'Incontinence doesn't discriminate': Ashley James shares experience of pelvic floor dysfunction to help those 'shamed into silence' by the condition

Broadcaster Ashley James shared pictures of herself wearing incontinence pants to Instagram, and the response was huge.

Among a series of snaps of a recent trip to Paris, Ashley included some of her wearing nothing but a vest and some pants she needed to help with the bladder and bowel incontinence she suffers from as a result of injury following the birth of her son.

"I shared this on my Stories this weekend and was actually blown away by the response, and it reminded me how important it is to speak about these things," she wrote in the caption.

She added, "Lots of you will know that since having Alf I’ve lived with various birth complications, and one of them is incontinence." The presenter has also previously shared her experience of vaginismus after having a baby.

Overwhelmed by the number of people who got in touch after she revealed her incontinence, Ashley appeared on This Morning to speak about it further, and help those "shamed into silence" by the condition.

Speaking to Cat Deeley and Ben Sheppard, she shares that in the build up to sharing the viral photos of herself in the incontinence pants, she was in Paris with her husband to see Celine Dion perform.

During the journey there, she realised she'd forgotten the washbag containing the "pads that I need since the birth of my son."

Her initial reaction was to tell her husband Tommy, "I'm not going to be able to go out." Her husband's initial response was that she'd be fine and there was no need to worry.

"That's the thing with incontinence," Ashley says, explaining, "You have to plan your days and evenings around an invisible fear that nobody on the outside really sees, but you know it can happen."

The presenter says she tries "not to feel shame or embarrassment around" both the "bladder and bowel incontinence" she experiences, but acknowledges people with the condition can be "shamed into silence."

By sharing her story, she wants to break the taboo surrounding urinary and faecal leakage.

To help Ashley make it to the concert, her supportive husband visited a couple of pharmacies to try and source some incontinence pads for her to wear.

Instead of the pads Ashley would've had in hr washbag, her husband returned with "these massive pants." They found the humour in the situation, and this prompted the presenter to share photos of herself wearing them with her social media followers.

"I'm conscious that my life looks so glamorous," she says, adding, "But below the surface of it, incontinence doesn't discriminate, and I don't want to feel ashamed or embarrassed of it."

She continues, "It's not my fault, this happened to me as a consequence of the birth of my son."

Ashley says "the only way we can normalise it is by talking about it," as she praised the "amazing response" to her starting conversations about incontinence.

"So many people feel ashamed and alone," she shares, continuing, "That embarrassment, that silence stops people seeking support and getting help."

Ashley reveals that she might need surgery for the condition at some point, but is currently "putting it off."