New member with 4th degree question

Submitted by hatbox121 on June 28, 2007 - 6:49pm
Body: 

HI. My son is a month old now. I did have a difficult pushing stage with him. I had to push without contractions because his heartrate was down to 30. But I didn't have any forceps or tearing. After coming home from the hospital, I discovered that my uterus was outside my vagania. My dr. said to wait that it should go back in. It still hasn't gone back in and I don't see how it will go back to normal on its own. My prolapse is by no means mild. It is severe enough that my entire streched out uterus was outside of my body. It is prolapsed to the fourth degree. At this point, due to the shrinkage, it is level or slightly outside of my body depending on time of day. It is also becoming raw on the edge where it touches my clothing and purpilish elsewhere. I also now have something else poking out behind the uterus. I called my doctor and the on call nurse(who thinks she is a dr) said it was probably "just vaginal tissue". Just tissue? I also see my vaginal walls lying flat at the top where the uterus is no longer in the way. It still hurts alot. I do not plan on having more children. Can I ask, did your's hurt? Mine's mostly lower back pain. When did it stop hurting? The nurse said that some discomfort was to be expected. Discomfort? No, hun, it's called pain. My dr. said that he could only prescribe Motrin now. All of the info I find is directed toward older women, not women postpartum. I am only 26 years old and feel very very old. I would also like to have sex, which I'm sure is quite uncomfortable with a still open cervix hanging outside.

UKmummy

June 28, 2007 - 10:42pm

Hi Hatbox121,

I am sorry to hear of your difficulties, this can be pretty upsetting for all, especially so soon post partum!

Just a few words of encouragement though. I "found" my cervix at the entrance of my vagina a week post partum. I could see it while standing, quite alarming! However, I pushed it back as instructed by my midwife and did way too many kegels I am sure, and it went back and stayed. Some here don't think kegels were of value for them but I do think for me they helped with the general "laxness" of everything post partum. I also started the posture described here as well about three weeks later. It has never re- prolapsed and has got gradually higher and higher. It is now a full finger length inside and doesn't move at all when I bear down. I do however have a small cystocele and rectocele, but they give me no trouble as are only evident when I bear down as well.

I have read several stories of women with a prolapsed uterus post partum seeing really good reversal so don't give up hope OK. I think that if it is all stretched out you can expect a good degree of reversal.

Hope that helps a little for you! :)

rosewood

June 28, 2007 - 11:41pm

but I'm glad you found this website. Michele, thanks for your encouraging response. What a dear you are. I found my prolapse after the birth of my 3rd child 7 months post partum. I was scared out of my mind at the time. Now, over a year later, while I notice it at times, I live life pretty much as before, with a few added exercises. I do Christine's workout from the new edition of her book several times per week, practice the posture, and, use the Kegelmaster several times per week as well. Like Michele, I have incorporated kegels into my overall healing routine. I have also worked on other levels -- accupuncture and chinese herbs and the Alexander technique. My tried and true companions, however, are Christine's workout and posture, and the kegelmaster workouts. Stay with us on your healing journey.

Marie