Tips & tricks on how to manage menstruation, incontinence & discharge. 

Us woman have to go through a lot of cr** most guys will never have to be privy to or experience themselves. From childbirth to judgement for breastfeeding or not breast feeding; from period cramps to menopause to incontinence - we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. And while most of us are rockstars at getting sh** done, it’s fair to say we have to do all of this with our bodies changing in ways we never truly anticipated or respected.

Here’s the good news: Regardless of your age, female discharge is something virtually all of us women have to deal with, so it really shouldn’t be an embarrassing or taboo topic. Look around you and virtually every single woman you see is silently lamenting about bodily function issues.

And the reason they do this in silence is because, for whatever reason (call it the patriarchy if you will), men aren’t socially burdened with the taboo of pit stains or gas. Men have the privilege of popping a blue pill or peeing on a tree when they can’t hold it in. Us women don’t get to experience such luxuries as we move into middle and old age.

The bad news is that our naturally-occurring bodily functions will never be construed as sexual for men (by and large), and thus “social proof” of female bodily functions pertaining to our netherregions are construed as gross. In other words “down there” is sexual to the male sex and anything that goes beyond that sexual facade they have created in their heads is unwelcome. Queue: women being embarrassed by any sort of vaginal discharge.

There really is no biological or rational reason us ladies should be hiding any discrepancies with our bodies. Men don’t like it? Good luck finding another woman out there that doesn’t deal with one of the aforementioned topics. Hell, even the most dainty and pristine woman sweats at the gym and the “rights or wrongs” of this should never even enter our social dialogue.

And yet, here we are, in 2022, having to suppress or hide our natural body functions. Until men become a bit more enlightened or at least accepting, we are conditioned to believe our lady parts should be discreet and that includes any stains, incontinence, discharging, bleeding, or pee. Plus, if we’re going to be totally honest, it’s not exactly comfortable to be working out or running errands with stickiness of any kind between your legs.

So, here at Luamana, we resolved to provide some effective ways you can alleviate or reduce “embarrassing” incidents.

What Methods Can I Use to Control My Bladder?

There are a number of stress incontinence treatment options that can help you regain control of your bladder, but in some cases, it may take up to six months or longer to fully recover. And to be totally fair, not all women will see vast improvement, so don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t see drastic changes.

Inner Pelvic Muscle Exercises

We’ve all heard of the infamous Kegal exercise - one of the go-to’s recommendations from doctors after we have given birth.. Why? Because they work. Many factors can weaken the pelvic floor in women, such as pregnancy, childbirth, aging, and weight gain.

The pelvic floor muscles support the womb, the bladder, and the bowels. If the muscles are weak, these pelvic organs may lower into a woman’s vagina. As Healthline states, “Besides being extremely uncomfortable, this can also cause urinary incontinence.” This is why women post-partum tend to deal with more involuntary discharge/incontinence than those who have never given birth. Incidentally enough, this also is probably why you rarely see new moms jumping on trampolines. (Damn, Eve, stealing that apple and cursing womankind. Couldn’t you have found a nice papaya in the garden, instead?)

When you feel physically ready to utilize kegel exercises, you should start to notice a difference after a few weeks (although be warned that it takes some women months to really enjoy the effects). You can perform floor exercises by squeezing your pelvic muscles and holding for about 10 seconds. Another alternative is to find a personal trainer to help build the muscles and tendons that support the pelvic floor muscles. If you continue to see no improvement or your symptoms worsen, there are physical therapists that are specialized in Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy that is deemed very effective treatment, but can be scrutinized for it’s invasive nature.

If you are budget-strapped or prefer to implement effective treatment in the privacy of your home, check out the following chart for some pelvic strengthening tools.

Simple Lifestyle Changes like Diet

There are many small changes that you can make to your daily routine to relieve unwanted stress on the bladder. Though some may seem like obvious resolutions while others may leave you confused, hear us out…

Clean up your diet. It comes as no shock to anyone that a healthy diet generally leads to a healthier, higher-functioning body, so yes, eating healthy fruits and vegetables are quinesential for warding off incontinence. However, it’s really all about fiber than anything else. Fiber helps the body stay “regular” which means you are consistently utilizing the pelvic floor muscles and clearing out the IG track.

