New to all of this

Body: 

I have recently discovered i have a prolapse. I would never consider surgery as 3 pregnancies and births led me to the conclusion i know my own body best and I'm the best person to fix any problems. The whole woman approach seems very logical but i can not find out enough information on the posture and exercises. I live in the UK and the book and dvd are not readily available. I am trying to follow the posture from what i have read on the forum but I'm not sure I'm doing it correctly. I get back pain when I'm trying to sit in the posture and when walking my hips feel very tight and my leg muscles ache. I must be doing something wrong. I also suffer from adrenal fatigue with anxiety and panic attacks. With mant natural approaches I was improving , but this has set me right back. Has anybody else been too scared to get on with their daily life and not want to move around much ? I would also welcome advice on the posture.

Hi mummyduck13, I am new too and also in the UK. It is very frustration to not be able to readily access all of information Christine has produced. I ended up downloading the book Saving the Whole Woman and the First Aid for Prolapse on-line. It is not the same as having the physical book/DVD (which I would prefer), but it has allowed me to get fully immersed in the guidance and exercises quickly.
Other than eating well, exercising as Christine suggests and resting, I am not able to cope with much else at the moment. I am listening to my body and taking it easy to try and allow my abdominal organs to find a more stable position. Daily life does feel scary and a long way off, but I do feel I am trying my hardest.
I hope with the proper instruction you get in the book and DVD, you will find the position more comfortable and it feels right to be doing it. Good luck!

Thank you. It is such a pity that we don't have easy access to the book and dvd. Im trying to follow the posture. What is your understanding of it ?

I am very new to this whole process, so I think the explanation of the posture should come from someone else more experienced. I have read the whole book and done all the exercises and I do not find the posture uncomfortable, so am guessing you might be able to refine what you are doing to find it beneficial.
Are you not able to down-load? I really do think you would find it worthwhile. Failing that, have a Skype session with Lindy Roy who is a WW practitioner here in the UK. She was very helpful when I spoke to her. When I spoke to Lindy she didn't have a copy of the book or DVD, which is why I suggested you down-loaded it. I am sounding a bit like a PR machine for all things WW, but I don't think there is much substitute for being really well informed!
Any help at all, I know it is a very stressful time?

Whole Woman resources are available for shipping all over the world, and by download to anywhere. Visit the Store and I suggest if you have any questions or problems receiving anything, contact Lanny in Customer Service. - Surviving

I have been saved by this web site and all it offers and the book and Dvd First Aid for Prolapse are worth every penny as far as I am concerned. If u cannot download stuff it could be worth paying for the shipping from USA. The dvd is very light! The book is very informative and takes much longer to understand than the dvd which is instant info on posture and then 3grades of exercises which really work,r safe for us and can be done easily at home.I have been using these for 2 years and more on and off.I visited Lindy the wonderful UK Wholewoman Practitioner and she helped me perfect the posture and answered all my worries.The posture and breathing r critical as that is every day. I am using the dvd much more now as I had a dislocated shoulder in November and everything else went out the window! I have been scared to walk outside for fear of another dislocation on the ice! My prolapse is now very noticeable and I am sure it is because for past six weeks I have not walked much let alone in posture. I was walking thoughtfully in posture for 40 mins,3times every day with my dog.I am now using the dvd every day and am getting back on track but walking and posture r key.I can certainly say that Lanny is one of the most informed and helpful people u could hope to speak to. You can email or telephone him and he could tell u more about the shipping or use of computer downloads. Good luck and Happy New Year.

Hi everhopeful , thank you so much for your response. It's really helpful to know other people in the uk are using this approach. I have now ordered the book and a dvd package from America. I have also contacted Lindy and hope to have a Skype session with her. I am hoping that when I have mastered the posture walking will be more comfortable. At the moment I am just too aware of the prolapse and have lost all confidence in walking. It is does seem to be that as soon as we conquer one health challenge our bodies throw another one at us. I hope your shoulder is fully healed now and it is certainly unfortunate that the winter weather has now come. One of my problems is that I spend too long thinking about it and it becomes all consuming . I can't wait to get going properly when everything arrives.

So glad u have organised the best help possible! Sitting is not easy especially in cars but a small cushion can help and hard seat with no back!! I very often choose to stand rather than sit as it is easier then to keep in posture and when reading I lay down as this is a neutral position for prolapse. U r right to eat well and include fresh raw and perhaps seed sprouts and nuts .Spring is around the corner ,be kind to yourself this all takes time but it does work and one day u will realise that prolapse was not the first thought when u woke up!! I think the posture is a bit like riding a bicycle because u have to get all the parts right but then u need to relax without falling out of posture! Good luck!

I'm in a state of panic today. From what I've been reading it would seem my prolapse is severe. When I walk I constantly feel something is there, when I sit most of the time it feels as though something squelchy is there. I'm panicking I have noticed this too late and I won't be able to improve it. I've ordered the book and dvd and I'm waiting for it come as I'm in uk. I also have a session with Lindy next week . Will things improve ?

