidable consequence of having children. Don’t be embarrassed, your doctor won’t be, they’ll just want to help find the best solution for you, you don’t have to just get on with it. These women were so brave sharing their stories, helping to break down the taboos and get us all talking about it. A common theme was needing to know where the toilets were on any journey, wearing only certain coloured clothes, feeling old before their time. I sympathise, I remember when I was exercising a lot, I had to wear black trousers only and often wore a pad so that I could do the jumping jacks without fear of leaks! It got better with time but if my children ask me to go on the trampoline I go to the toilet first!

After the film there was a panel discussion, with Jane who had featured in the film and now feels empowered from using Always discreet products, she now feels she has more choice with her clothes and can get on with life more. There was also a representative from a well woman charity who stressed the importance of getting the topic of adult incontinence talked about, and how it affects women in the workplace and their confidence. As women we shouldn’t just roll over and accept it as an inevitable problem, talk about it amongst your friends, find out what works for you. Go Sisterhood!

After leaving the hotel there was a moody sky across Blackfriars bridge, the Thames looked grey and moody, as always the centre of London was a hive of activity and Industry. I love popping up to visit and get inspired, but adore living where I do.

It’s really important to be using the right products too, if you use sanitary towels designed for periods, they work differently and won’t do the job well, causing more discomfort and embarrassment. Use pads that are designed for the job – Always have developed Always Discreet, it’s been 10 years in the making, they’ve worked hard to develop a product that is both effective and practical, it’s thin like their normal always range and will work to eliminate odours too. They have liners, 2 different pads and absorbent pants in their range, the packs looking just like the other pads in the always range to cut down any embarrassment you may feel when you buy them. They want to empower women to live life to the fullest, a sentiment close to my heart.

Top Tips to minimise the risk of leaks and ‘accidents’

• Keep hydrated, don’t be afraid to drink enough fluid, especially water
• Avoid alcohol, fizzy drinks and caffeine as they all increase the amount of urine you make
• Avoid heavy lifting which can put a strain on your pelvic floor
• Try yoga or pilates and focus on the pelvic floor and core strength exercises
• Planning – regular emptying of the bladder, making sure it’s emptying fully each time

If you are suffering or have any questions I’d be happy to talk to you.

This is a sponsored post, but all opinions are my own

Thank you for reading - if you enjoyed this content, please consider buying me a coffee here or browse my Amazon wishlist I really appreciate your support and it helps to keep the site running and for my time 🙂

Sharing is caring!