Tips for Preventing Incontinence Leaks

If you or the person you care for use incontinence products, you might notice leaks occasionally. This may often happen following periods of activity or overnight. Leaks can lead to skin irritation, wet clothes, odors, and embarrassment. This can affect the quality of life and erode a person’s conscience.

Incontinence leaks are very common, and although there’s no shame in it occurring occasionally, that doesn’t mean they have to happen. Adult diapers and incontinence briefs are designed to keep you dry and secure as you live your life — and you shouldn’t settle for anything mediocre. So here’s a look at how you can prevent incontinence leaks and related frustration at the same time.

A variety of products can help you prevent incontinence leaks. You or a loved one might benefit from:

• Overnight Pull Ups: These are underwear-style diapers designed for maximum absorbency for overnight comfort.

• Booster Pads: Booster pads provide an added layer of absorbency and protection that can extend the life of an adult diaper.

• Underpads: These pads act as an additional line of protection, absorbing any leaks while protecting bedding and furniture. Preventing Leaks

Step 1: Evaluate the incontinence product used

Preventing leaks starts with having the right adult incontinence products on hand. When selecting the best kind for you or your loved one, you should consider the following:

• Is the material absorbent enough?

• Is the underwear too loose or too tight?

• Are my leg openings too loose?

• Does it work when the person is active?

If you find that basic adult diapers aren’t cutting it, you might consider trying other products for added protection. For instance, overnight pullups are ideal for:

• Those looking for overnight protection from incontinence.

• Those who are relatively active and mobile.

• Those caring for themselves.

Just like overnight adult diapers have heavy incontinence protection, booster pads can also save the day. Booster pads are convenient because they can be put inside briefs or pull-ups for extra coverage. However, you should never put a regular bladder pad in a brief because they have a plastic waterproof backing and can cause leaks out of the leg holes.

Step 2: Encourage frequent changes

Don't discount a simple solution if you or your loved one are experiencing frequent leaks. Changing underwear more often can help keep you, or the person you care for, feel more at ease.

This method also ensures that the incontinence wear doesn’t fill up with too much liquid, which can lead to leaks. By frequently changing yourself or a loved one, you can ensure comfort, a fresh feel, and no leaks.

Step 3: Explore pelvic floor exercises

Stronger pelvic floor muscles can help hold in urine and reduce the number of bladder leaks. This means that you or your loved one may not need to depend on adult diapers or incontinence briefs.

Pelvic floor exercises can be done anywhere and at anytime. Try them a few times a day, or encourage your loved one to add them to their daily routine. Here’s a great starting point:

• Combating Incontinence with Kegels

Step 4: Limit liquids before bed

Many leaks happen at night. That’s because it can be disruptive to sleep to get up to go to the bathroom. Plus, it often means several hours without an underwear change.

If you or your loved ones are prone to leaks, it’s a good idea to stop drinking at least two before bed to allow enough time for the bladder to empty.

Step 5: Use a bed protector and/or underpads

Accidents happen because people are human. You can be prepared for such an incident by using a bed protector to spare your mattress. The same goes for underpads, which can be placed on a wheelchair, couch, bed, car seat, or anywhere in between to protect against moisture.

Need more information?

There are many resources available to help you successfully learn how to treat a UTI. You can check out the links below for more information or call one of our caregiving specialists today at 855-855-1666. We look forward to helping you at any time, day or night!