What makes it worse?

Submitted by ProudMama on November 6, 2008 - 9:46am
Body: 

Hi, I am new here and obsessed with this site! It has so much valuable info in prolapse that I just can't find anywhere else. It is amazing how little this is talked about. I am 2 weeks postpartum, I have read the other posts that say to give this time to heal, etc. So I understand that I may have a while before I can really say what is going on. I think that I have a bladder prolapse and uterine prolapse...well for now anyway. I have "the bulge" from my anterior wall, plus at times I can see/feel my cervix. I actually went to the ER because it totally freaked me out, and the ER doc said it was a bladder prolapse. My doctor didn't even want to look at it until 6-8 weeks because he thinks it may resolve itself, and doesn't really think it is a big deal. I feel really great physically (minus the drooping bulge), the best I have ever felt after delivery (this is my 3rd). My body says..go go go , but my mind says...don't do anything because it might get worse. I go from feeling I can overcome this, to utter despair and am immobilized by fear.

Anyway, my question is...what is going to make this worse or impede healing? Can I walk? Should I? How long should I wait to do my normal activities? I know I shouldn't be lifting...well anything but the baby. I am so scared that if I go about my daily business, gravity will make this all worse. Has anyone had theirs get worse by doing too much? My doc says that regular activity won't delay healing. But I am still freaked out. Any advice on activity level would be great.

I have already taken measures to relieve constipation, more fiber etc...

kiki

November 6, 2008 - 2:19pm

hi proudmama, and congrats on the birth of your baby!
3! how fabulous!
I am so glad you found this site, and that you are finding info here. a few thoughts...
the doctor is right, things may resolved, but probably not in 6 - 8 weeks. there will be a lot of healing over the next year and beyond, so be patient. i was told by doctors they wouldn't see me for 1 year and then not until i stopped breastfeeding as there might be a bit more improvement then. don't know about that yet. but i can tell you that my little one is 22 months, and in the last few weeks i noticed my uterus has suddenly gotten much higher (i have all 3 POP's) so the healing can just keep on happening.

re what to do / not do.
first of all, 2 weeks PP is so early! remember that in some cultures you'd still be in bed ;-)
take it easy, relax, and let your body heal (as much as you can with three babies). enjoy your children, and bonding as a family. and try (i know it's hard!) not to let the POP take over.butkno

start working on the posture. walk in the posture, sit in it, feed the baby in it (sitting on the floor w/o leaning on anything with cushions on your lap helps with that). rest some of the time (if you are breastfeeding feeding lying down is good). i personally wouldn't lift anything other than baby right now as it's so early, POP or not. your body needs to heal.

what is normal activity for you? remember, you have just given birth. go gently, and then be guided by your body. if you start to feel your POP getting worse during the day then try to rest. at the beginning, i made a point of having good lie downs every day. by 6 months i didn't need to worry about that, but at first it really helped.

hope that helps...

Love2boys

November 6, 2008 - 6:24pm

Hi, I'm new to the site too. I have an app't with my OB on the 18th to find out what kind of prolapse i have. I am not sure what kind of prolapse i have but i'm sure i have one. After looking at the self exam section i am wondering if it's my cervix that i'm seeing. I was wondering if you can see the bladder prolapse...like can you see the bulge or just able to feel it? Right now i am thinking i may have a bladder prolapse too...at first i thought it might be a rectocele...won't know til my app't.
Try to rest as much as possible. I know i felt the bulge more in the beginning after i had my son...the first few months then less and less.
In asian cultures they say not to squat for the first month after birth because it can cause a uterine prolapse, so maybe that's something you can try not do.
I'm still learning about prolapse, sorry i can't give you more advice except not to carry anything heavier than your newborn for now.

ProudMama

November 6, 2008 - 7:04pm

I find it hard to get anything done around the house that takes more that 10 minutes. Then I can feel the bulge coming out. I can see it if I look and sometimes it is up high and others it hangs down fairly far. My husband reassures me that this is normal after having 3 babies, and I truly want to believe that it is and it will just go away. He is a med student and checked it out for me today, he said my cervix was up high when I laid down. I will try to take it easy, I just get so frustrated every time the darn thing pops out. I guess normal activity would mean that I have at least a few hours on my feet, does it make the prolapse perminently worse if I can feel it bulging and just keep on with my daily duties?

No squatting is a good suggestion, thanks.

granolamom

November 7, 2008 - 12:39pm

congrats on the new baby!
I only have a sec, as my own baby isn't feeling great and will probably want me soon. but

of course its hard to do anything that takes more than 10 min! you are 2 wk pp! you shouldn't BE doing anything that takes longer than 10 min aside from breastfeeding or math homework, lol.

really take it easy for now. for at LEAST 6 weeks. rest whenever you can. walking is ok, but stop when you're tired. try to learn the posture and walk in posture if possible.

continuing on with normal activities will impede healing of a prolapse. and now, so soon postpartum, you have great potential for some reversal. so I'd say take advantage of that and let your body heal. help it heal. by respecting its need for rest, carrying yourself in good posture, getting good food, etc

but its common for the bulges to move up and down, during the course of a day or after heavy activity or with hormonal cycles. lying down often allows things to move back up

try not to let this get you down, there's no way to predict so soon after birth what will be in a years time. take care of yourself and enjoy those precious babies!

ProudMama

November 26, 2008 - 9:19am

I thought I would update on my progress. I know it helps me when people who are postpartum update where they are. I am now 4.5 weeks postpartum. I have come a long way in 2 weeks. I can truly see how things are improving. I got rid of constipation by eating one bowl of high fiber cereal in the morning and drinking lots of water. My prolapse sometimes looks better, but I no longer feel the need to check on it. I would describe mine as merely an annoyance more than anything. I was having lower back pain until my hubby who is a D.O. did some work on it. It was way out of whack. Anyway, I am doing great! I didn't realize how common this is and how I would wager that "most" people experience this to some degree. Just wanted to give hope to those who are postpartum that life really does go on! Sorry, I haven't done much with the book or posture, I am sort of gleaning a bit from here and there to see how things improve.