Hi Robyn,

Many people withhold their fluid intake hoping that it will help with their incontinence. In fact, this can often have the opposite effect. The bladder is a muscle and when there is less urine to store, it is unable to tone itself up and therefore, is unable to hold much urine capacity. Therefore, it is important to consumer around 6 to 8 glasses of water a day to maintain bladder capacity and prevent dehydration.

There are some types of fluids that you should avoid as these are bladder irritants. This includes drinks containing caffeine like tea or coffee, soft drinks (especially Coke) and chocolate drinks. Alcohol is also a diuretic and should be avoided. Citris juices should be minimised to one glass in the morning as juices can irritate the bladder.