Confused

Submitted by alice2015 on December 19, 2015 - 12:22am
Body: 

I'm feeling confused about what is happening. I'm a FTM and 8wpp. I'm pretty sure I have a cystocyele and rectocle. I'm pretty devestated about it all as I never thought this would happen given I'm 34 and practiced my pelvic floors, did yoga, pretty active pre pregnancy etc etc. I think I'm over the daily crying about it now. Anyway, I went to my dr and explained what I was feeling (like something is sitting at the vaginal entrance all the time and I can feel a lump front and back just past the entrance) and after an exam she said I have a lax vagina which is normal post pregnancy and its not a prolapse and it will tighten back up after some time. She also said it's very common and I don't need to worry. I'm not so sure. Is it some big secret most women don't talk about? It's extremely uncomfortable and doesn't feel normal. Ive bought the first aid dvd and starting on posture correction, fire breathing etc but I guess I'm trying hard not to let the depression about it all set back in and curious what others think? Could my Dr be wrong? She has a lot of gynae experience which is why I would think she knows what she is talking about but after reading some comments on the forum I'm not so sure. I guess I was expecting the dr to confirm what I thought and tell me a grade but because that didn't happen it's thrown me a bit.

Forum:

Surviving60

December 19, 2015 - 12:39pm

Hi alice and welcome. Eight weeks PP is way to early to be expecting anything close to normal down there! Prolapse is extremely common after childbirth, and on the one hand, it may very well resolve on its own, at least for awhile (mine did). But it is very important how you handle the situation now, in your healing period, because that can make all the difference. I had PP prolapse though I didn't know the word at the time. I went back to a life of bad posture and lots of kegeling and straining on the toilet and BAM, after menopause it came back in a big way. Stay on the path, immerse yourself in this knowledge as much as time and energy allow. It is not a crisis. It is actually the beginning of restoring your natural spinal shape which will help and protect you in countless ways in the years to come. Don't worry about grade or any of that stuff. The organs are constantly on the move, and you are gaining the knowledge of how to get them where they belong. - Surviving

Tonawanda

December 19, 2015 - 8:44pm

Hi Alice! I read your post today and I felt it was me who was talking. Im in the same boat. 7 weeks pp. I had successful drug free VBAC. However I had a second degree tear and now a cystocele. I saw my OB last week and she said "do kegels", and I wont. I started getting educated and it has been very confusing, I have been at the Keggel Queen webpage (left in a hurry) and others. Too much conflicting information, when one is ignorant is difficult to filter out the "junky" information. I was happy to read Surviving reply and her comment that it takes some time for the body to recover after birth. I am going to review the material provided by WW. I just wanted to say hi and that I share your pains. Im glad that there are alternatives and this support group.

Surviving60

December 20, 2015 - 2:39am

Hi Tonawanda and welcome to Whole Woman. You are so right, there is a ton of bad information out there. Sadly, it starts with our doctors themselves, and it goes from there. You have found your way here and I can assure you this is the ONLY way to go when it comes to managing prolapse. So please enjoy your little one while you can....this is such a precious time. You will heal and be better than ever if you make a commitment to understand what's really going on down there and what you need to do about it. - Surviving

mer103

December 20, 2015 - 2:44am

Hi Surviving,
What kind of prolapse did you have after childbirth?How long did it take to resolve after childbirth?

Surviving60

December 20, 2015 - 3:58am

.....I cannot say for sure. I had no idea what prolapse was in those days (it was before the Internet). Rectocele, cystocele or both. To this day I have not had a formal diagnosis.

My kids were both quite large with lots of pushing and episiotomies. I didn't expect to feel normal after that, I took it in stride. I think sometimes a little ignorance is not such a bad thing!

I nursed both babes extensively and spent lots of time slouching and slumping into soft cushions and furniture (only now do I realize how much that helped to set me up for prolapse!). I've always had terrible posture, a combination of rounded shoulders and sucked-in belly.

It's really not a matter of "how long will it take for this to go away". It may well resolve on its own, but it will be back later, as it was for me, unless you take Christine's teachings and apply them to your life starting now. - Surviving

alice2015

December 20, 2015 - 5:02am

Hi tonawanda and thanks for replying. I too had a second degree tear and after 3.5hrs of active pushing they were prepping for vbac and episiotomy with forceps at the ready. The whole experience has both my husband and I not wanting to have another. I actually feel the last couple of days some improvement. I've been religiously correcting my posture and resting heaps today and the 'something between my legs' feeling has been minimal today. It's early days yet but I feel a lot better than I did when I checked what was causing the odd feeling and the days following it. The breast feeding is the challenge for me in regards to posture. im actually preferring to lay down next to baby rather than sit up as I find I keep slouching but over time I'm sure sitting posture will improve. My Aunty actually had mesh surgery and years later has the most excruciating back pain that not a lot can be done about and I will gladly say good bye to the prospect of having my firm tight stomach back if it means my uterus and all the other bits stay where they are meant to.

alice2015

December 20, 2015 - 5:13am

Hi surviving, reading your post about posture sounds like me! I too have rounded shoulders from slouching (big boobs) and I would constantly suck in my belly as well as tuck my buttocks (which I've realised since finding this site is a no no for pelvic health. I'm breastfeeding and struggling a bit with posture although currently when home prefer to lay down next to Bub as finding couch too soft. I was wondering what the thoughts are on fitballs aka as birthballs? I used one during my later stages of pregnancy and also had been bouncing on it till I became aware of the everything falling out feeling. Just wondering if it's seen as a help or a hindrance to recovery?

Surviving60

December 20, 2015 - 5:24am

Hi Alice - I think my posture devolved in part from trying to make my SMALL boobs even less visible to the world. I remember being insulted by my own sister one time when I was experimenting with sticking them out more. How one tiny thing in our youth can have such far-reaching effects!

The bouncy balls are probably not great at this point, because if you haven't learned to control your posture then you will be applying the wrong kind of pressure, for sure. Once you do, if you can keep lumbar curvature in place, it would be OK; however, on a bouncy ball or rebounder this would be tricky. I would advise nailing the posture first, then experiment with a bit of jumping and/or running on the balls of your feet. In correct posture, THAT is beneficial. Like most everything, with prolapse it isn't so much about what you are doing, but how you are holding yourself while you're doing it. - Surviving

alice2015

December 20, 2015 - 6:09am

Oops forgot to mention that the reason I was bouncing on it post delivery was because it was the easiest way to settle my baby. Very glad now he settles easily without it.