Does your child have accidents, day or night? You're not alone! Many kids experience bedwetting or daytime accidents.

While it can be tough, there are ways to help. Incontinence yoga is a fun and helpful way to strengthen your child's pelvic floor muscles, improve bladder control, and boost their confidence.

Let's get started!

What is incontinence yoga?

This is a modified form of yoga specifically designed for children experiencing bladder control issues. It incorporates fun poses, breathing exercises, and mindfulness techniques to:

Strengthen Pelvic Floor Muscles

These muscles play a crucial role in bladder control. Yoga poses that engage these muscles can help improve their strength and coordination.

Promote Relaxation

Stress and anxiety can exacerbate incontinence. Yoga focuses on mindful breathing and relaxation techniques which can help children manage stress and improve bladder control.

Boost Confidence

Incontinence can take a toll on a child's self-esteem. The playful nature of yoga and the sense of accomplishment from mastering poses can build confidence and empower your child.

Incontinence Yoga Poses for Kids

The beauty of yoga is its adaptability. Here are some fun and effective incontinence yoga poses for children, with some mobility modifications:

1. Cat and Cow Pose

Benefits: Strengthens core and pelvic floor muscles, and improves spinal flexibility.

Instructions: On all fours, keep hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart. As you inhale, arch your back, looking up (like a cow mooing!). As you exhale, round your back and tuck your chin to your chest (like a scared cat!). 

Modification - Cobra

For children who struggle with kneeling, start by laying down on your belly with your hands under your shoulders. While breathing in, straighten your arms slightly, keeping a bend in your elbows as your chest lifts off the floor. If this is comfortable, then you can straighten out your arms fully so that your chest is off the floor and facing forward.

2. Bridge Pose

Benefits: Strengthens core and pelvic floor muscles, and improves flexibility in the spine and hips.

Instructions: From laying down on your back, bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips off the ground, forming a bridge shape. Keep your arms by your sides on the floor with palms facing down. Hold for a few breaths, then lower back down.

Modification: This pose can be done with their knees propped up on pillows, bolsters or yoga blocks.

3. Boat Pose

Benefits: Strengthens core and pelvic floor muscles, and improves balance.

Instructions: Lie on your back and lift your chest and legs off the ground, eventually coming up to a seated position with your legs bent at a 90 degree angle. From here, lean backwards slightly while taking your legs upwards, engaging the core muscles while keeping your back straight, forming a V-shape with your body. Extend your arms out to the sides or in front of you. Hold for a few breaths, then lower back down.

Modification: For children who find this pose challenging, they can simply lift into a low boat, keeping their upper body and legs closer to the ground, or they can stay seated while gripping the back of their knees and keeping their legs at a 90-degree angle.

4. Mountain to Tree Pose

Benefits: Improves balance, lengthens the spine, strengthens core and leg muscles, and promotes focus.

Instructions: Stand tall with your feet together (this is called a Mountain), then bring your hands together over your chest like a prayer (called a Mountain with prayer hands), from here you can bring the sole of one foot into the inner thigh of your opposite leg (this is now the Tree pose). Then raise your arms overhead in a Tree with arms up. Hold for a few breaths, bring your arms down, then lower your raised foot, then switch sides.

Modification - Upward Salute:

For children who find balancing challenging, this pose can be done with the foot resting on the calf muscle instead of the thigh. Otherwise, they can instead move from their hands in the Mountain with prayer hands, up to the sky and look up in an Upward Salute.

5. Warrior One Pose

Benefits: Strengthens legs, core, and pelvic floor muscles, and improves balance.

Instructions: From your Mountain with prayer hands position, step one leg back with a big lunge, and angle the back foot to point in the same direction as the knee. Then bend into the front leg so that your thigh is parallel to the floor (or as parallel to the floor as it can be!) while still keeping the back leg straight. Make sure your hips are squared and pointing forwards. Then once your lower body is steady, push your prayer arms up and overhead. Hold for a few breaths, then switch legs.

Modification: For children who have difficulty balancing, this pose can be done with one hand holding onto a chair or wall for support.

Remember these are just a few examples, and there are many other fun and beneficial yoga poses for children. It's important to find poses that your child enjoys and can do comfortably.

Breathing and Mindfulness for Incontinence

Yoga is more than just physical postures. Breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques are equally important components, offering a holistic approach to managing incontinence.

Belly Breaths (Diaphragmatic Breathing)

Benefits: Promotes relaxation, improves bladder control, and reduces stress.

Instructions: Have your child lie comfortably on their back, knees bent, and a hand on their belly. Ask them to breathe in slowly through their nose, feeling their belly inflate like a balloon. As they exhale through their mouth, they should feel their belly deflate. Encourage slow, deep breaths for a few minutes.

Visualisation

Benefits: Reduces anxiety, and promotes a sense of control over the bladder.

Instructions: Guide your child to imagine a happy place, a calming scene they find peaceful. Ask them to visualise their bladder as a calm lake, storing urine comfortably until they are ready to go to the bathroom.

Positive Affirmations

Benefits: Boosts confidence, and promotes self-belief in managing incontinence.

Instructions: Together, create positive affirmations your child can repeat before bed or during yoga practice. Examples include "I am strong and in control," "My body is learning," and "I am getting better at managing my bladder."

Extra Tips for Managing Incontinence in Children

Yoga is a powerful tool, but it's just one piece of the puzzle. Here are some additional tips to help your child manage incontinence:

Double Voiding

Encourage your child to try urinating twice during a bathroom visit to ensure their bladder is fully emptied.

Bladder Training

This involves gradually increasing the time between bathroom visits, and helping your child learn to hold their urine for longer periods.

You can read our 5 step guide to bladder training for more guidance.

Positive Reinforcement

Celebrate successes and avoid punishment for accidents. Positive reinforcement can go a long way in boosting your child's confidence

Open Communication

Create a safe space for your child to talk about their concerns.

If your child's incontinence persists, it's essential to consult with their doctor. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a huge difference to their quality of life.

Incontinence yoga is a playful and empowering way to help children manage bladder control issues. By incorporating these exercises into a fun and supportive environment, you can help your child build confidence, reduce stress, and take control of their body.

So, roll out the yoga mat, put on some music, and have fun!