World Continence Week 2017 - Put an end to #leakface

Image Source (Continence) 

World Continence Week is running from the 19-25th June this year. This years theme is Incontinence: No Laughing Matter. 

This is a really important topic and one that Modibodi is always keen to discuss. A lot of women of all different ages are often faced with changes in their pelvic floor and face incontinence issues due to childbirth or ageing.

Urinary incontinence is a common condition and mostly associated with childbirth, menopause, pregnancy or health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and arthritis. The range of bladder control is very wide, for some its a little leak after a sneeze or laughing fit and for others its a much heavier flow and more frequent.

Just like menstruation, incontinence can be one of those conversations that women are scared to have. Maybe you think its a negative sign of increasing age, maybe you're embarrassed by the effects childbirth has had on your body. We're here to tell you - don't be! The female body is amazing and capable of so many things (like the creation of human life to name one) and we should never be ashamed of its natural processes.  

Pregnancy is a leading cause of urinary incontinence. Did you know that 1 in 3 pregnant women have wet themselves? We love seeing women in the media and well-known faces discussing these topics and the beautiful Rebecca Judd recently spoke of her struggles with incontinence after the birth of her adorable twins. She shared on a radio show that she was recently out and about when she felt a bladder leak coming on. Instead of panicking, she got crafty and used one of her babies nappies to protect herself until she made it home! Where are Modibodi's when you need them right? The main message from this story is that we're all human and it happens to the best of us, even the glamorous ones. Bladder weakening following pregnancy is a natural part of life that we should accept and start more conversations about.

Menopause is another leading cause of incontinence in women. This stage of life marks the depleting of your oestrogen levels which has numerous effects on your body, including the weakening of your pelvic floor muscles. We're all about the power of the pelvic floor and love learning more about these magical muscles and how they can improve our overall strength. We recently had Irene, a fabulous Yoga instructor create a video for us featuring the best poses to strengthen your pelvic floor. You can check it out here.  

We stand strongly behind this health awareness week and are so looking forward to opening up the floor to great discussions about women from all walks of life facing incontinence. Starting the conversation allows us to share stories, tips and provide support to each other. Building up a network of confident, empowered women. Modibodi underwear is about giving women the knowledge and confidence to embrace their bodies and to not shy away from its changes but to confront them head on, and in great style of course.

Modibodi is also proudly involved with the Australian Government CAPS (Continence Aids Payment Scheme). If you are purchasing Modibodi for an incontinence reason, you can be reimbursed through this scheme for the Modibodi garments you purchase. As our garments were designed to help women and girls with leaks of every kind, we want to make sure everyone has equal access to them! Head to the CAPS website to see if you're eligible to apply and don't hesitate to email info@modibodi.com.au if you have any more questions about our involvement with the scheme! If you're looking for more information, advice or support with incontinence then please visit https://www.continence.org.au. This is an amazing Australian foundation looking to raise awareness for incontinence and their website is full of useful, practical information that is extremely helpful! If you're also looking to get involved in World Continence Week then check out the events page here.

If you're dealing with light incontinence and are looking for a garment to provide a little added security then our light absorbency would be great. Our light and moderate absorbencies are best suited to stress incontinence which is associated with activities such as laughing, coughing, sneezing, walking or playing sports. This involves the leaking of small amounts of urine during activities that increase pressure on the bladder and can often be caused by menopause or childbirth.

If you're more prone to urge incontinence then again consider our moderate or new heavy absorbency (available to preorder here). This type of incontinence is a sudden but strong urge to urinate and can also be known as an unstable or overactive bladder. The cause of this isn't as well known but is associated with the ageing process. Wearing a moderate or heavy absorbency ensures you aren't always checking to find a toilet nearby and you don't have to spend excessive amounts of money on adult incontinence products either. Modibodis are a reusable option which is friendlier to the environment and doesn't feel as though you're wearing a big pad.

Image Source (Continence)