using a cream to prevent dryness of exposed area of rectocele

Hi,
I was having discomfort from my rectocele rubbing against my underwear when I'd walk, etc. My OB/GYN told me to use vasaline or lube, so I use KY. I like it better than vasaline because it's not all greasy, however I do have to apply it more than once a day if I'm active.
About the infection, I watched those videos of the Dr. Oz show and someone asked about infection. They said that the vagina isn't a sterile place to begin with so it isn't an issue. I have had my rectocele outside my vagina for almost a year and I haven't had any infections.

I was just going to check in for the first time on the forum to ask about natural lubrication. I have tried vitamin E, petroleum jelly, and aloe vera (yes, from my house plant.) I felt the petroleum might be making my pop "pop" more. I am very sensitive, so this might have been my imagination.

I seem to do pretty well with loose fitting panties, but the other day I wore a snug pair that I bought with the idea of holding things, and parts, inside me. They seemed to cause irritation. I am back to the loose panties. So, how can some devise like the V2 belt not cause irritation?

What kind of panties do you all recommend? I like a bikini type since I am high waisted and regular ones come up too high....make me feel matronly.

I have been doing the exercises since April 2010 and thought I was improving but lately I have had some changes I don't like, in spite of the exercises and losing some weight. Over all, I feel I can control my body better, even though I don't like the way I feel much of the time. I feel I have support and know the truth about the subject. Thank you Christine!!! God bless you for having courage to expose the lies and encourage others to search and follow after truth and wholeness.

Hi kstart,
Yes I have a little guy #2 on his way, I'm 35.5 weeks prego! Thanks!
I'm new to the site and all of this great info myself, so I don't have a lot of advice. I have a very bad rectocele, to the point that I can't comfortably go for long walks etc. From what I've read here it sounds like you are on the right track with the WW posture etc. It's also great that you are getting this info so soon! I didn't even know what my bulge was for many months after I had my son, and even then I didn't understand it and I didn't know it could get so much worse.
I have the same rabbit dropping issue, be thankful for that, I was in the hospital for stones and the meds they gave me got me so gassy that they almost took my baby out early for my health! I have been taking Senokol (sp?) for a week now and I am finding a slight improvement. It's not as strong as some of the over the counter options I've tried.
I hope some more experienced members can pass on some answers to your questions, and I hope things work out well for you! I had planned on having surgery, but after reading about it here I am highly re-considering that option.
Good luck!

Hi Kstart

Wow! They must have been tight knickers!!! You are right, the loose, comfy ones suit me better too.

A big rectocele will take some time to deal with. I think the problem you have is that you have a lot of rectum that has moved down and pouched into your rectocele. Trying to get the rectocele up is gravity-defying stuff. What really needs to happen is to get all that intestine up, out of that area under the sacrum, and forwards.

Bit by bit your new posture will tip all your pelvic organs forwards and around the sides of your bladder and uterus (I think); kind of wind it all up. This will allow the top of your vagina to move backwards, close to the sacrum, so the intestines won't slip back downwards.

The way you can help this along is by spending lots of time as a quadruped, with your abdomen lower than your pelvis. This does two things. It allows gravity to pull the intestines up into your abdominal cavity and your uterus and bladder get pulled down and away from your vagina.

Another thing has just occurred to me, after reading Esther Gokhale's book. When you are picking things up off the floor, or doing things down low, try hinging from the hipswith your belly between your thighs, rather than bending in a zigzag or squatting. Keep your knees straight so your hamstring muscles can stretch out every time you bend over. Your arms will be raised which stretches your lattimus dorsi (you'll have to look this up in Saving the Whole Woman). All these actions help to maintain your lumbar curve, and raise your tailbone (which makes your pelvic floor tighter), both when you are jacknifed over like this, and when you stand up again. There are other inversion exercises you can do as well to encourage your intestines up our of your pelvic cavity. Nauli is a yoga move that uses an abdominal vacuum to do the same thing. You cannot do too many inversion exercises. As we spend so much time slouching and slumping and squashing our organs down by flexing the spine we need to spend an equal amount of time stretching it all up again by using gravity upside down and staying in that opened out WW posture when we rise again.

Hope you understand what I am getting at.

Louise

Thanks for this explanation, Louise. It really helps me understand some things. I have found that doing the firebreathing on my hands and knees works really well. And for me, it is on the inhale and lift of the tailbone that I feel the most 'relief' from the pressure of my rectocele. Hopefully that means things are gradually moving up and forward.

Hi Kathy

I am no expert. I have just learned a lot along the way. You know what your rectocele symptoms feel like. See what you feel in your vulva when trying anything new. If you don't feel any pressure, what you are doing, or how you are doing it is right. If you feel pressure, then pull back and try a different way.

You may discover something new along the way that you can share on the Forums, or you might find that suggestions you read here from people like me do not work for you.

The body operates as a whole, not as individual muscles and bones. The upper back also affects the lower back, etc. So yours may be different from mine.

You have had this rectocele for some time now. It is not going to go away in a hurry, but after six years of this work I feel sure that it won't get worse, as long as you observe Wholewoman principles, and use your body's design to retain them inside you, and allow your pelvic organs room to rearrange themselves. So, posture, clothing, diet, movement, environment are the factors you have some control over. Baby steps.

I have just completed a thorough read of Esther's book Eight Steps to a Pain Free Back, and will be posting a review in The Village Post pretty soon. In short, it is not perfect but it has some good stuff in it.

Louise

Hi kstart,

I also have a rectocele and have just put a long post about living with it under 'Welcome' in recent posts. Don't know if any of it will help - see what you think and take crae of yourself!

Pollyanna:)