can anyone tell me....

Body: 

what it feels like to discover a prolapse while your pregnant? I have a prolapsed bladder (between stage 1 and 2) from my first pregnancy but am now 30 wks pregnant with my second child and am experiencing a lot of pressure in the area between my vagina and anus. My bladder has moved up and I don't have the bulge anymore which I knew from reading on whole woman was likely to happen. So nothing is protruding from my body, but I feel like my rear end is going to fall out. Does that make sense? I have a difficult time standing for very long without this feeling. Does this mean my rectum has now fallen as well or is it just the normal pressure you feel with a bladder prolapse when you are pregnant? Help!!! I just want to know what I'm in for after my second delivery and if I'm going to have another prolapse to handle. Thanks to anyone who has any info/experience. K

Hi Tsmom

I have not been pregnant for about 23 years so the memory is a bit dim. However, think of it this way. When you were pregnant the first time you had never been pregnant before. This time your body has been stretched from the first pregnancy, so your body will no doubt feel different anyway. That's not to say that you are telling lies about what you are feeling! I can almost feel it, just thinking about it. :-(

How are you going with WW posture? Are you able to get any change by adjusting your posture? Does it help if you can get your feet up a few times a day?

Louise

I have been doing the posture but not as much as I should. I'm an art teacher and on my feet and bending down all day. Plus I've got a 17 month old very active little boy who I'm still picking up alot. I think I'm in a little bit of denial even though I've had the prolapse for a while. Doing the posture does help though so I'll try to be diligent about staying in it. I'm just worried about the baby's delivery and making the prolapse worse. I don't want to get depressed about the prolapse as I did when I discovered it after my first son. I felt like it took away from the incredible joy I felt about giving birth to such a wonderful baby. I know it's going to be difficult for a while after the birth, I just hope I handle it with optimism and not negativity (even though it's hard to not feel a little bitter about the whole thing). Two more months to go till my new son arrives! Again, thanks for getting back to me. K

Hi Tsmom

Standing and bending all day couldn't be worse for your POP's. Is there any way you could take a light stool around the classroom with you and just plop down on it with a straight back whenever you have to get down to student level. When you have to bend, try and bend from the hips and stick your butt out. You might be able to rest your hands on your knees, or rest hands on the desk and just let your belly hang. That is what will keep your uterus and belly forward. Let your body work for you. I am sure that the kids will be sympathetic. You could rightfully use the pregnancy thing as a reason. Are you going to keep teaching right up to term?

Louise

I will try to sit more often and bend properly. It's difficult because I teach little kids, all boys (ages 5-11) and am planning on working right up to my due date or labor, which ever comes first! I'm just going to have to be more diligent about staying in the posture and getting off of my feet the closer I get to delivery. Wish me luck! Kim

Hi tsmom,

You sound like me last year at this time. I discovered my prolapse while pregnant and towards the end I did have the pressure you are talking about. I worked up until Christmas and then had my baby on the 25th of January. Around week 33 things got tough, so I spent lots of time on hands and knees, posture, etc. Also I was horrendously constipated (Never was in my life, nor with my 1st pregnancy), so I made sure I ate tonnes of fibre - oranges/clementines worked well. I also developed some nasty hemmorroids, so I don't know whether that contributed to that "bottom dropping" feeling or not. Anyway, I felt tonnes better after the birth of my baby. I still have a urethrocele (now 10 months pp), but no rectocele, and my bladder and cervix are within the "normal range". I am now able to chase after my kids without worrying about that falling out feeling. I think my estrogen levels are rising, but still no period to speak of. I hope to keep getting better; I am leaps and bounds from the disabled pregnant woman I felt like last year!

Follow all the advice the previous posters have been given and limit the time on your feet. Good luck! Wishing you a beautiful birth and a healthy baby.

like at the doctor's office....

Hey K, I have an extra minute and wanted to share my pregnancy and prolapse feelings with you. Yes I know that 'bottom falling out' feeling. The deep ache in the perineum. I have a rectocele and towards the middle of my pregnancy I developed a cystocele (which was a great relief to me since it supported the rectocele) and then the cystocele went away during late pregnancy and the rectocele gave me that ache feeling again. So yes you might just have a rectocele you don't normally notice since your cystocele usually supports it.
I can remember walking (3-5 miles every day up to the day I went into labor) and feeling the ache spread down the inside of my legs.
I bet you might like a V2 supporter or similar pregnancy support garment. You might also consider a pessary to get you through these last few weeks.
My first two kiddos are 19 months apart and I just loved that spacing. My postpartum recovery was fast and seemed much easier than the first time around. Try not to predict how you will feel because you may have a very simple recovery.
Are you planning a natural birth? also do you have plans to have someone come and help your family after the baby is here? My sister helped us and it was wonderful.