When you have to pee like a mother

With the upcoming workshop for the moms and moms to be, we will be talking about some things pertaining to the bladder. To kick things off and introduce preparatory topics, let’s talk about what I like to call the “mom pee push”. (It is also known as “power peeing”). What is the mom pee push? Think about the times when you need to urinate and you have five seconds to accomplish this or you know your kids will begin to lose their mind. So what do you do? You dash to the bathroom and use the muscles below to push and open the flood gates. Phew, instant relief.

A lot of women start to perform the “mom pee push” because they feel as if they must rush to get back to all of the duties and responsibilities that come along with being a mother. Because life just gets busier with every moment our children are awake, we try to make any trip to the bathroom a hurried affair. Then next thing you know, you have developed the unintentional habit of pushing to urinate and your body performs this automatically.

What if I told you that we shouldn’t push to urinate? Instead of pushing, you should relax and lengthen these muscles. You know that feeling when you do a kegel? Well, this is the exact opposite and is the part of the kegel where you just let go of those muscles. (Random: A number of patients I treat have over-active pelvic floor muscles and kegels aren’t the best initial treatment for them. It can actually make things worse.)

So, here are just a few helpful tips to help you when you avoid the “mom pee push” or “power pee” and relax the sphincter

1.       Sit on the toilet. Yes, I said sit. Sitting helps to improve your ability to relax. If you are squatting over the toilet you may be inadvertently tightening your pelvic floor muscles. Also, it is not uncommon for when people hold a sustained squat for them to hold their breath. And, guess what holding your breath can do? Yep, it can cause you do tighten or bear down. (For public restrooms you can carry items to sanitize the toilet or even your own portable toilet seat.)

2.       Take a moment to breath. When you inhale your pelvic floor descends and lengthens. When you sit, give yourself a moment. Take slow deep breaths and allow for your belly to move outward, your chest to rise and fall.

3.       Relax your jaw. Did you know that a clenched jaw can directly influence the tension at the pelvic region? Also, if your jaw is clenched you may not be performing proper breathing and relying heavily upon your neck and shoulder muscles.

4.       Stay hydrated throughout the day. Have you ever had several hours pass by then realize that you haven’t had anything to drink, just to try to make up that time in less than 5 minutes? (I know I can’t be alone on this one.) This can lead to a rapid filling of the bladder and give you the urge that you must rush to the toilet. Once at the toilet because your body is in a rush to expel the urine, you do the quickest thing possible and push. Instead, try to consume fluids in small quantities more frequently.

5.       The squatty potty doesn’t have to be just for going number two. When using a squatty potty the pelvic floor muscles are a lengthened and relaxed state. You can even lean forward a little bit to help.

6.       Stop waiting until the last minute. Yes, I understand that as a mom you are busy. (I have three cute, tiny humans of my own and they always need something.) Take a moment and make this biological need a priority. More often than not, there is nothing wrong with having your children wait a few minutes so that you can have your much needed moment.

Have questions or want to hear more on a specific topic in a future blog post? Free free to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you!