Leaking After Birth, Why It Happens and How to Get Your Pelvic Floor Working Again

Having a baby changes everything, your days, your sleep, your body... Most of those changes make sense, but some catch you off guard. One that many new mums quietly deal with is leaking urine after childbirth. It might happen when you laugh or sneeze or might show up when you lift the car seat or try a bit of exercise.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not the only one. Postnatal leaking is very common, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it. It’s something that can be treated, and for many women it can be fully resolved.

Across the UK, around one in three women experience urinary leakage after giving birth, and many more notice urgency, dribbling, or a general sense that their bladder has become a little unpredictable. It’s common, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating, especially when you’re already juggling feeding, healing, sleep deprivation and the emotional rollercoaster of new motherhood.

Why leaking happens after childbirth

Most leaks after birth fall under something called stress incontinence. That simply means the bladder is under pressure and the pelvic floor can’t support it well enough in that moment. Childbirth puts the whole area through a lot, and it takes time for things to settle.

Here are the main reasons leaking can appear after having a baby.

Pelvic floor changes

Pregnancy places steady pressure on the pelvic floor for months. Labour then stretches those muscles far beyond their usual range. They don’t always spring back straight away. If the pelvic floor is tired or healing, it won’t support the bladder as well as it used to.

Nerve or tissue strain

Labour can leave the nerves that help the bladder and pelvic floor communicate feeling a bit overwhelmed. Long pushing stages or very fast births can leave things feeling slow to respond for a while.

Tears or episiotomy

If you had a tear or an episiotomy, the muscles need time to heal. Scar tissue can make the area feel uncoordinated at first.

Instrumental delivery

Forceps or vacuum deliveries can increase the load on the pelvic floor. These interventions are often needed for safe delivery, but they can leave the muscles needing more recovery time.

Hormonal changes

Oestrogen levels drop after birth and stay low while breastfeeding. This can make the tissues around the bladder and urethra feel thinner and more sensitive. It can also make the pelvic floor feel less responsive.

Bladder behaviour

Some women find their bladder becomes more reactive after pregnancy. You might feel like you need to go more often or struggle to empty fully. Both can lead to leaks.

Most postnatal leaking is a mix of weaker pelvic floor support and stretched tissues that need help finding their strength again.

You’re not alone

Postnatal incontinence is common, but most women don’t talk about it. Many feel embarrassed or assume it’s just part of motherhood. The truth is that lots of women experience it, and many keep it to themselves. Some recover naturally, but many don’t, especially if the problem is still there months after birth.

This isn’t something you’ve done wrong. It’s a physical change, and physical changes can be treated.

Why it’s worth getting help

Leaking affects more than your bladder. It can change how you move, how you exercise, how you plan your day and how confident you feel. Some women avoid running or jumping. Some avoid long walks or anything that might make them cough or laugh too hard. It can even affect intimacy and how connected you feel to your own body.

The good news is that it can get better. Pelvic floor rehabilitation is effective, and the earlier you start, the easier it is to rebuild strength and coordination. Leaving it can make things harder later, especially during another pregnancy or as you move towards menopause.

You deserve to feel comfortable in your body again. You deserve to move without worrying about leaks. And you absolutely deserve support that helps you get there.

Let’s talk about the language used around postnatal incontinence

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has previously raised concerns about how incontinence is portrayed in advertising. In a BBC‑reported case, an advert for incontinence underwear was referred to the advertising watchdog for implying that leaking after childbirth is “normal and expected”, without making it clear that treatment is available. The RCN criticised this approach for giving new mothers the impression that postnatal incontinence is something they simply have to live with, rather than a condition that can be improved with the right support.

More recently, some advertising has begun using words like decline, weakness, fear and shame to describe postnatal leaks, language that can feel heavy, unkind, and far from helpful. In reality, while incontinence is common after birth, it is also highly treatable, and with the right pelvic‑floor rehabilitation, most women no longer need pads at all. The message should be one of recovery and hope, not resignation.

Your pelvic floor can recover and often much faster than you think

Pelvic floor muscles respond beautifully to strengthening, coordination work, and targeted therapy. But here’s the twist: around a third of existing and expectant mothers don't do pelvic floor exercises despite their benefits. It’s not your fault, these muscles are internal, subtle, and notoriously difficult to “feel” properly, especially after birth.

This is where modern pelvic floor therapy really starts to make a difference.

At The Pelvic Therapy Suite we use HI‑EMT pelvic floor therapy. It’s a gentle, non‑invasive treatment that does the hard work for you while you stay fully clothed and comfortable. The machine creates 12000+ deep pelvic floor contractions in one session and it only takes half an hour with no downtime afterwards.

Many new mums feel relieved when they hear this. Improvements often show up sooner than they expect. It doesn’t usually mean months of effort or long routines. With a short run of sessions the pelvic floor starts to switch back on. It becomes steadier and more responsive, and you can feel the difference in day‑to‑day life.

There’s more to it than just the pelvic floor.

Because the pelvic floor is part of your deep core, HI‑EMT also helps the transverse abdominis. That’s the deep abdominal muscle that wraps around your middle and gives you that sense of support from the inside. When this system wakes up again, many women notice they stand taller, feel more stable, and feel more connected through their centre.

And yes, because the pelvic floor and glutes work closely together, some women notice their bum feels a bit more lifted and toned. It’s not the goal, but it’s a nice bonus when it happens!

Supporting your recovery with simple, gentle habits

Alongside therapy, small lifestyle shifts can help your pelvic floor feel more supported. Staying hydrated (even when you’re tired), reducing bladder irritants like caffeine and fizzy drinks, managing constipation, and reconnecting with your breath and core can all make a difference.

You’re not alone and you’re not stuck like this

Postnatal incontinence is incredibly common, but it’s also incredibly treatable. Your pelvic floor is designed to recover, adapt, and strengthen and with the right support, it absolutely will.

At The Pelvic Therapy Suite in Saffron Walden, we offer a calm, private space where you can rebuild strength without embarrassment. Whether your symptoms are mild, persistent, or somewhere in between, gentle, evidence‑based therapy can help you feel more supported, more confident, and more like yourself again.

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