Help with baby wearing and other questions

Ya if you have a back wall collapse then it is probably a rectocele.
I have wood flooring and I wear crocs- those ugly yet oh so comfy shoes
I wear my big kids and my babies- I have an ergo- I have recently packed a 25lb baby on a 1 hour hike with no detriment to my prolapse- I wear the ergo on my back and really low on my hips.....so the baby almost rests on the top of my butt- and he doesn't like it when I stand very straight b/c it puts my shoulderblades in his face but my big kids don't mind b/c they are taller-
However I only wear my big ol baby in moments of desperation now- like the grocery store with all 3 kids- on a hike- or to get an over flowing sink of dishes clean- but he is pretty happy now if I let him help me wash dishes and will ride in the cart at the store most days if my 4 year old will walk.
Babywearing on the front is almost impossible now that he is so big- plus when he gets to boob level he wants to nurse- and I may as well sit for that.....
Front carry for any period of time makes my prolapse more feel able.
I love to pac my kids and it was one thing that made me really sad when I found my prolapse- the idea of giving it up- I kept my newborn on me for months and months- and then as he got mobile I packed him less and less- and his daddy will pack him if I feel like he really needs the soothing.

We haven't spoken before, but I just wanted to welcome you to the wholewoman site and let you know what worked for me.

I made a decision to stop picking up my youngest when she reached 12 months ( now 19 months) as the lifting was personally making me feel worse and gave me also perineum pain. I quickly taught to climb into my lap,from my lap into the high chair, boosted her into the car seat from my lap, etc. Lots of women on this site have carried their babies in slings for quite a while. I suggest that you search the site for others' replies on this subject. I stopped carrying my baby in a sling when she was quite early on simply because I couldn't find the correct one that supported my back and she was quite a big baby.
Avoid lifting anything heavy and if you have to carry food shopping make sure that you have more bags with less in them and make more trips back and forth to the house and car. Divide and lighten your loads as much as possible. Do as much as you can in the posture, incorporate into your daily life, but take breaks when you get tired. Try and have little rests during the day when you lie down -easy to say I know when you have a lovely little baby to look after.

I would suggest at 5 months postpartum that you start off with the workout on the DVD as it is more gentle than the ballet workout in the book. Try and make it daily. Plus of course the posture work.

We have wooden floors at home and I go barefoot as much as possible or if it is very cold wear socks. Don't find these floors hard on my body.

I would think a collapsed back wall does mean a rectocele but I am no expert as I still don't have a clear diagnosis myself!

Hope this is of some help and remember that you still have a lot of healing to do post partum. I am 19 months post partum with baby number 2 and I still feel that my body is healing and getting stronger.

Frankie x

Yes, back vaginal wall collapse means rectocele. I was diagnosed with front collapse because I have cystocele. I have no idea why they call it this and it confused me for a while too so I'm glad you could ask about it here.

With baby wearing, I'd say just do it for as long as it's comfortable for you and as long as it doesn't worsen your POP. For me, I found lifting did worsen my POP so I carried my bub for as short a time as possible and hubby did the carrying when he was home. But for many ladies baby carrying doesn't affect the POP, so just go with what your body tells you. If I'd known about posture back then I may have been able to carry for longer.

I have wooden floorboards and I sometimes feel bare feet difficult so I'll wear thick socks in winter or thongs (flip flops for you US ladies) in summer.

i'm a babywearer too, although my youngest is going to be 3 in April. Can't believe it. I discovered pop when he was 7 months old, and was concerned about babywearing too. I held him less at times, but kept on slinging him and he didnt' walk until he was 16.5 months!!! (although his sisters had both walked by 12 mos.) Anyway, I have to say my symptoms got better after he started walking, but if I had to do it again, I'd probably babywear as much as I could, while taking rests, and using common sense, and realizing he or she wasn't going to be deprived. I think there is a balance, and believe me, we have done very attached parenting. It's ok to take care of yourself when you need to.

I also recommend the ballet workout. The great thing is you don't have to do it all! Just do as much as feels good. I often just do the workout up to the leg kicks, and let me tell you, it pulls everything up for the next 24 hours. I notice the difference if I don't do it. Everyone has a different experience of what works, but I really believe Christine's research regarding retraining the musculoskeletal system (sorry for my bad spelling). I find the ballet workout really valuable. I know others have had lots of success with the firebreathing. On that one, I wish someone could show me how to do it. I also did the dvd for a long time, and loved it. I do prefer the ballet workout, though, and think there's really something to all that work being on your feet and pulling up through your spine.

That's my 2 cents.

Love to all,

Marie

I think the most important thing, whether we are talking about babywearing, exericise or diet, is to get to know your body and watch for changes. you are the expert on your condition and you will know if what you are doing is having a good or bad effect on your prolapse.

I found my prolapse after I'd finished wearing my then-youngest (he was 2). when I got pg with the next one I was already at a place where I felt confident that my prolapse was stabilized and that I could handle slight setbacks due to pg/labor/delivery. babywearing is as much for my baby as it is for me and I really did not want to give that up. so this time around I splurged on some really good carriers. I got a german woven wrap and a meitai (I already had a ring sling and made another one). my baby's a chubby boy (he's 8 mo and probably over 25 lb) and I find I can wear him on my back for over an hr in the meitai with no problems. I tie it pretty high, right under my rib cage and it tends to slide down a bit to my waist but it doesn't push the prolapse out.
I do make sure that on the bad days, when I'm feeling bulgy, to sit more and wear baby less. this prolapse has taught me to slow down and respect my body. turns out that the bad days almost always correspond with ovulation and pms for me, and those are good times to slow down and take care of me anyway. I never did slow down and take care of me before prolapse but now I kinda sorta enjoy it.

as far as the dvd vs ballet workout, I love the ballet workout. not that I've managed to get through the whole thing, but I do the plie's every now and then and I feel everything lift up.

I walk around barefoot or in socks if its cold. we have mostly wood floors though. don't know about tile.