new here and need advice 1/23/09 914 am

Wow. Your post looks like one I wrote one year ago. First, take a really deep breath. Six weeks pp is so, so, so, so freaking early.

1. YES!!! This does improve with time. Absolutely. I am a hundred and fifty miles away at 15 months pp than I was at 5 weeks pp when I found a cystocele. And the improvements are still happening. I don't have any symptoms, and I don't see a bulge 99% of the time. It takes some change, and some work, but you will learn that here.

2. I think you will run again; several women here do. For now, I would suggest lots of walking, especially uphill, in whole woman posture. It's really not about the what, but the how when it comes to activity. If you are in ww posture, most things are just fine. As for the yoga and pilates, some may have to be modified as you want to avoid adverse intraabominal pressure (you can understand more about that by reading Saving The Whole Woman, or viewing the DVD. I really recommend the DVD. You will learn a lot and it has an exercise program appropriate for healing prolapse).

3. PP sex is a bit weird at first anyway, prolapse or no. Some wine, lube, and easing in will help you lose anxiety over it. For me, sex helped push things back, and now is as good as ever. And trust me, men cannot tell a difference.

4. Read old posts by alemama, granolamom, fullofgrace, pheoebe9, and fruitfulwomb. All have had a post-prolapse baby (or 2!) and report being none the worse for it.

Other advice: read the FAQs on the homepage to get started on the posture. Get the DVD if you can. Don't get constipated. Don't wear clothes that compress your abdomen. And read as many old posts in the pregnancy forum as possible. Especially the ones with "update" in the title! By the way, forget the "all-better-by-six-weeks-postpartum myth!" Most cultures say it takes a year, some say two, for the body to fully revert following childbirth. You will heal. You will.

HI mom2efi,
First congrats on your gorgeous new baby!!! What a fabulous age...But oh, PP prolapse is so hard, i know. and falling apart is completely normal--but don't worry, that will shift. it's about mourning for your body... but so much will change, emotionally and physically.

I second everything badmirror has said. I had severe POP, same as you. oh it felt horrible! Luckily, the midwives and doctors all said just wait, it will get so much better! and double luckily i found this site!

Things got sooooo much better, it is amazing. now, they aren't going to disapear on my body. But, except for a few annoying things, can't say i notice them. So hang in there. Work on teh posture, avoid constipation like the plague, wear loose clothing on your belly, look at what you eat. Do you have the book / dvd? very useful for understanding your body, understanding WW, and the excercises are great (i prefer the DVD for exercises as then i can follow along, but the book is so useful to understand this stuff in depth).

Re sex, your partner probably won't even notice. Unless you are standing up, POP seem to just fall back into place. You may find some positions aren't as comfy as they were, but that is about trying it out and know that even that changes over time.

And yes, lots of Post POP babies. You might want to wait till you really get your body stronger and feel secure in the posture, feel your body healing. For me that took about 2 years--then the healing tailed off, but hasn't stopped at all.

follow bad mirrors advice, and ask any questions as you go!!!

Kiki

welcome and congrats on the new baby!
you've gotten great advice from the previous posters, but I thought I'd just let you know from someone who's btdt that having more babies is totally possible.
my prolapse was probably worse than yours when I found it and I had it for longer (possibly up to 5 years) and I've gone on to have two more babies. I am no worse off for it.

I think sometimes this improves with time alone. but I think that I wouldn't leave it up to chance, especially if you are planning to have more babies. I would strongly advise learning the posture and helping your body not only get back to normal, but staying that way. the posture is all about positioning your pelvic organs safely over bone and keeping them there.

stick around and ask any ???'s that come up

I know what you mean about feeling like you are falling apart. Get Christine's book, and DVD, and it will help you so much. It helps so much to read what others have experienced. Just to know that you are not alone is a big relief. The site is so helpful and will answer many of your questions. I haven't seen much improvement in my POP yet, but it's only been a little over a month. What I have seen is a big difference in my attitude, thanks to the book, and the ladies on this forum. You are not alone. Good luck, and good healing. Tobia48

Mom2efi--I SO hear you. I'm too young for this. At least I feel like I am (I'm 32). I saw my midwife a couple of days ago and she said she'd never in her 30 years' experience either as a L&D nurse or a midwife seen prolapse as bad as mine after only 4 children. *sigh*

I've been very concerned about having more children too. I'd like to, but with the way my back is killing me right now, I can't imagine adding 30+ lbs to it.

Where did they come up with 6 weeks? I'd like to know that. After each baby it has taken about 3 months for my vagina to stop hurting during sex. But then, I have a good bit of scar tissue up there, so that may be what's taking so long to get back to normal.

Rubyann It takes a while for normal to return after childbirth( if ever we can say that)My prolapse happened after the birth of my first son,after endless problems the Dr advised a total removal of my womens organs,after a lot of decison making i said no,eventually my body came good took about 2 years.
Only in my early 20s this was a good decision,i now have three grown children and have reached this age the prolapse still bothers me but am still in one piece. Have started to try and strengthen my muscles again now I am older as sometimes it can be a bit of a problem.

Welcome Rubyann

Good on you for following your intuition. Like me, it has paid off!

Louise