Incontinence after baby (TMI)

I have a friend at coffee group who is suffering from this, and as none of us knew anything about it I said I would ask on OB to see if anyone had any advice?!

She had her first baby about the same time as me, and has been suffering since she was born, apparently she pee's when she sneezes or coughs or laughs too hard (she says its not a gush of pee, but its still pee!!) The running joke is that she might have to go and buy incontinence pants!

The only advice that I could give was to do her pelvic floor excersises, does anyone else know what else she can do?

I think it is quite normal. dont the ads say 1 in 3? I know I will still get it if I get a sneezing fit or a cough that comes on suddenly and I cant suck it all in

I had quite a bad tear when I had Ella and had a few sneezing accidents afterwards. I went nuts doing the pelvic floor exercises and it helped a lot.
You can also get pelvic floor strengthening thingees at d'vice and other places which help you tone up again.

Here's a Linky to the pelvic floor things.

I'd get her to talk to her GP who can assess whether she just needs to do her Pelvic Floor Exercises or may need some medical intervention.

It sounds like stress incontinence which is really common after having a baby and like everyone else has said, usually resolves with pelvic floor exercises.
I have residual incontinence even now as a result of a pre-existing bladder condition and having had a giant baby, twin babies and now another baby bouncing on my bladder, and I find the Tena active liners really good, not too bulky and they do the trick nicely. Have just ordered some cloth ones to try too.
I also see Vicki Holmes at Birthcare, she's a Womens Health Physio who specialises in incontinence issues and I can highly recommend her. It costs me $60 per session which I get back from Southern Cross, but she also runs a public clinic at Greenlane so your friend might be able to get in to see her there for free.

Hehe, snap DJ!

I got a refer to the physio when I was preg with char, as I had it bad during the last few months of preg with her and it took ages for it to get better but still not great after having Jacob..

I had to get a refer from my midwife, so she should still be able to do so, if she rings her and asks nicely

I saw her straight after having baby and she gave me all these different exersizes to do,a nd I cna book in to see her again any time, even in 5 years without a referal now I have seen her.
She did tell me, though that your body takes about 3ish months to return to "normal" after birth, however as long as you are breastfeeding, you are still releasing that hormone that makes everything soft, so things won't properly retun to proper normal till after that stops.
I'm still not fantastic, but liveable ATM, and I will go and see physio again after I stop feeding if things haven't improved more.