8 Tips for Traveling With Urinary Incontinence

Vacationing has always been such an essential part of life. Whether you need to get away from work for a bit or are just looking for an excuse to spend some more time with family, going on a trip with loved ones is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

For those who have incontinence, though, there are some simple steps you can take to have the best vacationing experience possible. In fact, we have quite a few tips for you to check out on how to travel with urinary incontinence. Following these will help you ensure that you have a worry-free vacation.

1. Plan Your Route Carefully

Our first tip is most relevant to those traveling by car. Even though GPS makes planning a road trip easier than ever, that doesn’t mean you should take the quickest route to your destination. No matter how far you’re traveling, the chances of you needing to make a sudden pitstop will be high, so you’ll need to ensure your route has ample opportunities.

Whether it’s a long line of exits with gas stations or regularly spaced-out rest areas, you need to plan a route with places where you can stop to use the restroom if needed. Depending on where you’re going, there might be long stretches of little to no locations for you to stop. Even though a trip that takes you through many smaller towns might take you longer, you can rest easy knowing there will be plenty of pitstop locations along the way.

2. Book a Seat Near the Bathrooms

If you’re traveling by air, you won’t have to worry about finding pitstops since there are multiple bathrooms on the plane. However, you’ll want to make sure you book a seat that gives you easy access to one of them. That means you’ll need to choose an airline that allows you to select your seat when you order your ticket.

Once you find your airline, it’s time to find a good seat. Since most people like to pick seats near the front of the aircraft, it would be best for you to try to nab one in the back. The lack of passengers back there should make the bathroom available more often. Plus, it’ll be easier to grab an aisle seat since not as many people will immediately pick seats in the back.

3. Look Into Incontinence Options

The best thing you can do for yourself when planning a trip is to investigate your options for managing your incontinence. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor beforehand to discuss the possibilities. They will likely suggest using incontinence briefs since those are the best option for ensuring that nothing goes wrong during your trip.

You can also look into catheterization, but briefs are a good starting point for anyone who’s never used incontinence products before. Disposable briefs or pull-ups are better for when incontinence is a rare occurrence for you. They are simple to take off if you make it to the bathroom and easy to throw away if you don’t.

4. Dress Accordingly

Whether or not you decide to wear incontinence briefs, you should dress accordingly. Wearing a comfortable set of clothes will not only make going to the bathroom easier, but it’ll also help you feel cozier while on the trip. The last thing you want during your relaxing vacation is to put additional stress on your bladder, so wearing the right clothes will improve the overall quality of the entire trip.

5. Be Prepared for Anything

Having a spare set of clothes during a trip is never a bad idea, so you will want to make sure you pack a few extra outfits for your upcoming trip. If you’re on a plane, you’ll want to have an extra set or two of backup outfits in your carry-on. For those traveling by car, you should put these clothes in a bag that is easier to access than your main clothing suitcase.

Be sure also to pack a few extra sets of incontinence briefs. It would be ideal not to need them but being extra cautious on vacation is never a bad thing.

6. Limit Your Liquid Intake

Another helpful tip for traveling with urinary incontinence is to limit your liquid intake before and during your trip. Obviously, for longer journeys, you’ll want to drink some water to stay hydrated, but you’ll want to track how much you consume to avoid potential issues.

Regardless of the trip length, you’ll want to avoid anything with citrus, caffeine, or alcohol in them. Juice, coffee, and beer are common drinks you might encounter during your vacation that you should avoid. These ingredients can make the need to urinate more frequent and uncontrollable. Be sure to avoid foods that use these ingredients as well.

7. Travel With a Trusted Friend

No matter where you’re going, traveling with a family member or friend you trust will be helpful when dealing with incontinence. As long as they understand your situation, they will be someone you can rely on for assistance. Since incontinence is known to cause people additional stress, having someone you can talk to about it can be beneficial. Plus, they can help you find the bathroom in an emergency since two sets of eyes are better than one.

8. Be Aware of Differing Cultures

Finally, if your vacation takes you to a different country, you’ll need to prepare for the bathroom situation of the country you’re visiting. Not all cultures have the same restroom etiquette as the United States. The best example is that many European countries charge you to use their facilities. Having some spare change on you at all times is an excellent way to ensure that you’ll always be able to access the restroom when needed.

Also, if the country you go to speaks another language, you’ll need to learn how to ask where the restroom is in that language. While many people in foreign countries know English, you can’t rely on that when you’re rushing to find a bathroom. Knowing how to ask will save you a lot of time and trouble.