Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips for Pregnant Women

It might seem annoying to go to the toilet every half hour, but concentrated urine can irritate the bladder and make things worse. However, don’t go to the toilet “just in case” or every time you get the urge, try to hold on and increase your bladder capacity.

Toilet tip

Try rocking back and forth on the toilet when emptying your bladder. This helps move the pressure of the baby off the bladder so it can empty properly, reducing the frequency of toilet trips.

Pelvic Floor Exercises

Pelvic floor exercises performed throughout pregnancy results in more bladder control and can also help during labour. Keeping up with your pelvic floor exercises will also speed up your recovery post birth.

Perineal massage

Try perineal massage around week 34 of your pregnancy. Your perineum (tissues and the pelvic floor muscle between your vagina and anus) can tear or have to be cut during the crowning of the baby’s head. The less of a tear or cut, the more chance the pelvic floor muscles can repair and heal back to its original condition.

Pregnancy Weight Gain 

The weight of pregnancy can have a serious impact on your bladder and the supporting muscles of the pelvic floor. Fluctuating hormone levels of pregnancy, as well as the baby's growth, also contribute to weight gain, so keep an eye on how your baby and you are growing so there won’t be as many kilos to lose when he or she arrives.

Food rules

Certain foods and drinks can irritate bladders. Citrus fruits, tomatoes or hot spices may have this effect on you. Try keeping a bladder diary to see which ones may be affecting your bladder weakness.

Get more fibre

With a growing baby, constipation can become a common pregnancy condition. If you are straining your pelvic floor muscles to empty your bowels, this can have a very damaging effect and result in bladder weakness. Increasing the amount of fibre in your diet can reduce the likelihood of constipation. Fresh fruit and vegetables are an excellent source of dietary fibre, which is important for a healthy bowel.

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