Yes, things will improve. To get an idea of the dynamics you will be working towards, try getting down on elbows and knees and let your pelvic organs settle into the lower belly, away from the vaginal space. The goal of WW work is to maintain this basic dynamic when upright. As Christine says.....we are four-legged animals from the hips down. A relaxed lower belly and strongly lifted chest will work along with gravity and the weight of the organs themselves, to hold the organs forward. It will take time and mindfulness, and the use of other tools Christine shares, like firebreathing. This is not an emergency! Prolapse affects the majority of women to some degree or another. We've all been where you are. Relax and breathe. - Surviving

Hi mummyduck,
As surviving has said, we have all been where you are. I do have the severe form of prolapse, finding my cervix sticking right out of me. I spent a couple of weeks in a panic, searching for answers, but once finding whole woman, I started to calm down. I am 4 years into this and have never felt better, and still have my uterus. I am so thankful to Christine and her work for giving me the confidence that I have now.
You will find such relief once you start this work, and you won't have those worries anymore.

Lindy is incredible! I guarantee that you will be feeling better, in all ways, very soon. - Surviving

Thank you for your words of encouragement. Could I just ask how long it took before you felt an improvement. I'm still waiting for my book and dvd but I get going with Lindy on Wednesday . Do you use other supporting method such as meditation as well as the whole woman work ?

I started to see improvement right away, but found the most progress to occur in my second year. It took me awhile to internalize the posture - remembering to relax the belly was the hardest. So much of this is mental. I have several other issues in my life right now, that prompt me to live as healthily as I possibly can........not to minimize prolapse, but it long ago ceased to be at the top of my list of stressors. - Surviving

You've surely read enough by now to get you started. Relax your belly, lift your chest, you'll start restoring that lumbar curvature. - Surviving

I am definitely trying to change my posture, but I clearly haven't mastered it as I have a lot of back pain. I'm not letting it put me off and am continuing to be mindful of my posture. I too have other health issues and use many approaches to help myself. I work on the theory that I have created my problems so I can fix them.

Yes you can, mummyduck!
With Christine's work behind you, teaching you the right methods, you will get through this and back out to the sunny side of life.

I started taking flax oil for breast pain which does help, but noticed that an added side benefit to the increase of the omega 3s was mood enhancement. I take 2 tablespoons a day, and chase it with prunes. Lol! Can't stand the taste of the stuff. When I would stop taking it for a period of time, I noticed the nervous edge coming back. Peri-menopause is a bear, but we can overcome that too!

Does anyone have any tips on posture when driving? I have to do a lot of driving and am not sure of the best way of sitting whilst driving.

........is notoriously bad for prolapse and the hips and spine. One of Christine's favorite tips on driving is to minimize it if possible, but sadly, few of us are in a position to do that. The best thing you can do is provide lower back support. Keep a cushion in the car, even an old sweater bunched up will do the job. Experiment with this, as well as different seat and steering wheel positions, depending on what your vehicle lets you adjust. Driving really flattens the lumbar curvature and we need to protect that as much as possible, even on short trips. - Surviving

AG - Freshly-ground flax seed is very palatable, and versatile for adding to just about anything you're eating. Do you think there is an advantage to taking the oil by tablespoons? Is that the only way to get the quantity you are shooting for? - Surviving

Ya, I was using the freshly ground for quite awhile, but didn't like the texture in my food. The oil at two tablespoons is just the right amount for my body. I wanted to take the capsules, but the guy at my health food store said I would have to take 10 a day! So, for now it is the oil chased with prunes. Lol.

I find this thread very interesting and thought I would mention something I was told about measures.Apparently a tablespoon in the USA is much smaller than a tablespoon in UK.We call a tbsp a Desert Spoon (about4teaspoons) and a Tablespoon ( which we use for serving out food) is 8 teaspoons. That is a big difference ofcourse! I take a desertspoon of Udos oil most days but started with just a teaspoon a day and gradually increased.I have friends who quit the idea due to this confusion which is a great shame as I am sure it helps my overall health.

That is interesting!
Here in the U.S. a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons. There is quite a difference there! Thanks for bring that up everhopeful.

Hi everyone,
I purchased Remember to Remember and Whole Woman Fundamentals, a weeks ago. I listen and have tried all that was suggested. Having some problems because I am probably doing something incorrect. I need help. I emailed and asked I'd there are execrises that I can do but no reply. Would anyone suggest some things I can do to find some comfort because at this moment I am miserable? I can't eliminate again. But I always remember to remember. What would be the first thing you would do to relieve this problem if you were in my shoes right now? Awaiting with patiences. Thank you.

