Kate Winslet was a guest on the Graham Norton show with her Steve Jobs costar, Michael Fassbender. The episode aired earlier in November but the US press is just reporting some of her quotes now, probably because the clips online focused on the fact that she keeps her Oscar in her bathroom and enjoys quizzing her guests on whether they posed with it while they were in there. (Who wouldn’t do that?! If there’s an Oscar sitting somewhere and no one is watching, I’m picking it up and practicing my speech.)
Apparently Kate said that she has stress incontinence and that she wets herself when she jumps or when she has a sneezing fit. Yahoo Health reported this and said that it affects up to a third of all women. It may be even higher than this. Some studies have found that around half of all adult women surveyed said they experienced some form of incontinence. Here’s what Kate said:
“I can’t jump on trampolines anymore, I wet myself,” Winslet, 40, said on the show. “It’s bloody awful, especially if you’re wearing a skirt.”
The mother of three blames childbirth for her incontinence. “When you’ve had a few children you know, it’s just what happens,” she says. “It’s amazing, two sneezes, I’m fine. Three, it’s game over…”
Melissa Goist, MD, an ob/gyn at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, tells Yahoo Health that about one-third of all adult women have some type of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), including incontinence, and 50 percent of these are contributed to pregnancy and childbirth.
However, Goist says, even more women may suffer from the condition since many don’t discuss it out of embarrassment.
Women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, MD, tells Yahoo Health that urinary incontinence can affect people of all ages, but the rates increase with age. “Some studies show that the prevalence of urinary incontinence in women peaks in midlife, between the ages of 45 and 55 years,” she says.
Kate can be haughty, she’s definitely outspoken, and she’s not always truthful about things, including health issues, but I believe this. It’s kind of reassuring to hear from a celebrity who has stress incontinence and is open about it. I don’t think we’ve heard this admission from any famous women apart from those hired to represent the products for it, like Whoopi Goldberg and Lisa Rinna. I have this issue too, I have tried so many things and it limits the type of sports I can do. (I wish I could run outside, but it’s not going to happen for me.) So as much as Kate Winslet bugs, at least she’s honest about something so many women deal with silently.
photo credit: WENN.com
Well, I guess there’s one good thing about not having kids. I’ve never had this happen. Is it really that common? She seems young, but obviously I’m not very up on this. Can’t they “fix” it?
Consider yourself lucky in that dept for sure. I don’t know if it’s common but I do believe it can be fixed. Supposedly kegels and other exercises can help in a non-surgical way but I feel like I don’t have time for that. I have thought more than once that I’ll need to ask my doc about surgical options because the thought of facing my golden years sitting around in soggy Depends is not that appealing.
No, I can see how it wouldn’t be. I was surprised by the high number of people it affects, and I wonder how fast they would find a solution if it happened to men? I don’t mean to sound whiny, but I do wonder.
Ha, GoodNames, good point. Sigh.
Docs usually recommend a bladder sling, though I don’t think it’s worth the risk. I’ve been disabled by one and have been in constant pain for six years.
@GNAT – seriously though!
It doesn’t actually take much time, as you can do it while waiting at a red light (or reading Cb – LOL)! And so worth the effort. Bellydance classes are good too, but kegels can be done pretty much any time, anywhere. And your boyfy will love it too.
Very common after vaginal births. There are things you can try, kegels, electrical stimulation of the muscles, surgery, but most people just live with it.
I had c sections, including the most recent five weeks ago. Did I escape this particular hell? Haven’t noticed a problem yet but I haven’t been doing anything with impact.
I had three C-sections, and unfortunately I was not spared – they were huge babies though (9-10+ lbs.), so I think that’s what did me in. 🙁
It’s not vaginal births that’s the culprit, it’s pregnancy. C section mommoms absolutely get it too.
I’ve never been pregnant, and I have the same issue. So, nope, its not pregnancy either. Probably just another fun fact of getting older.
It’s muscle atrophy. The muscles in your pelvic floor aren’t strong enough to continually pinch your urethra shut.
Don’t have this issue but I read about a million times that pilates is great for pelvic floor muscles. It’s great for everything really.
