Front Vag. Wall Prolapse vs. Cystocele?

Hi Erin,

A proper diagnosis by your gyn is always a good thing. It sounds like it's probably a loosening of the vagina from the pelvic sidewall, which results in an anterior bulge that is "ribbed" or has "sulci." And yes, your bladder is probably somewhere in the vicinity.

The dvd can be found by clicking onto the wholewomancenter site and then clicking into the store. Or just cut and paste this: www.wholewomancenter.com/store

The whole point of the kegel issue is that it is worthless to have a tightly-closing genital hiatus, or split in the pelvic floor musculature, if your organs are just going to continue to press against it. The posture pushes the organs back into (or towards for most of us) their natural positions, taking the pressure off the pelvic diaphragm. The pubococcygeus muscles are exercised during sex and also while in the posture. The pelvic diaphragm, or "floor" is lengthened, narrowed, and pulled together.

By all means carry your baby, as so many other new moms are doing here! Just do so with your spine in the right shape.

Core training is very important. The issue is that females have a completely differently shaped core than men. That reality is not reflected in any exercise program that I'm aware of. The Whole Woman Workout will be available on video this summer.

WIshing you well,

Christine

No one can say for sure, but do keep doing the postural work. Our member Candice ended up with a front wall "urethrocele" postpartum. It took several months, but she eventually said she felt extremely better.

Congratulations Erin on the birth of your baby!
I have to say that I also feel a great deal better now than at a week post partum! Everything seems really firm and tight compared to before. My midwife today at my yearly exam said that if she didn't know I had had prolapse problems she wouldn't have known by looking today! (I am three months post partum). There is not doubt that everything is so very stretched out after birth, and I truly think, (my personal opinion), this causes reversible "sagging" of the vaginal walls in many women which can improve for many months PP! Most women probably don't even realise. Hope this is encouraging for you and other post partum Mummy's too...........
Michelle.
P.S I have been doing the posture ever since I discovered this site.

Hi Erin, I'v also just had my third baby nearly 4 wks postpartum (3 boys ) and have very much the same as you but fortunately I have had no pelvic inflammation just that ribbed tissue feeling at the entrance of my vagina. My GP here in Australia told me to do the pelvic floor exercises too but I have also booked myself in to see a obstetrician to get a confirmed diagnosis. I was really worried as this had never occured before but please don't be afraid to speak to a specialist just to keep your options open so that you are aware of everything. They have probably seen and heard alot worse.

I wish you all the best. Jocelyn

Yes, I do do kegels too though I focus on length and strength rather
than frequency. I do approximately four to six sets of ten holding each squeeze for ten seconds and sometimes longer each day. I have also had PT which has strengthened everything pelvic floor wise too I think. I am careful to brace my pelvic floor when lifting anything as well. I really feel so much better as I have said. I also maintain the posture as it just seems to make sense to me to put the organs back in place and to reinstate the lumbar curve which Christine says is lost in late pregnancy and this also makes perfect sense to me! I feel sure that you will see improvement. I know this is hard but do give it time..............:)

That is what i have...both! I thought it was enough to have the bulgy part (back of the bladder) drop to the vaginal area but my urethra also dropped significantly. I always use the layman's term (pee hole). So i think having both conditions, it looks saggy and the sides of the labia looks saggier too. I don't think kegels can help this b/c the infrastructure have changed.

Anyway, gotta keep those areas cleaned b/c they are so exposed being lower. I know some days I feel alot of moisture from lower cervix or have residual pee from bladder not emptying well and that irritates the whole urethra area. When that happens, I try not to wear panties at nite to let myself breath.

The best thing to do is not worry about what is falling where and focus on what a divine and creative opportunity it is to learn to stretch into your entire self throughout your working day and to build a colorful world around you that supports your basic design. The terms urethrocele and cystocele are interchangeable, depending upon the leading presentation of the bladder/bladder neck. Some sources are calling for discontinuing the term urethrocele.

Absolutely not. There is no reason your symptoms should ever be worse than they are now. Both granolamom and mommi2three have unrepaired, episiotomy-like cuts or tears that perhaps are causing their conditions to be more severe than many of the other moms here.