Thanks everhopeful for that information on tablespoons. I was not aware either. We have some much-used recipes from Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride which we should probably take another look at, measurement-wise. Appreciate it! - Surviving

Hi Iwassent2you,
Now that you have had a good introduction to this work with fundamentals and remember to remember, you may want to delve even further into the meat of this work. The Saving the Whole Woman book and First Aid for prolapse DVD would be the great place to start. They both have very thorough information, explanations, exercises, and tips that will help you to gain a even better understanding of your body and how you can improve your prolapse.

While I’ve learned that diet is highly individual, and very political, at least I want to throw in my humble opinion that the GAPS diet (the Campbell-McBride reference in Surviving's post above) is unhealthful for people and the planet.

We are complex carbohydrate eaters. Most cultures on the planet (Eskimos excluded who have proportionally higher rates of bone loss due to their high protein diet) ate a traditional diet based on complex carbs. Who knows how far back eating handfuls of grain goes, but we’ve developed a gut whose microbiome thrives on it.

For someone whose gut is severely damaged (often due to high meat intake) it may be necessary to eliminate carbs altogether for some period of time. However, the goal should always be to reintroduce inflammation-suppressing cereals back into the diet.

The planet can no longer afford a human population that consumes large amounts of meat and fish. Grains are good for us.

Does anybody else have good and bad days? Some days I have times when I have no problems and I'm hopeful things are improving. Other days, like today, it is bad right from the start and I fell things will never stay improved.

Yes mummyduck, we all do. As you get further into this work, those good/bad prolapse days will become less random, and fall more into line with good/bad posture days. Even now, if I become more symptomatic than normal at any given time, I can usually trace it to something. You too will be able to find this connection. - Surviving

I'm still getting to grips with the whole woman work, but had seen slight signs of improvement. However the last two mornings when I needed to pass a motion there was a bulging feeling and a sense of urgency. When I went to the loo it was perfectly normal. I'm scared it means things are getting worse and I feel so alone. I don't have any sort of a normal life as just walking a very short distance is uncomfortable. Is there any hope ?

I realize you are waiting for your materials to arrive (I don't recall why you didn't go for the digital downloads) but in the meantime, there is an infinite amount of reading and learning you can be immersed in right now - check the Resources tab. Immersion is the key - we can hold your hand and offer encouragement but this is your journey. I'm not sure it's productive to post your daily ups and downs when you are at this early point. We are trying to reassure you that things will be OK, but you aren't feeling that way yet. Did you have a session with Lindy? - Surviving

Surviving, don't worry I won't bother using this forum any more.

Hi mummyduck - please do use the Forum. It is intended for on-going support while you are doing the work. Sometimes it just feels like our encouragement (or at least, mine) is falling on deaf ears. At this point you do owe us an update on your practitioner session. You can help others, you know. The Forum is a two-way street. - Surviving

Has anyone found the exercises difficult to master? I have has a rather upsetting experience. I had a lesson with a practitioner and the exercises really helped. Prior to this I had tried going onto elbows and knees, but it made matters worse. Today I did the exercises I have been taught but as I was doing them it felt as though everything was falling out. I have contacted the practictioner to try and sort it out but I just wondered if anybody else has struggled. I'm almost too scared to try again. I'm working hard with the posture, but it is too early days for any improvement from that.

Hi mummyduck,
What exercise are you doing?
I know when I started The First Aid For Prolapse exercises, I did have an adjustment period, just because I had never done ballet style exercises before. I found that the yoga series were easier to adjust to, but I do love them all.
I didn't find immediate relief from doing all this, it took time and diligence. You may also want to include some jiggling and firebreathing into you daily routine. And, when going down on knees and forearms, breath deeply into your belly, and you can even do some nice belly rolls while there.
It took quite a few months of posture work and exercises for me to start feeling less pressure in my vagina, so give it the time it is due. It is well worth the time and effort.

I was doing some yoga exercises. In the cat pose, on knees and elbows and a standing into a bend. I was just about to try the fire breathing which I had been taught on hands and knees when I experienced problems. I think for now I will stick with mastering the posture and making it automatic. Then I will try the ballet style exercises as I use to do ballet many years ago.

I would suggest long mindful posture walking. This is what did me the most good when I was learning. At first I thought it was making my symptoms worse; but the more I persisted and the more my torso became "seated" correctly over my hip joints, the better I felt. One day sometime in the second year of this work, I went on a very long hike with a friend. I kept posture in mind at all times and when it was over, I could barely feel the bulge for awhile. It was quite an eye-opening experience. - Surviving

Thank you. I think that's a great idea. I feel I was trying to do too much at once. It's mindful walking round the house at the moment as the wind and rain are so bad I can barely stand up outside. It's really helpful to hear other people's experiences and gives me hope. Concentrating on posture is giving me another focus which can only be good.

I'm only a few days in and making progress with the posture when sitting, standing and walking. However , can anyone help me with how to pick things up from the floor maintaining posture, as this is causing me problems.

Here is a great thread on lifting:

https://www.wholewoman.com/forum/node/3863

Part way down, Christine has some links to examples of lifting.
You can also type lifting into the search box to find more threads.