Pelvic floor health matters.

Anyone who suffers with pelvic floor issues will know why our pelvic floor health is important. 

If you’re worried about wetting your knickers, you’re likely to be spending a lot of energy planning when and where you’re going to use the toilet, and carrying pads or a change of pants in your purse. You’re probably also regularly consumed with anxiety and worry about anyone noticing what you’re dealing with and, God forbid, actually mention it to you.

When I was struggling with incontinence after a third degree tear, I saw my issues as some sort of failure of me and my body.

I had failed to have the birth I wanted (I was going to sneeze the baby out, at home, and magically breastfeed her then and there - not labour in hospital for 3 days and have to have extensive surgery to repair my injuries). My injuries felt like just rewards for the failure of my body to birth my baby (she was two weeks late, I had extra amniotic fluid and she was really tangled in the cord - we didn’t have a hope of a straightforward birth). I had a healthy baby (it could have very easily been otherwise) and I didn’t feel like I had a right to complain about what I was going through. We had both been saved. We were fine. 

But I wasn’t fine. A year later, I was still symptomatic. I was terrified of having an accident at work, my relationship with my body was at rock bottom, I was putting off social engagements and really struggling. 

My pelvic floor health was directly affecting every area of my life. It mattered. 

What you might not know, is how your pelvic floor health is indirectly affecting your life. 

I know these statements might seem a little extreme but we are talking about impact over a lifetime. 

If we allow our pelvic floor issues to persist over long periods of time, we are allowing their impact to grow exponentially over the course of our lives.

1. Women with pelvic floor issues like incontinence, prolapse and pain are less likely to exercise.

Over time, this can lead to weight gain and decreased heart and lung function and poorer bone health [source: CDC.gov].

2. Women with pelvic floor issues are more likely to be waking up at night to use the bathroom.

Continually disrupted sleep over long periods is linked with increased rates of cancer, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease. In older age, trips to use the loo in the dark mean we are more likely to fall and break bones which can increase risk of death [source: Mathew Walker: Why We Sleep].

3. The mental load of coping with pelvic floor issues on a daily basis (planning travel around bathroom breaks, carrying changes of underwear and pads around, negotiating intimacy like a military operation) means women have less energy to participate fully in their social lives, at work and in their intimate relationships. [source: mdpi.com]
4. Incontinence in older age is one of the major factors in the decision to put a loved one into care [source: pubmed.gov]. 
5. Pelvic floor issues can have a devastating impact on our sense of self and our self esteem. [pubmed.gov]

They can cause us to feel like we have to hide our symptoms and we can lose connection with our bodies making pleasurable sex lives seem like an impossibility.

All this adds up to increased daily stress and anxiety which in turn puts you back on course for high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

The good news is that no matter your stage of life, there are many things that can be done to help you prevent, manage and treat pelvic floor issues. 

Sheela is here to provide you with weekly, free, practical and approachable content which will help you design your personal roadmap for pelvic floor health. 

The bonus is that, as you prioritize your pelvic floor health, your overall health will benefit too. 

Get started on your pelvic floor health journey today by subscribing to our weekly newsletter (we won’t spam and you can unsubscribe anytime). As a thank you, you’ll receive Sheela’s Guide: 5 Habits for a Healthy Pelvic Floor. In this guide, you’ll discover 5 ways to support pelvic floor health which you can start today (not a kegel in sight - we’ll get to that later ;). 

Pelvic floor health is a complex topic but the solutions that work for you might be more simple than you think. Small consistent actions have big impact over time so take your first steps today. 

In this guide you’ll uncover 5 simple habits you can easily integrate into your lifestyle without having to adopt any complex exercise programs or even figure out how to do a kegel (turns out kegels aren’t actually that simple and aren’t the answer for everybody - more on that later).

For more accessible content like this, 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. Talking about these issues is essential if we're going to help women move past them.