Shortly after my first child was born 14 years ago, I began to experience “leaking” on a regular basis. This leaking would happen during exercise and sometimes even when I would sneeze. I had heard from other women that the same thing happened to them and that it was just part of having a baby and being a mom. They would suggest doing Kegal exercise or wearing a panty liner. Nobody ever offered any real solution. I mentioned it to my doctor as well and was told basically the same thing. I assumed since it was so common, there really was no solution.
About 2 years ago I began going to CrossFit. Movements during CrossFit such as doubleunders (jumping rope) and weight lifting were loud and pesky reminders that I had now given birth to three children and the leaking was not going to disappear on its own. Fortunately for me, because of CrossFit I crossed paths with Beth and we became quick friends. One day she mentioned that women actually thought that leaking during CrossFit was normal. I sheepishly spoke up, telling her that I, too, assumed there was no way around it. I attributed it to birthing three children and even possibly to my lower back/disc issues that I had battled for over a decade.
Beth suggested I meet with her to discuss these issues further and go over some breathing exercises that might work. I can’t lie, I didn’t really think she was going to have some magical plan that would eliminate the leaking completely, but I am one who is willing to try almost anything so I decided to give it a shot. When I met with Beth she was completely professional and prepared with handouts and a short video queued up that we watched together. We talked about my natural posture as well as some breathing exercises she wanted me to try. I had a hard time believing my breathing could somehow be linked to my leaking issues, but I was wrong. I left her office that day with my handouts in hand, determined to keep an open mind to the possibility of finding a solution to my problem if I worked at it.
After leaving her office that day in April, I was diligent about practicing my breathing exercises. It was something I could do anywhere, anytime. I practiced at work, while waiting for my kids at practices, when I was driving, while I was swimming and doing yoga. I used to be a “chest breather” and these exercises quickly helped me begin to breathe from my diaphragm. Within about 6 weeks I stopped thinking so much about the breathing exercises and I began to notice less and less leaking. It was incredible! I could not believe that I was seeing a difference. I continued to work on my breathing, especially during swimming and yoga. If nothing else, the exercises helped me in my swimming and in my yoga practice. I gave it a few more weeks before sharing with Beth what I was noticing. When I felt confident my success was directly related to the exercises Beth had taught me, I let Beth know what was happening and she was ecstatic.
Today I rarely have to think about my breathing. I believe the regular practice of the breathing exercises over time retrained how my body naturally inhaled. I still practice when it crosses my mind but when I do if feel much more natural than it did when I first started the exercises. I can’t believe the difference I have seen in a matter of a couple months. It truly is mind boggling to me. If you experience leaking at all, my first piece of advice would be not to ignore it. Yes, it might be common, but no it is not normal. Instead of treating the symptoms, go seek help from a licensed professional who is up to date on current women’s health research. The fact that Beth whole-heartedly believes in professional development and places such a strong emphasis on women’s health played a large part in my success with this problem. Lastly, don’t take their advice lightly. If you commit to the simple work of practicing these exercises regularly every single day, you will see results almost immediately. I promise you if I see this drastic change in such a short period of time, you will too. Really, what do you have to lose?
