Beverage Basics: How and What to Drink for Incontinence

Many people with urinary incontinence (leaking wee) are tempted to drink less in order to manage their symptoms and reduce leaks. 

But like most things to do with pelvic floor health, it’s not that simple. 

Water is essential for most of our bodily functions. 

It regulates body temperature, keeps joints lubricated, delivers nutrients to cells, keeps organs functioning properly, and is important for sleep quality, our ability to think and our mood. 

It’s also essential for removing waste from the body in the form of sweat, wee and poo. 

Providing our bodies with less water than we need will damage our immune response, our ability to think and reduce blood flow to our muscles. It also increases our likelihood of kidney stones, urinary tract infections and bladder inflammation. Ouch. 

Drinking less water also makes your wee more concentrated meaning it smells more which could make you more self conscious if you have any leaks and can irritate the bladder making frequency (how often) and urgency (need to go) symptoms worse. 

Dehydration contributes to constipation which puts extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles.

So how much is enough?

Most people should be drinking around 2 litres of fluid each day but you will need more if you are physically active or you are in a hot climate.

The precise recommended amount is based on your weight - 24ml per kg per 24 hours but you can use your wee as a guide - it should be pale yellow and have a faint (not strong) smell.

All liquids, including smoothies and soups, contribute to your daily fluid intake so you don’t need to overdo it and have 2 litres of water on top of the milk you have in your cereal, your morning coffee, the soup you had for lunch and the mid-afternoon smoothie.

On the other hand, 2 litres is not a limit and you need to pay attention to your body and drink water when you’re thirsty. 

How long does it take me to wee after I’ve had a drink?

Most people wee between 15 minutes and 2 hours after having a drink.

If you’re hydrated, it can take as little as 5 minutes and if you’re dehydrated it can take as long as 8 or 9 hours. The exact amount of time it takes between having a drink and needing a wee depends on how much water is already in your body, your age, the volume you drink, whether you have an overactive bladder, the weather, certain medications and more. 

The key to ensuring you’re hydrated while managing urinary (wee) incontinence is to be mindful of when and what you’re drinking. 

There are some strategies you can try which will ensure your body has enough fluid for all your bodily functions while managing your incontinence symptoms. 

1. Make sure you get your 2 litres a day. Being sufficiently hydrated will ensure good blood flow to your muscles so they can work properly and help you remove waste from your body. 
2. Spread your fluids throughout the day - sipping your liquids will ensure you get maximum benefit without overloading your bladder at any one time.
3. Limiting fluids an hour or so before bedtime will help reduce the need to visit the toilet during the night. Make sure you empty your bladder last thing before you get into bed. You can also use this trick before any car journeys or temporary situations where you won’t have immediate access to the toilet. Just be sure you top up your liquid intake once you’re close to a bathroom again. 
4. Water is the best liquid for your bladder because it causes no irritation. At least half the liquids you drink should be water but you can also drink healthy alternatives like herbal or decaf tea (hot or cold), squash or barley water, or low acid fruit juices like pear or apple diluted with water.
5. Avoid drinks that irritate the bladder. Alcohol is a bladder stimulant and a diuretic which means it causes more wee to be produced and encourages the body to push more water through your kidneys. This is why you often feel dehydrated when you drink it. Caffeine is a bladder stimulant and can increase frequency and urgency. Acidic drinks like fizzy drinks and some fruit juices like citrus and pineapple can also irritate the bladder. 

The bottom line is don’t be tempted to limit your fluid intake to manage your incontinence symptoms. Spreading your fluid intake throughout the day and making sure you avoid bladder irritants will help you improve incontinence symptoms and support pelvic floor function.

Drinking enough water is one of the 5 Habits for a Happy Pelvic Floor we discuss in Sheela’s Guide. If you’d like more simple lifestyle tips to support pelvic floor health, download your copy here. 

For more content like this including How To Videos and bite sized advice, follow us on Instagram (@sheela.ie) and YouTube (@sheelawomen). 

Lastly, if there is a woman out there you think might need to hear any of this, please share. Too many women are suffering in silence. Pelvic floor issues are preventable, manageable and treatable at every age.