A Bump in the road....or my belly :)

Submitted by canadianmama on December 30, 2009 - 8:01pm
Body: 

Debated writing a new post, but decided I would invite everyone along on our new journey! Just found out we are pregnant with #4 (very much a surprise!!!) and wanted to share some thoughts and ask some questions of women who have been along this road before (or several times!)

I know now that I had prolapses after baby #1, just didn't realize it until my cervix made a dramatic appearance after baby #3 (Picked up a HUGE bucket of water on post-partum day 7, cervix dipped down, then went back up never to be seen again). As a side note: Somedays I think blissful ignorance would have been nice (having prolapses but not realizing it because they were asymptomatic), but now, I am thankful for all the past 20 months have taught me about taking care of my body, of working to protect it from further damage, learning skills for the rest of my life, and for all I have learned about how wonderfully I am made (and how incredibly I heal)!

So here we are, first trimester. Can't eat, too tired to move far from the couch, only exercise I am getting is puking (in an organs over the pubic bone position of course!) :)

Prolapses took over my life when I first found them. For a long time. I had finally gotten to the point where it really wasn't a big deal physically or emotionally. Then the pregnancy test and one of the first thoughts was "I've worked so hard this past year and a half, what if it all falls apart again".

But it is neat to see that despite feeling super lousy, I can feel a sort of quiet serence confidence. It will be ok. My body will recover and probably much better as I have learned better ways to take care of it. Things aren't terrific down there right now, but in my heart I am calm....it is part of the process, and will be ok.

My cervix is low still (9 weeks). Some days, I can feel (with my hand) my uterus sagging into my vagina. Bending over and giving a good suck up seems to help. Other days, things are pulled up tight. (that feels wierd too!)

I have a tipped uterus, always have...thinking that must make it a little easier for it to try and slip down.

My rectocele sags a little more. Bowel movements are NOT regular and I think that plays a big part. Finding I need to splint more which I never did before, but I think once I can eat and drink normally I should be able to get that under better control. (But good part of feeling lousy...doing lots of horizontal resting time--yes my kids are fabulous!)

My questions:
1) What are some exercises I can be doing now for the rectocele? (Want to exercise but no energy!)
2) Any suggestions for working with my uterus to try and 'encourage' it to tip the right way...don't want the weight on ligaments to stretch them any more than necessary.
3) Not doing nauli but find the initial big breath/suck in to help...think that is ok to do?

There are so many posts to read and learn from, I am hesitant to start another. Yet, I find so much encouragement reading other's stories...I hope mine will do the same for someone else!

So funny to be thinking 7 months down the road telling hubby "you need to help me deliver on hands and knees", and this time I am going to take a few days after baby to REST! (sort of looking forward to that part!)

Thank you for your thoughts and encouragement! When I look at my 3 boys, I wouldn't change anything for the world. And I know that this little one will be every bit as precious to me and will be worth the time of healing. My only hope and prayer this time is that I can keep my mind realistic, give my body time to heal, and not let nasty checkorama monster rear its ugly head again!!

~Canadianmama

davemayamom

December 30, 2009 - 8:28pm

From one Canadian mom to another, a HUGE congratulations!!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a girl! I was far more nauseous with my daughter than my son. As far as prolapse goes, just follow alemama and granolamoms posts. I also suffered during my pregnancy, but I didn't know I had prolapse til' my second trimester with my daughter. I'm sure you will be just fine.

louiseds

December 30, 2009 - 11:34pm

What a wonderful surprise, Canadianmama

I cannot think of a better state than pregnancy to be in if you have to vomit every day! Keep us posted.

Have a search for 'lopo' or 'loopoo' and 'animal'. It is our newest, non-patented technique for avoiding splinting. It doesn't involve any massive changes in pressure in the abdomen, so I cannot see how it could be damaging during pregnancy.

