Bladders, Bootcamp, and Babies.....

Can someone PLEASE tell me what the heck happens to a woman's bladder control after having a baby (or babies) ?!?!?  Holy toledo, boot camp has taken "weak bladder control" to a whole new level. 

On Friday, I asked my awesome friend, Jen, to join me at Boot Camp (BC) that night.  I knew she could hang- she exercises regularly and is so fun.  I knew she would be a great workout companion!  PLUS, she is itty-bitty and I can look at her when I want to quit doing my 345th sit-up and tell myself, "Gotta finish if you want to look like THAT!!!" 

When we arrived at BC, our instructor Derrick gave us the run down of what type of exercises we were going to complete that night.  He had set up stations (I like to call them "torture stations", but they frown upon that kind of terminology at BC) with three different exercises at each one.  And because it was his 26th birthday, we had to perform 26 reps of EVERYTHING and just keep repeating the cycle until he had us change stations.  We were in groups of 4 and my group's first station had box jumps, step ups, and a hamstring exercise. 

For those of you lucky people that have never experienced a box jump, I will enlighten you.  A large, wooden box (the height of the box is almost to the top of my shins) is put in front of you and when time starts, you literally do a two-footed jump up onto the box and then jump back down on two feet.....and no  bouncing up and down is allowed -your entire foot has to be up on the box after you jump up.  What horrible, angry, evil person invented these?!?!  And, let's be honest - it had to be a man, because no woman would EVER put another woman through that kind of experience.

This is where Jen and I were forced into discussion about our bladders. Because after approximately four jumps onto that freaking box, I knew I should have brought extra underwear.  And I WISH I could say I have had bladder problems my whole life, or that I am an older woman who should be expecting this at my age....but nope.  I am a 31-year-old gal who has been peeing her pants since 2004 (year my first child was born).

So, I go back to my original question - what the heck happens down there that I can't sneeze without crossing my legs first?!?!  Jen and I are pretty convinced the whole process of pushing 8 pounds out of a very small area, multiple times, wreaks havoc on our girlie parts.

I shall be taking extra precautions before my next BC session - maybe it will help me burn more calories?!?!  That is what I will tell myself instead of facing the reality that I have the bladder of a 96-year-old woman. 

To all my sisters who inappropriately urinate at THE MOST inconvenient times: you're not alone and we are doing our share for the economy by single-handily supporting the pantyliner industry.  Solidarity!

Oh, and see below for my 8 pound bladder-ruiners :)