Dribbling is for basketball… not for bladders!
Hello lovelies!
Here is your Power to the Pelvis Newsletter for September! There have been some changes with Mountain Mama Pelvic Health - I've been busier in the clinic, which is amazing, and I've been adding some new offerings - including my NEW website!
I am posting my newsletter as blog posts on the site, and have been thinking about changing the frequency as this fall season is so busy! I'd love your thoughts, so if you feel up to it, please contact me and let me know if you'd like to:
a) keep the monthly format
b) have a quarterly format
c) ditch the newsletter and just post blog posts
d) have both the newsletter and add blog posts
e) suggestions???
* Tip of the Month: dribbling is for basketballs, not for bladders!
Let’s talk about it: leaking pee when you really have to go. Those little dribbles that sneak out on the way to the bathroom—or worse, before you even make it there.
This is called urge incontinence, and while it’s common, it’s not something you have to just put up with.
Why does it happen?
Your bladder and pelvic floor work as a team. Normally, when your bladder is filling, it should stay calm and quiet until you’re ready to go. But if the bladder gets “bossy,” it can send strong signals to your brain before it’s actually full. That sudden urge makes your pelvic floor muscles scramble to keep things closed—and if they don’t quite manage, hello leaks.
Common triggers
Putting your key in the door (yep, that’s a real thing!)
Running water or hearing someone else pee
Waiting too long between bathroom breaks
Weak or uncoordinated pelvic floor muscles
Constipation or pressure in the abdomen
What you can do to help reduce leaks
Pause and breathe – When the urge hits, stop where you are. Take a slow breath, exhale fully, and remind your bladder you’re in charge.
Do “the knack” – Gently lift and squeeze your pelvic floor muscles a couple of times to help calm down the bladder signals.
Distract your brain – Count backwards from 100 by sevens, or think about what you’re having for dinner. Weird trick, but it works—your brain can’t fully focus on urge and math at the same time. I also recommend doing some calf raises - it activates the posterior chain and the same nerve tract from the bladder, disrupting that signal from the bladder - try it!!
Don’t rush – Power-walking to the toilet usually makes leaks worse. Wait until the urge calms slightly, then walk calmly.
Train your bladder – If you’re running to the bathroom every hour, try slowly extending the time between visits. This helps your bladder learn it doesn’t need to sound the alarm so early. I usually recommend waiting 5 extra minutes, and then adding onto that as you can.
When to seek help
If leaks are happening often, if you’re avoiding exercise or social outings, wearing or changing pads often, or if it just feels frustrating and disruptive—pelvic floor therapy can help retrain your bladder and strengthen your pelvic floor so you’re not at the mercy of dribbles.
👉 If this sounds like you, I’d love to help you take back control. You can schedule a session with me here - I offer in-person and virtual options that can work with just about any schedule!
* Book I'm reading:
This one is just for fun. I recently starting going to a book club this summer, and the book we're reading this month is The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave - and I LOVED IT!
It's a story about a woman, Hannah Hall, whose husband disappears one day. He leaves her a note that simply reads, "Protect her." This message refers to Hannah's teenage stepdaughter, Bailey, who literally wants nothing to do with her. As the mystery unravels, we find out more about Owen (the husband) and his secrets, discovering he's not who he says he is, and how this affects Hannah and Bailey. I could not put the book down!
You can read it, or I discovered there is an Apple TV+ series of the same name starring Jennifer Garner - love her! Any way you choose to experience it, it's worth it!
