6 months pregnant with bladder and rectal prolapse

Hi Qtrpony

Welcome to the Forums. So many parts of our bodies change during pregnancy, then they magically revert over the 12 months or so to what they were like pre-pregnancy. Is this your first pregnancy?

I wouldn't be too worried for now. Just let the pregnancy take its course and enjoy it. I experienced what I assume was prolapse during the whole of my second pregnancy. I got hyperstimulated ovaries as a part of infertility treatment for that conception and my whole abdominal cavity blew up to about 6 months pregnant size for the first couple of months of pregnancy. I could not eat and only sip drinks for a couple of weeks, and breathing was very difficult until laparoscopic drainage of most of the fluid brought the swelling down considerably before expanding again for the real pregnancy. I also contracted a cold in hospital at the time, and was coughing my guts up for a few weeks after that. So my pelvic floor was stretched outward to the max, with this enormous intraabdominal pressure early in pregnancy, and it never really recovered. After the birth I needed electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor muscles a few times to get them working again, then normal pelvic floor exercises to get some tone back into them. Twelve months later my body was OK again, with only some stress incontinence. I subsequently had another pregnancy and a third vaginal birth, had no prolapses during the third pregnancy, the same stress incontinence, and was left with a slight uterine prolapse. Events of the next twenty years eventually resulted in a bladder prolapse and rectocele, which can descend to the introitus, but thanks to Wholewoman, I now hardly notice them. I am not a rider, but we do have a few, who will no doubt throw in their comments over the next few days.

I suggest that you use this time of pregnancy to establish your posture well and learn how your body's natural structure works during pregnancy and after. Learn how to recover your body's natural shape after the birth. Go to the homepage, www.wholewoman.com and check out the FAQ's, then buy the second edition of Christine Kent's book Saving the Wholewoman, which has really good explanations and diagrams so you can fully understand how the posture and other factors work to keep prolapsed pelvic organs where they belong, tucked well inside your vagina, safely supported by the pubic bones.

Cheers

Louise

Welcome to the forum. I am 28 and have 3 little ones. I found my rectocele when I was about 8 weeks pp with my last baby. I had that mucus thing too- I don't think it is a big worry- just get your constipation well resolved and I am sure it will go away. Be very careful not to strain when you are going to the bathroom- you may find a standing semi-squat to be very helpful with this. You may like to search "splinting" which might help you feel fully emptied.
Another thing I would recommend is to thoroughly research gentle birth- positioning, allowing your body to push- etc.
Be sure to fully empty your bladder- you can do this by peeing in the shower on hands and knees - maybe morning and night- this will keep the UTI's away.
Most of all- rest up- enjoy your pregnancy- At 18 months pp I felt just as good as ever- no symptoms (besides being able to feel a small -half marble sized bulge if I went looking) and I was able to do everything I wanted to do.
Let someone else do the heavy lifting-
and I suggest staying away from riding for a long while (besides a nice walk).