6 weeks after I had a baby I jumped on trampoline with my nieces and the pee just fell out. I couldn’t stop it. They thought it was hilarious
Same, but it was 10 weeks. My sister saw me climbing up on the trampoline from inside her house and sprinted to the door to warn me … too late! Two jumps was all it took. She did give me a change of clothes.
I think it affects most women at least temporarily (by that I mean a couple of years) and when you have multiple children I have to believe it’s exacerbated and the recovery is less likely/quick, as with an re-injury.
“And the pee just fell out.” ROFLMAO!
Both my grandmother and mother had this surgery after many years of discomfort and embarrassment. They didn’t regret it as it changed their lives for the better.
I received physical therapy from a midwife after the birth of my last child, where you practise strengthening both vaginal and anal muscles after delivery. (Yes, having a baby does a number on you.) The exercises are good but not efficient enough to get rid of urine, etc. problems.
I’m with @Esmom in trying to avoid the Depends.
My g-ma had the surgery twice and still deals with the issue. I’m hopeful that not having children will spare me. My G-ma is pretty vocal about this being the part of getting older that she hates most.
I haven’t had kids, but bad things can happen when I sneeze. I don’t know if what I have is as severe as for someone who has given birth though.
No kids for me either, but I’ve been sick for almost a week, and a hard enough coughing fit will cause a little problem. After reading some of these other experiences though I can’t complain!
I’ve had kids, jumping around and such is fine but holy hell, look out if I don;t cross my legs when I sneeze!
My mom had this problem. She did Pilates pretty intensively for a year and it completely fixed it.
Somehow I got on the list to get a free Pilates magazine and the stories they run about people coming back from horrible accidents or illness and rehabilitating their bodies through Pilates–well, it’s very convincing. And this makes sense because it does work on the core and pelvic basket (or whatever it’s called). Scampering off to do some 100s…
I’ve had surgery to correct it, but it didn’t fix it 100%. It took it from a deluge to some drops, but I still leak. 🙁
Definitely the result of my pregnancy, the size of my baby (big) and how long it took to push her out (a long time).
Ah the female body and the surprises one gets with age…@GNAT: they do have some sort of like a tampon in the market with a weird shape that is supposed to give some bladder support. It basically puts temporary pressure to keep the urethra kinda closed hence preventing leaks. I’ve seen the commercials on TV, and who could ever miss the TENA ads…
@Darlene: yep, vaginal births are rough on the female body…even “quickie” deliveries put a crazy amount of stress on the body. I’ve never been in labor for over an hour, first baby was out within 50 minutes of water breaking, second baby was born after only 30 minutes in labor…and the nurses said any subsequent babies would be born even faster…and i still got a prolapsed uterus…in my case, i guess things were arranged weirdly and the leaks stopped after the prolapse (lucky day). I can run now without leaks, ha! Not sure how…but it happened. They do have surgery to like “hang everything back in place” but we’re planning a last baby so i’ll wait til after i’m done “manufacturing” :-b
It is refreshing to see a star acknowledging such a common female issue…makes her more relatable
I don’t even have kids and it started with me about a year ago. I dread sneezing these days. You just never know. From the descriptions from moms, it’s not as bad as that amount-wise but yeah…definitely not fun.
The thing is that doctors should be telling young women to exercise their pelvic floor muscles early in life and regularly, especially after childbirth, to keep them strong. Pelvic floor weakness and prolapse affects so many women and many were never told about kegel exercises or how to do them properly, or that you can get knots and stress in those inner muscles that cause a lot of pain in the back and abdomen and even down the legs and in the groin area. Most doctors never talk about it with their patients. More Physiotherapists are starting to be trained as Pelvic Floor Physiotherapists now, to help teach women how to relax those muscles inside and how to do kegel exercises properly, so they stay strong so that incontinence issues and prolapse don’t happen, or not as frequently as they do. Surgery can fix things (at least for a while), but surgery will leave scarring which can inhibit pleasure, so it behooves a woman to learn about pelvic floor health and do those kegels while they are young and throughout their lives as part of their regular exercise routines to stay healthy! There, now you’ve been told! 🙂 I’m glad stars like Winslet are speaking out because a lot of women feel like they are the only ones and it’s a relief to know so many women do deal with it,especially after childbirth. I can’t imagine what Michelle Duggar is dealing with … there is no way her pelvic floor could have stood up to all those kids without collapsing and/or causing incontinence issues. It blows my mind. Carrying babies puts a lot of stress on a woman’s body and when combined with other issues like age, weight, weakness do to medical issues like EDS, etc., it’s an issue that more women need to be educated on for sure!
