Almost half of women suffer with incontinence after becoming a mum

Pregnancy and labour may put your body through hell, but for many mums that's only the start of it.

Almost one in two women struggle with incontinence after having a baby, while a third admit that sex is an issue post-baby. These revelations come from a new survey by Mumsnet as part of its Campaign for Better Postnatal Care. The parenting forum interviewed women in the UK who gave birth between 2013 and 2016 and found that injuries sustained in childbirth like tears and wounds continued to affect women for months afterwards. Forty-two per cent of the mums surveyed said that they had trouble with incontinence or their pelvic floor. Meanwhile, 36 per cent said that sex was uncomfortable for them in the months after childbirth. Three quarters of the mums revealed that they'd never gotten or asked for medical care for these issues. Of the women who tore vaginally during childbirth, 34 per cent said they hadn't had adequate care for the wound in the weeks afterwards. New mums shouldn't have to put up with these problems, said Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts. "We need an honest conversation about what birth can mean for some mothers, and for women to feel they have permission to discuss these symptoms with their healthcare providers and receive effective care," she told Independent UK. Do you think postnatal care could be better in Ireland too? Did you get the care you needed after giving birth? Let us know in the Facebook comments or on Twitter.