Let’s be Frank About: Urinary Frequency During Pregnancy
Urinary frequency is a common concern for many women, particularly during pregnancy. It's a pain in the @$# and there's a lot a few pelvic floor physiotherapy tips can do to help. Let's dive in!
Why Does Urinary Frequency Occur More During the First Trimester vs. the Third Trimester?
First Trimester:
During the first trimester of pregnancy, many women notice an increase in the frequency of urination. It’s common to feel like you may even have a UTI; increased frequency, tingling, difficulty fully emptying and just feeling like you could go again. This can be attributed to several physiological changes:
Hormonal Changes: The hormones progesterone and hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) rise significantly in early pregnancy. The combo of these two have been found to increase urgency and frequency. hCG in specific increases blood flow to the pelvic region, causing the kidneys to become more efficient and produce more urine. Extra blood flow down there can be super fun in some ways (hello simulation turned on 🔥) but also uncomfortable.
Body Changes: being newly pregnant can be kinda nerve-racking. You can’t see the baby but everything has changed and there’s a new sense of delicateness and responsibility. It’s common to see people gripping their bellies or pelvic floor as a way to feel more secure or even as a way to try to stop the “urge”. Unfortunately, this tension only squeezes and irritates the bladder more.
Third Trimester:
In the third trimester, urinary frequency often increases again, but for different reasons:
Uterine Pressure: By the third trimester, the baby and uterus have grown significantly. The weight and size of the uterus put substantial pressure on the bladder, leaving less room for urine storage and increasing the frequency of urination.
Pelvic Floor Changes: If pelvic floor muscles are responsible for supporting and containing intra-abdominal pressure, think of how hard they’ve been working by the time you’re 7 months pregnant. By the 3rd trimester, they can be stiff, weak, and honestly in need of a break. Ideally you’ve been physically active (doing Frank!) during your pregnancy and you’re aware of the range of motion your pelvic floor can have with movement and during relaxation but what I notice mostly is PF tightness from people trying to kegel their way into things feeling more supportive down there.
If you’re unsure whether your PF is on/off or where it even is try out this video
Tips to Manage Urinary Frequency
While frequent urination can be bothersome, there are several strategies to help manage this symptom during pregnancy:
Stay Hydrated: It might seem counterintuitive, but drinking plenty of water is essential. Dehydration can irritate the bladder and worsen urinary frequency. Aim to drink enough water throughout the day that leaves your pee light yellow not clear. Also consider reducing liquid consumption a couple hours before bed. Aim for sips not a chug.
Practice Double Voiding: After you finish urinating, wait a few seconds, take a couple deep breaths and relax your pelvic floor muscles and then try to urinate again. This can help empty the bladder more completely.
Avoid Bladder Irritants: Limit consumption of caffeine, bubbles, and acidic foods, as they can irritate the bladder and increase the urge to urinate :(
Maintain Good Bathroom Habits: Don’t let your bladder run the show! It’s pretty common to start voiding just incase as an adjustment to needing to go all the time. These preventative pees unfortunately reinforce urinary frequency because it sensitizes your bladder to holding less and less urine. Especially if you’ve never actually peed your pants, try to practice calming and distracting the urge to pee rather than going every single time your bladder speaks to you. It will ask, more and more if you let it. Even if your kidneys are pumping out more pee, it doesn’t mean every message from your bladder should be an emergency.
Here are a few distraction tips:
In a moment of urge- Freeze, Squeeze (PF for 5 seconds), breathe, Ease (relax PF 5 seconds) and repeat until the urge passes
Try slow calf raises to pair with PF on/off
Calm self talk “I hear you, I just went, let’s calm this urge and we’ll go if we still need to”
Walk never run to the bathroom
Or check some tried and true ‘gram content 👇
How Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy Can Help
Pelvic floor physiotherapy plays a crucial role in managing urinary frequency, especially during pregnancy. Here’s how it can help:
Pelvic Floor Strengthening: Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles through targeted exercises can improve bladder control and reduce urinary frequency. A pelvic floor physiotherapist can guide you in performing these exercises correctly.
Bladder Training: Physiotherapists can provide techniques for bladder training, which helps increase the bladder’s capacity and reduce the urge to urinate frequently.
Education and Support: Understanding the changes your body is going through can reduce anxiety and help you manage symptoms better. Physiotherapists offer valuable education and emotional support during this time.
Manual Therapy: Techniques such as manual therapy can help release tension and improve the function of pelvic floor muscles.
Recommended Resources
For additional support, I highly recommend checking out the pelvic floor relaxation videos on the Frank YouTube page. These videos provide excellent guidance on how to relax and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which can be incredibly beneficial for managing urinary frequency during pregnancy.
Incorporating these tips and understanding the underlying causes can help you navigate the changes in your body during pregnancy with greater ease. Pelvic floor physiotherapy offers practical solutions and support, ensuring that urinary frequency doesn't overshadow the joy of expecting a new life!
Rachelle Bonneville
