Bladder Leaks Aren’t “Just Part of Being a Woman”
Let’s Talk Healthy Bladder Habits + 2 Common Types of Leaking: Stress vs. Urge Incontinence
If you've ever leaked a little when you laughed, sneezed, or just barely made it to the bathroom in time—you are NOT alone.
-Over 25 million adult Americans experience urinary incontinence, and 75–80% of them are women.¹
-Globally, urinary incontinence affects more than 200 million people.¹
-Most women wait an average of 6.5 years before getting a diagnosis for bladder control issues.¹
My goal as a Pelvic Health Occupational Therapist is to change that! Starting with understanding what your symptoms mean, how to support your bladder, and how to stop accepting leaks as your new normal.
Healthy Bladder Habits 101
Before we talk types of incontinence, let’s talk bladder TLC:
✅ Stop peeing “just in case”
Peeing “just in case” trains your bladder to feel urgency even when it’s not full.
✅ Ditch the hover pee
Squatting over the toilet keeps your pelvic floor clenched, making it harder to relax and fully empty.
✅ Hydrate smart
Too little water = concentrated, irritating urine. Too much = bladder overload. Aim for half your body weight in ounces, sipping throughout the day.
✅ Know your irritants
Caffeine, artificial sweeteners, carbonation, and acidic foods can worsen symptoms—especially urge leaks.
Stress vs. Urge Incontinence: What’s the Difference?
➡️ Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
This is the most common form among women—affecting an estimated 15 million in the U.S.¹
It happens when pressure down on your bladder and pelvic floor causes leaks, like when you:
Laugh
Cough
Run or jump
Lift something heavy
Or maybe just sitting at dinner and you lean forward & leak!
It’s not just “weak muscles”—it can be uncoordinated movement, a hypertonic pelvic floor, decreased pressure regulation, weight fluctuations, or postpartum changes your body never got support for.
➡️ Urge Incontinence / Overactive Bladder (OAB)
About 17% of women over 18 experience it.¹
This one feels like:
Sudden, intense urge to go
Can’t make it in time
Triggers from running water, cold, or pulling into your driveway
Urge incontinence can be tied to nervous system dysregulation. Your bladder is reacting like there’s a danger when there isn’t—and your body has learned to panic first, pee later. We want to rule out any urinary tract infection first as this is a common symptom. Checking out your c-section scar is super important too-scar adhesions can irritate and press on your bladder causing increased urgency.
Who’s Most Affected?
1 in 4 women over age 18 report involuntary bladder leakage.¹
24% of women between 18–44 experience incontinence.³
23% of women over 60 are still dealing with it.³
And it’s twice as common in women than in men.²
Childbirth, pregnancy, and menopause = major reasons why.²
The Part No One Talks About: The Emotional + Relational Toll
Urinary incontinence doesn’t just impact your body—it affects your entire life.
For so many women, it leads to embarrassment, anxiety, and a deep sense of shame. You might start avoiding intimacy, canceling social plans, or planning your entire day around bathroom access. That’s not just inconvenient—it’s isolating.
And let’s be real—talking to a partner about leaking during sex, or constantly scanning for the nearest bathroom on a date, takes a major toll on your confidence and relationships. This isn’t “just leaking”—it’s a nervous system on high alert, a body trying to protect you, and a woman who deserves better care and understanding.
You’re not dramatic. You’re not dirty. You’re not alone.
You deserve support that addresses not just the leaks, but the life impact too.
What Not to Do:
Don’t assume this is your “new normal”
Don’t let someone tell you it’s just because you’re getting older
What to Start Doing:
Can you pinpoint if it’s stress incontinence or urge incontinence? Maybe it’s both!
If you are leaking with some type of pressure down on the bladder and pelvic floor (activities like running, jumping, lifting) you want to first learn about how the pressure in your core system could be the culprit.
Start tracking your symptoms (time of day, triggers, fluid intake, activities you notice leaking)
Build bladder-friendly habits into your day
Learn about nervous system regulation—because urgency often starts in the brain, not the bladder
Work with someone who sees the full picture (hey, that's me 👋)
Citations:
¹ National Association for Incontinence, Facts and Statistics
² WomensHealth.gov, Urinary Incontinence Fact Sheet
³ American Medical Systems, Urinary Incontinence Data
Need support?
I help women with incontinence, pelvic pain, and overactive bladder reduce symptoms and reconnect with their bodies inside my self paced workshop “Breathing to Support Your Pelvic Floor”
Ideal for proactive women who want to get a jump start on their health!
✓ 20 min lecture/workshop course with 6 targeted full body exercises
✓ Be proactive about your pelvic health!
✓ Pelvic Health 101!
✓ Prevent and eliminate bladder leaks!
✓ Improve core strength!