Try to avoid drinks or foods that contain high caffeine or sugar levels because these work as diuretics which can insight the general urge to urinate, even when you don’t have to.

Stay hydrated. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to avoid urinary tract infections (UTIs) and dehydration.

Excess body fat puts extra pressure on your pelvic floor. We are in no way suggesting that maintaining an ideal body weight is easy - particularly when you don’t get any real “self-care” time literally right after contributing to the human population. However, finding ways to lose any extra weight when possible might help you significantly with leakage, discharge, and incontinence.

Avoid nicotine. Nicotine directly affects the muscles and lining of the bladder, and chronic coughing from smoking cigarettes can cause increased stress on the bladder and can prolong the prevalence of incontinence symptoms.

Timed Voiding

Typically, using the restroom every 2 to 3 hours is considered normal. If you have to go more frequently, you can try bladder training techniques to regain proper functionality of your bladder. Use the bathroom every 30 minutes to an hour, then try to extend the amount of time between urination each day. Think of it as a marathon for your lady-parts; you’re going to have to slowly train it to increase stamina. Emptying your bladder prior to activities, including exercise, can help eliminate leakage as well. Time voiding is analogous to bladder training, which you can learn more about in this article.

See Your Healthcare Provider

If you have incontinence symptoms, speak with your doctor to rule out more serious conditions and causes to help develop an effective treatment plan. For example, you may have urge incontinence as opposed to stress incontinence - two different conditions which require different treatments.

Medication and Devices

You may need temporary assistance with incontinence medication or support devices to help relax your bladder and control urine flow. A pessary is a small silicone ring inserted into the vagina in the morning and removed each night. This device is designed to stop the flow from a woman’s urethra, and may remain in place all day or only during more strenuous activities if desired.

Other doctor treatments may include surgical methods to help support the pelvic floor and may be recommended for women who have completed childbearing and have not had success with conservative therapy. Speak with your doctor if you still are having incontinence issues beyond 6-12 weeks after the birth of your child.

Yoni Eggs For Therapy

Also known as kegel balls, these eggs work as dumbbells for your vagina. By inserting them into the vaginal canal, your pelvic wall automatically tightens to keep the egg intact. It’s essentially like doing kegels, only with more weight so you have a more dramatic use of the inner muscles, leading to a strengthened pelvis.

Revamp Your Wardrobe

Change in clothing can be the boost you need to feel confident and sexy while experiencing bladder leaks. We get that these two things are a bit juxtaposing, but hear us out… There really is a way to manage weird and surprising bodily functions while still looking cool and composed. In fact, that was the inspiration behind Lumana’s AthleisureWear. We wanted women of all ages, all body types, and all different hoo-ha’s to be able to embrace their femininity without the embarrassment.

There is nothing quite as aggravating or embarrassing as being in the zone and suddenly being distracted by the inconvenience of sudden sweat pooling, incontinence, menstruation, or discharge. Of course, there are long-term resolutions to such problems, but these won’t happen overnight. So, if you want temporary fixes, the Luama athleisure wear is a great alternative.

Our workout leggings, shorts, and tennis skirts (coming soon) boast built-in padding that helps with moisture absorption, leakage, and menstrual blood. Significantly less bulky than a throwaway pad, our panty liners don’t bunch or distract from certain angles of movement. Plus, they easily wash so you can enjoy full protection whenever you need it, without the financial and environmental consequences of buying disposable pads.

But more than the convenience of Lumana’s leisurewear padding, the garments are designed to flatter any physique. Boasting a lightweight blend of Nylon and Spandex, these bottoms are moisture-wicking and breathable, so you can wear them from the gym to the grocery store without feeling sweaty or icky. Not to mention, the adorable colors and patterns they feature.

Resolving incontinence

In many cases, women with postpartum incontinence see significant improvement after implementing at least a few of the aforementioned tricks. Women may also see their symptoms completely resolve by maintaining a healthy routine and losing any extra post-pregnancy weight.

The important thing for women to know is that incontinence after childbirth is A) totally and completely normal and B) does not need to be a daily part of their lives as moms. There are attainable solutions - both short-term and long-term - that will have you feeling back to your pre-partum body in no time.