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I’m 44 & proud to wear Aldi nappies – I haven’t even given birth but have no shame admitting I wet myself
Read Erica's story and find out why she's determined to combat the incontinence taboo
I'M 44 and my body has already begun a notable decline.
And I openly confess that I wear nappies now and then because I sometimes wet myself.
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It's been a slow build from aged 37 to now and I've gone from a monthly mid-morning change of knickers to picking up a bag or two of nappies on my weekly shop at Aldi.
I don't have kids and have never given birth but am prone to morning widdles because of a morning cough due to asthma. At night they're caused by a lack of motivation to get out of bed and visit the bathroom.
That's a symptom of schizophrenia and how the medication I take for it makes me exceedingly thirsty meaning I can get through four litres of liquid a day.
I'm not alone - around 14 million people in the UK have experienced incontinence. And, an additional 6.5 million suffer from some form of bowel problem, according to the health charity
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Many suffer in silence because even in the world of social media, such issues aren't discussed openly.
reports that around 300 million people worldwide need help with incontinence, mostly women.
Yet many don't seek it simply because they're embarrassed.
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That's why I've decided to announce my incontinence - I want to get a conversation started.
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Also, nappies are a revelation that I need to share – these white frilly numbers are so... snug? And cosy - just like a pair of cushions around my cheeks.
I haven't left a wet patch in my bed since I pulled that thick elastic pant around my middle-aged waist, mopping up my rogue widdles and giving me confidence to finally leave my home and admit to friends and family: “I have incontinence."
I believe they'll catch on amongst models on the runway too.
Similar to back in the 90s when singer Sharleen Spiteri, Kylie Minogue, and TV presenter Chris Evans wore square, chunky NHS frames and fans rushed out to buy a pair.
And our most memorable nappy defender and diaper doyenne? None other than realty star Kendall Jenner.
Last year, she set tongues wagging when she was snapped at the Jacquemus Fashion Show in Paris wearing a white balloon dress with what looked like a nappy attached.
Good for her, and in the words of 80s pop-icon Adam Ant: “Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.”
Nappies off to Kendall, she was de-stigmatising what is seen as an embarrassing problem for across the globe.
Something we whisper, hide, and are ashamed of.
I say “Here, here, Kendall - it's time to mop up the shame, and wipe off the embarrassment.”
The trend for nappy wearing is emerging slowly with fashion designers, celebrities, and influences already taking a punt on the 'big pant'.
From Italian fashion house Iceberg's 2020 big, bright, banded knickers to Victoria Beckham's knitted keks - fashion designers in every city love a big knicker.
Back in 2008, trend-spotters dubbed a Japanese Fashion Show with nappies on the catwalk as “Incontinence Couture – it was only a matter of time before the diaper was worn by the elite.”
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How to combat incontinence
According the NHS website, there's several types of urinary incontinence, including:
stress incontinence – when urine leaks out at times when your bladder is under pressure; for example, when you cough or laugh
urge (urgency) incontinence – when urine leaks as you feel a sudden, intense urge to pee, or soon afterwards
overflow incontinence (chronic urinary retention) – when you're unable to fully empty your bladder, which causes frequent leaking
total incontinence – when your bladder cannot store any urine at all, which causes you to pass urine constantly or have frequent leaking
Some of the causes of incontinence include pregnancy and vaginal birth
obesity, a family history of incontinence and increasing age – although incontinence is not an inevitable part of ageing
It's important to seek help via your GP who can issue a referral to a specialist for further tests but first, they may suggest the following ways to help prevent, and relieve the issue -
- lifestyle changes such as losing weight and cutting down on caffeine and alcohol
- , where you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by squeezing them
- bladder training, where you learn ways to wait longer between needing to urinate and passing urine
For more information visit: //www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/
Actress Drew Barrymore has openly discussed the merits of 'big pants' on her podcast show, saying: “I wear big girl pants, they're hefty and girthy.”
I refuse to be 'caught short' and welcome the ' launched by Bladder and Bowel UK, which gives access to toilets in cafes and restaurants when you're out and about.
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I'm sure by the time I reach the fantastic five-zero, I'll have that on my gift list.
- Aldi's Sana pack of 9 incontinence pants (Erica wears M), £3.95
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