@ goodnames
There are a million and one good things about not having kids.
@Ryan Hear! Hear!
Those commercials where parents tell their kids they need a sick day…
I knew pretty early on that it was unlikely for me. At this point I very happy with it and can’t imagine anything else. Not needing to follow a child’s schedule has freed me up to do spontaneous fun auntie stuff (Aunts = all the good stuff and none of the “bad”).
Mrs. Rock n’ Roll pees herself on trampolines… ?
Is it Friday yet?
Pee Pee Rock-n-Roll…cool name!!!! lol
I love that Kate just doesn’t give a crap. It’s reassuring to hear this acknowledged – it’s a common problem and whilst embarrassing at the time it’s definitely not something you should ever be made to feel ashamed of.
After a couple of surgeries on my hips when I was a teen, I used to hide myself away or run to the bathroom every hour when I was about 15. No Bueno.
She does give a crap otherwise she would talk about pay. How is this not ‘vulgar’ but pointing out the pay inequality is? Please, she cares. This is Winslet’s thing though, being relatable with stories like this.
And yeah, she is funny and I’m sure she’s expressing a sentiment that many women can relate too but so is pay and she dismissed it in the most ridiculous way. Pee running out of your body is more vulgar than discussing pay. End rant.
I was going to rant too but I read yours so I don’t need anymore. I read this post’s tittle and thought “oh so talking about pee isn’t vulgar whereas about women pay is?…” *eye roll*
+1
I was coming to say the same. Glad it’s been covered.
This headline made me laugh so loud my husband expressed alarm from the next room…I can SO relate, unfortunately. I don’t have access to trampolines but any time I go to the gym to do a class that will involve some sort of jumping, I have to make sure to go to the bathroom just prior to the class starting or the same thing will happen to me. Ah, good times.
Whenever I sneeze, cough, laugh, I immediately have to cross my legs or ‘OOPS”….this problem really pisses me off!!!! Literally!!!!
LMAO This is me, too. I was fighting a cold this weekend and was sneezing non-stop. Alas, the leg crossing didn’t always work and I ended up having to change my undergarments a few times. So frustrating!! I definitely attribute this problem to multiple pregnancies.
“It’s amazing, two sneezes, I’m fine. Three, it’s game over…
Yes THIS
‘I can’t jump on trampolines anymore, I wet myself!’ – so this topic is not vulgar. She is comfortable talking about pee but not money. What is the word for people like these?
Brits. Where the Prime-minister can mess around with a dead pig but discussing the glass ceiling is actively shunned .
I thought the same thing. Bizarre.
TBH if I had a full bladder on a trampoline in my teens I’d wet myself!!! Those things have some serious gravity. 🙂
It’s such a common thing to develop with age and after childbirth. I think its good to be honest and open about it. I will never jump on a trampoline again for another reason. I tore my acl and had to have reconstructive knew surgery. Trampolines are very dangerous.
Yay for a celebrity admitting it! I have this issue more with each pregnancy, and I’m only 29! I’m on my third and final pregnancy and I pee my pants every time I sneeze. It’s unfortunate and embarrassing!
I honestly had no clue it’s a common mothers’s issue until now. Oh my. Motherood seems scarier every day.
Always Discreet. I swear by them. I have the occasional pee moment and am currently in peri-menopause (irregular and heavy menses and occasional stress incontinence) and they are the best things around. Having big babies vaginally didn’t help either as far as the stress incontinence is concerned. One more thing to thank the spawn for. LOL.
Yep! I use these too.
