I knew after having kids there’d be a few things I wouldn’t be able to do again for a while – like go to the toilet in peace, have an eight-hour stretch of sleep and drink a cuppa while it’s still hot.

But nobody told me that jumping on a trampoline, coughing, sneezing, running and a good belly laugh would also be out the window … unless I wanted to wee myself.

Welcome to motherhood. 

Is It Just Me With A Wee Problem?

Ah, no.

Rest assured, you’re not alone if your find yourself bracing in a cross-legged position when you feel a sneeze coming on. Urinary incontinence, or leaking urine, after giving birth happens to one in three women at some point. And if it happens when you laugh, cough, sneeze or exercise, it’s called stress incontinence.

According to Pregnancy, Birth & Baby there are some reasons you’re more likely to develop stress incontinence after birthing your babies, like if it’s your first bub, if you have a long labour or a difficult delivery and need stitches. And it’s also worth noting that mums who give birth via c-section can also get bladder problems.

Although it’s common, the impact of stress incontinence can be pretty big on our day to day lives.

It’s World Incontinence Week, so it’s the perfect time to talk openly about this issue with your mum friends, who are probably going through the exact same thing – sharing this article with them is a great start, because we’re going to reveal a fab little gadget that does double duty to help improve bladder control … and a little something else.

So why does bladder leakage happen?

During pregnancy our bodies are doing amazing things, and growing and stretching in all directions as we grow a tiny human. To help with all of this, our body produces hormones to help stretch our muscles and tissues, including the ones that support the bladder, bowel and uterus. This is called the pelvic floor.

During birth, our pelvic floor stretches while our baby moves down the vagina. The pelvic floor doesn’t just magically snap back (pretty much like our entire body!), it stays stretched for a period of time. And this, combined with those hormones that our body has been releasing means the muscles that control our bladder are weaker than usual. And that’s why we get urine leakage after giving birth.

 So … Am I Doomed To Have A Wee Problem Forever?!

Thankfully not!

After giving birth, you need to give your pelvic floor some time to recover. But once you’re given the all-clear from your doctor, you can start strengthening those muscles. And the way to do that is with Kegel exercises. These simple exercises can help control urinary incontinence by strengthening pelvic muscles.

You can actually do these exercises at any time, by tightening and releasing the same muscles you use to stop urine midstream. But if you want a little helping hand (and to make it a bit more fun), here’s where that game-changing gadget we talked about earlier comes in!

The plusOne Kegel Trainer has been specifically created to strengthen pelvic floor muscles to help improve bladder control and postnatal recovery. It’s smooth and soft and incredibly easy to use – and the bonus is it’s also targeted at improving your intimate wellbeing. Oh, and it can also be used as a sex toy – so there’s that handy bonus!

We love that the plusOne Kegel Trainer is waterproof, so you can add it to your shower or bath routine. It’s the perfect way to remember to do your exercises.

So how does it work?

The larger, rounded end of the trainer is gently inserted into the vagina, until it sits comfortably. The tail stays outside of the body, curling towards your belly button.

Once you’re ready, pop it into training mode and do your pelvic exercises – squeezing the muscles we spoke about earlier. If you’re performing the exercises correctly, the indicator light on the remote will light up. The stronger the squeeze, the more lights will illuminate.

And to add some fun to your workout, the plusOne Kegel Trainer also has five vibration settings in play mode to end your workout on a high. The rechargeable battery gives you up to one hour of use on a single charge, and it’s made from high-quality, body-safe silicone, free from phthalates, BPA, and latex.

And even if you gave birth many moons ago – you’re not a lost cause, you can still get the pelvic floor muscles stronger. There’s no shame in improving your bladder control game! Pelvic wellness is so important to how we live our lives as women and mums, and the plusOne Kegel Trainer is such an easy way to help us take control of our own pelvic health.

There’s no better time than World Incontinence Week to get your own plusOne Kegel Trainer ($149.95), for a hassle-free way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and regain your confidence.

Mouths of Mums is proudly working with plusOne to bring you this article.