'I've helped hundreds of women with their pelvic floor. These are the 7 things I tell every client.'

Bladder leakage. It's the conversation we need to be having more often.

Thousands of Aussie women experience bladder leakage. It's far more common than you think. For some though, they don't feel like they have someone to reach out to for help and guidance.

But let us tell you – there's a giant community of support available for those dealing with bladder leaks. And, there are also ways to manage bladder leakage symptoms in the long term.

Caitlin Dunsford is a physiotherapist and leads Poise's Pelvic Floor Support Hub. She is also the founder of the Pelvic Floor Project, so she definitely knows a thing or two when it comes to this topic.

With over 11 years of experience, Caitlin has helped hundreds of women dealing with bladder leakage and weakened pelvic floor muscles. Speaking with Mamamia, here are the 7 things she always tells her clients, and why it's important for you to know them too.

1. There are free resources out there to support you.

"A lot of women have barriers to access. So if we can drop that barrier and improve access to information, then we're one step forward to improving women's health awareness," says Caitlin.

Helping as many women as possible is always the biggest goal. This passion shines through Caitlin's involvement in the launch of Poise's Pelvic Floor Support Hub. It's a new (and free) 12-week pelvic floor muscle training program, which is physiotherapist led.

"It comes with tailored articles and a personalised quiz to better understand your pelvic floor," Caitlin explains. 

"The program helps women develop stronger bladder control, and help them manage bladder leakage symptoms long term. So it's super handy and resourceful." 

The Pelvic Floor Support Hub also provides free sample kits of Poise liners and pads based on your leakage level, which we love.

2. Bladder leakage is more common than you think.

One in three Aussie women experience symptoms of bladder leakage. 

New research from Poise showed that over four in five (82 per cent) of Australian mothers and pregnant women have experienced bladder leakage, so it impacts a far wider group of people than many initially expect.

"A lot of people experience stress incontinence, which is the term for leaking urine when you physically exert yourself. Bladder leakage can also occur during activities like coughing, sneezing, laughing, running or jumping. I also see stress incontinence in young athletes and women who have never had kids before," Caitlin says.

When it comes to women who have recently had a child via vaginal birth, the numbers are far higher.

"I have lots of clients that are new mums who experience bladder leakage. I always tell them that although their symptoms shouldn't be considered normal, it is common and something that can be greatly improved. Particularly in the 6 to 12 months after having a baby. Embracing good bladder and bowel habits is key, along with exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles."

3. Support is growing for women experiencing bladder leakage. 

Caitlin has had clients tell her that they didn't seek help sooner because they felt too embarrassed about their symptoms. And others report just not knowing there was support out there available to them like physiotherapists in this area.

The other half hadn't yet realised there was support out there available to them.

"For quite a long time, there's been pretty minimal support in Australia for women with bladder leakage, and as a result, it often goes unseen," Caitlin says.

"Whether it's the conversations we have, the work of experts, or the programs out there, the aim is to provide access to evidence-based information and reduce the stigma. It's not about normalising it. Rather about shining a light on how common it is and how much support is available."

4. There are ways to know if you're doing the pelvic floor exercises correctly.

According to Caitlin, there are signs that point to the pelvic floor exercises doing their magic. 

"If you're doing a pelvic floor exercise correctly, you should be able to notice a gentle tightening and lifting in the area of the pelvis. Then when you let go, you should consciously be aware that the muscle is relaxing," she says.

"If you are feeling pain, if you leak urine, if you feel a bulge in the vagina when you're doing that exercise, then you're likely doing the wrong thing. If you're struggling to perform the pelvic floor exercises, a physiotherapist specialising in this area can assess you and guide you on how to perform the exercise correctly for maximum results."

Another thing Caitlin often tells her clients in case they weren't aware – the pelvic floor isn't just one small muscle, rather it's a group of muscles in layers that sit at the base of the pelvis. This means that there are different cues and ways to exercise these muscles.

5. There's one factor in particular that is both a risk factor and a symptom of weak pelvic floor muscles. 

Low and behold, the answer lies in the bowel.

"The bowels have a big impact on pelvic floor muscle function. Don't push them to the side just because your concern is the bladder/vagina. The bowels are often the first thing I ask my clients about," Caitlin says.

"Chronic constipation is both a risk factor and a symptom of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction."

6. It doesn't take long at all to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.

Interestingly, what a lot of the research shows is that doing the pelvic floor exercises for 12 weeks correctly, and doing them supervised by a physiotherapist, offers the best results. 

"From the six-week mark, many women start to feel an improvement, but everyone is different. 12 weeks is seen as the optimal period," says Caitlin.

7. You don't have to do pelvic floor exercises every day for the rest of your life.

Yes, it would seem rather extreme to have to do pelvic floor exercises every day for the rest of your existence. We're busy women. 

But breathe easy, because Caitlin says there are ways we can keep up the great results without having to do the exercises on a daily basis.

"A pelvic floor muscle training program runs for approximately 12 weeks. After this I often have clients go onto a maintenance program. This can look like three sets of 10 reps done two days a week, or it can also look like someone doing three months of training per year as a 'top-up' session."

Helping women regain their confidence is what Caitlin loves about her work as a women's health physio. And it's work she hopes to continue doing for many years to come.

"Seeing my clients feel comfortable with themselves again is amazing. No one should suffer in silence."

Head to the Poise website for access to the Pelvic Floor Support Hub or request your free sample kit. Find Poise products at your local Coles, Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse or other retailers.

Feature Image: Instagram/@pelvicfloorwithcaitlin.