Louise

aza

December 31, 2009 - 1:55am

Hi Canadianmama,
Congratulations on baby #4 but shame about the puking:) I hope that you post often about your journey with this pregnancy and birth and afterwards...I would love to follow your experience!
Interested to hear some answers or ideas on your above questions as well.
Aza
P.S. Any chance you are near Vancouver BC?

kiki

December 31, 2009 - 7:26am

congrats on your pregnancy! sorry you are feeling so horrible... but sounds like you are keeping a good attitude about the POP and what they are doing. I'm sure they will behave better once you are a bit further along, and you can eat better. If you can stomach something like bran in yogurt might help? i discovered preggie pops and drops last pregnancy, and they really helped settle my stomach especially if i had to be out ie at work and was feeling horrid (ah, the bits of pregnancy i really don't miss!). but then you move onto the lovely fluttery baby in tummy--oh heaven! keep us updated
kiki

alemama

December 31, 2009 - 12:41pm

1. exercises for rectocele...the best exercise you can do right now is get plenty of water and never strain! The extra weight is going to cause you to feel some pelvic congestion- possibly pressure on your rectum and it will push on your rectocele. So eat well! There are ways to thwart morning sickness- try combining a protein with a complex sugar- like beans and rice- or garbonzo beans and pasta- or cheese and fruit. Never eat a starch alone- and get plenty of protein- salads are amazing for this- grilled chicken, feta, and spinach.
and enema when completely necessary.
2. tip the uterus- all fours- and cat stretch- arch your back up and then return to nomal position- better is elbows and knees. Great news is that you have gotten yourself in the very best condition to tip the uterus forward and in a few short months your uterus will be tipped well forward with the weight of the baby.
3. Nauli- yep I wouldn't do- in breath is probably ok- but better would be the jiggle method :)

Congratulations on your pregnancy! It is kind of a backwards slide of sorts for your prolapse but know that it will get better again- and most likely NO WORSE!

Christine

December 31, 2009 - 5:23pm

I will be so happy to hear of your progress throughout your pregnancy and postpartum! Lots of love and prayers coming your way and I hope you have a splendid New Year.

:) Christine

granolamom

January 2, 2010 - 7:44pm

congratulations, canadianmama!!! fourth babies are a HUGE blessing! and surprise babies too! sorry to hear about the puking, I get it bad too. nothing really helps me, not the pops, not the protein (that comes up the worst), just time. but the good news is that time does help and eventually it DOES pass, so hang in there.
the others have given good advice. the best single thing I've done this time around is to really take things slowly pp, and allow myself time to heal. it really makes a difference.
enjoy your pg!

clavicula

January 7, 2010 - 2:39am

Just wanted to say congrats! Wish you an easy pregnancy and keep us posted, please!
Liv

canadianmama

January 7, 2010 - 9:57am

Thanks everyone for your excitement and kind words of encouragement. Feeling a little discouraged this week with not being able to do anything...little energy this morning so need to make hay!

Seems like my uterus has pulled itself up and over! Cervix was actually pointing backwards this morning!! Rectocele has been bulgier, but seems to be pulling up a bit now. Still having problems with constipation. Just don't have an appetite for much, and the things I do want to eat are not necessarily bowel-friendly. Trying to keep fluids up and be patient with my body! Looking forward to getting the energy back to be able to exercise!!

Thank you again for your kindness!!
~canadianmama

louiseds

January 7, 2010 - 6:57pm

Prune juice!

Mamato2boys

January 7, 2010 - 9:06pm

I had severe morning sickness with both babies. With my first I threw up every day, even the day I delivered. I drank Odwalla smoothies and juices, and there is another brand Nature or something like that. They were thick and, here's the gross part, if I threw up they didn't taste bad. They seemed also to help with the constipation.

Hang in there.

K

canadianmama

January 8, 2010 - 9:46am

Thankfully I have stopped throwing up for a couple of days! I totally got to the point where I would think about what I was eating to make sure it would be ok coming up...YUK!!!

Louise...I don't seem to do so well with prune juice..makes my stomach just nasty but doesn't seem to have too great an effect!

Going fruit shopping this morning! Feeling better today and going to stock the house with all the fibre I can find and see if that works!

Thanks!
K

louiseds

January 10, 2010 - 11:11pm

Hi K

Sorry the prune juice didn't agree with you.

L