I have had this even when I was a child. It is nit probbaly as bad it is for some people but it could be hard to avoid lauging as a kid sometimes. And I always went to bathroom before jumping on a tramboline.
Pelvic floor physio!!!
More women need to know about this, and it should he included in post-partum care.
It doesn’t need to be like this, ladies.
I have 3 children and yes this is an issue. Mostly when my bladder is somewhat full. I don’t completely piss myself, but a little will trickle out. Especially if I try to hold my bladder when its full.
Finally! A reason to be grateful for my C-sections. I had a good friend that whenever she had a laughing fit would pee her pants. Luckily she had a healthy dose of self esteem but a co-rider on an elevator with us was unamused.
It happened to me to and it freaked me out – I didn’t jump on a trampoline but I slipped on a slope and did a bit of a stretch and the pee just came out – very unsettling experience! I had two kids, both difficult births but didn’t have this problem until post abdominal surgery. Also, can’t sneeze while sitting with my feet up, no way. Very common problem, I heard that laser surgery is great for it.
my friend said that while she has this problem too, wearing a tampon or menstrual cup helps. Kinda makes sense as one of the treatments for this is pessaries (weights). This problem is definitely common in all kinds of women, for MANY reasons and it can be really debilitating for sure, speaking from experience.
My first baby had a huge head. Nothing but surgery was fixing my bladder after that! Had to wait until I was done having kids before I could have the surgery, so that was fun!
I’ve been doing kegels while reading this entire exchange.
Me too!
She admits this but lies about her face maintenance.
Interesting.
OMG ME TOO!!!! LOL! I was just talking with my mom over the weekend about trampolines and how I can’t jump anymore without tinkling, LOL! I know I’m not the only one but how funny this came up after I had been talking about this on Sunday. 🙂 It’s all because of the babies! haha
Talking about gender pay differences- shouldn’t be discussed publicly
Peeing your pants- it’s fine
😏
I feel ya, Kate. I feel ya. My kid loves SkyZone and I have to wear extra protection if I’m going to jump with him.
It’s actually common in women in general. Studies on nuns have showed that they also develop stress incontinence, though at lower rates that women who have had children. Vaginal births (if physically traumatic) have higher risks as well, though just being pregnant contributes. Most women are taught incorrectly about how to do Kegels. Pelvic PT is a godsend. FWIW, incontinence becomes a huge deal amongst elderly women, and is one of the reasons women get put in nursing homes 🙁
God men have it so easy !
Oh yeah, since having a baby if I sneeze, laugh or bounce it’s pee time. I was at a friend’s house and we were laughing really hard and I peed on her couch. oops.
I wonder if you can do pelvis exercises to prevent or cure it?
Her thing about having a natural birth for her daughter is really weird. First time I’ve heard about someone feeling like a failure for not delivering their child via a vaginal birth.
Oh the pee pee! My body was just getting back together, 2 years after my first baby and I am pregnant again and the stress incontinence is back. The weight of the uterus as it grows puts a lot of pressure on all your bits. Even women who don’t deliver vaginally can get it because of this reason, though a traumatic vaginal delivery is almost always a free ticket to the poise pads aisle. Nothing says sexy mama quite like unloading those out of the grocery bags with your hubby.
After this baby I’m trying pilates. Though I think my spin classes pre this baby actually helped too.
Running outside!! This happened to me in a crowded park, it was awful! I had on light blue running shorts. My daughter is 6 now, it’s not anywhere near as bad now. I can stop it if I feel a drip now, back then I couldn’t stop it at all – the muscles just didn’t work right.
I’m glad she’s talking about this issue… My least favorite thing about what pregnancy and childbirth did. It’s mostly ok now (my child is 6) but I have to be sure to pee before going running. And a recent bout of pneumonia with coughing led me to just wear poise pads until the cough went away. She’s an odd duck for sure but I like her for being honest about this.
I’m all for women being more upfront in the media about medical issues that specifically affect them, but I find it pretty amusing that she considers gendered money talk “vulgar” while incontinence is just fine.
She’s British! Anything to do with class and money is automatically in the too-hard basket.