I wouldn’t say that bladder control is something I’ve ever had a particularly strong hold over. I don’t think I have a major problem but basically, when I need to go… I NEED to go! I remember one time, way before children, running with Jonny to catch the last District Line train home and I suddenly needed a wee. I shouted to him that if I got on we’d be stuffed but he hadn’t really experienced this side of me before as it was early on in our relationship and he insisted that we make the train…

As bad luck would have it, or more like sod’s law, the train was very almost into our station when it came to a stand-still in the tunnel. I’d hung on for that long and was trying, squeezingly hard, to keep it in just a tiny bit longer but when darkness hit the carriage and it became clear we were going nowhere fast I unfortunately showed my true ‘need a wee’ colours to my fairly new boyfriend… Let’s just say that he’s never forced me to make a train when I need the loo again and he never, ever asks me to wait when we’re in the car pulling over to the first services we see – especially when we’re in his shiny new motor!

So that was way before children and without any excuses at all and as you can imagine, after pushing two human beings into the world, my desperation when nature calls is that much stronger these days. When my waters broke with Jimmy, like lots of women, I wasn’t sure if in fact it wasn’t the waters at all and if I’d actually just wet myself instead… It seemed a perfectly reasonable thing to have happened; I was 9 months pregnant with a baby pushing on my bladder after all! It’s safe to say that throughout my pregnancies I was all too aware of the fact a pregnant woman is allowed to wee anywhere – not that I did mind, I just made sure a loo was close at hand!

I have to point out that I don’t go around wetting myself – the train was an extreme circumstance and doesn’t happen all the time but I do know that I can’t hold on as long as some people can and I’m sure having children didn’t help the matter. It is definitely something I consider when I drive somewhere long distance and I do have to remind myself, like you would a child, to go to the loo before we leave! And I know I would feel terribly embarrassed if I got caught short. The thing is, I’m not alone.

According to Always Discreet, who conducted some research for their ‘Live the way you feel inside’ study, 1 in 3 women over the age of 18 experience something similar at some point in their lives with pregnancy and child birth bringing about this condition to millions. The same number (36%) who experience frequent bladder leaks do not feel confident travelling long distances versus 1 in 5 women who do not have the condition (20%). Having a sensitive bladder can affect the way women feel about themselves, with 42% of women who experience frequent bladder leaks feeling less confident and 42% feeling less attractive or feminine. More than 1 in 3 (35%) women who experience frequent bladder leaks do not feel confident in an intimate situation. Bladder sensitivity or bladder incontinence might not get talked about much but it’s certainly something that lots of us know all too well about so it really shouldn’t be brushed under the carpet so!

There are many sides of pregnancy that we just don’t talk about because, well, they’re just a little bit icky and this is one of the last taboos of pregnancy if not motherhood. The fact of the matter is that a lot of women experience this, making it a wide spread condition. I wonder how many people are nodding along? I’ve definitely had whispered conversations with friends in the pub after we’ve drunk wine and all rushed to the toilet every five minutes so I know even in my own little circle that the majority of us can resonate!

On the 28^th October, Always Discreet are releasing new research which reveals millions of British women are feeling older than their years which is in direct contrast to their peers. In fact 1 in 5 UK women say they feel younger than the age stated on their passport, however 42% of women with frequent bladder leaks agree that the condition makes them feel older. Now that’s no good is it?!

Always Discreet have been working with GP Dr Sarah Jarvis who is hugely passionate about breaking the silence around this, one of the last taboos in female health. Together with pelvic floor expert Lynne Robinson she has created some top tips on how we can deal with the situation to help ourselves through this condition. Here are a few of them but for the full list you can visit www.alwaysdiscreet.co.uk.

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Share how you are feeling with someone. If you feel too embarrassed to speak to a loved one then set up an appointment with your GP. Millions of women in the UK suffer from sensitive bladder, you are not alone and there is help available.

SET A SCHEDULE

Your bladder is trainable: if you’re troubled by needing to pass water very often and needing to rush to the toilet, talk with your doctor about a daily schedule to build up your bladder’s holding capacity. Remember; allow your bladder to empty completely each time you go to the toilet. 

DRINK JUST ENOUGH

There’s no need to avoid drinking in order to reduce the urge to visit the bathroom. Limiting your water intake makes your urine more concentrated, which boost your chances of bladder irritation. Keep hydrated.

 

Top tips for taking care of your sensitive bladder whilst exercising: Body Control Pilates founder, Lynne Robinson

KEEP MOVING!

Pilates, yoga, cycling, tai chi, brisk and Nordic walking are all great low impact activities that will keep you fit.

AVOID THE CRUNCHES

keep your abdominals in shape.

DO YOUR PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES DAILY

By practicing at least three times a day, these exercises can help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and give you more control when you need it. If you’re not sure how to do them, speak to your doctor or visit www.alwaysdiscreet.co.uk. 

And once you’ve nailed all that sending your confidence sky high, the next thing has GOT to be looking after your ‘look’! No one wants to get it wrong with fashion so good old Always Discreet even want to lend a hand in that department and have asked a style expert to add some tips into the mix for embracing agelss style with confidence!

This is my favourite tip from That’s Not My Age founder, Alyson Walsh

FIND THE RIGHT CLOTHES

Confidence comes from finding the right clothes, the styles and shapes that work for you. Spend time finding fail-safe basics in good fabrics that fit and flatter and can always be relied upon; the perfect pair of jeans, a great white shirt, a figure-flattering jacket. Then pep them up with a pair of chandelier earrings or a faux fur collar and a bold lipstick –  adding the finishing touches to your wardrobe favourites is the easiest way to stay stylish forever.

Always Discreet is also working with 6 women who have been prepared to tell their real stories of living with Adult Incontinence and you can see them talking about it in videos made by documentary maker Flora Berkeley on the Always Discreet website. Flora’s films are inspired by these real women’s stories and are aimed to lift the lid on the hidden impact of AI and help break the silence. Flora says: “The relief that women with AI feel when they are able to talk about their condition and share their story is incredible; it reassures them that they are not alone and removes the debilitating stigma and embarrassment so many women suffer with. I’m proud to join Always Discreet on its mission to break the silence around sensitive bladder and empower women to live the life they want without fear”

Always Discreet, the product of extensive consumer research and testing, is designed with women’s needs in mind. The brand offers a collection of liners and pads that are ultra thin while absorbing 2x more than women may need*, as well as underwear that gives them up to 100%** protection and discretion. These revolutionary product benefits, give women the confidence to live every day to their fullest potential with nothing holding them back products come in a design that is so discreet, it can help restore those feelings of femininity and attractiveness. Always Discreet is specially designed for women who want to live the full and active lifestyle they deserve, so it’s up to them to wear the clothes they love, keep active, travel and socialise – and they can feel empowered to live the age they feel inside, every day.

Getting older with bodies that have been through more than they had are bound to not necessarily work in the exact same way they did when we were in our teens. I woke up on my 36th birthday this year and had hurt my back. I’ve absolutely no idea what I did or how as basically I was just in bed, asleep, alone and yet I woke up with a really bad pain which hurt when I walked… It was like ‘Welcome to the latter part of your thirties, oh and by the way, you ache now!’ But I’m definitely not ready to be old yet (36 isn’t really OLD is it?!) so any help to stave it off is welcome by me! Now, I must be off because frankly… I need a wee!

In association with Always.