Back Pain

Hi Mommaof2, I really feel for you as you, it is so much to take in and can be very hard. I am not sure re your back pain, but have heard it can be a symptom of rectocele, which sounds like what your Dr is referring to - someone else may be able to give you more info here. I had a little bit of back pain (I have a rectocele), which I only noticed after a few months when I was catching the train again and sitting on hard seats in lectures - but it was about 3 months pp too. Also sitting at computer on office chair made my lower back sore - I have put cushions on the chair and it is ok now. Also sleeping with pillow between my legs seems to keep things aligned nicely and take any pressure off my pelvis.

I have only just started the odd walk again at 5 months pp - finally am able to have a walk weekly but have to be very careful not to overdo it. My women's health physio suggested swimming would be ok, which I am going to start next week. She also suggested cycling, but I had sore scarring so put that one off, almost ready to try it now. Once you sort out your back pain, maybe these sort of exercises would suit you?

Also, re your back pain - did your labour cause pain in your lower back area? I had a discussion with a midwife recently and pointed out how there is a bulge on my lower back area that is bigger since my labour - she said it would stay like that (not that I mind if it causes no problems). During my labour I was getting my husband to put counter-pressure on this area as it was so painful - but from what she was saying it probably was pushing my sacrum back down a little which meant the baby couldn't squeeze through.

I had no defining moment with POP as I was in so much pain straight after childbirth, in fact as soon as the baby was born and I went to move back on the bed I said 'oh my goodness, it is in my backside that hurts'!! There was so much swelling it was hard to tell what was what until more recently. From reading your initial post - you described a falling out feeling before you were active, so don't beat yourself up, it sounds like the problem was there already, you probably just aggravated it. When I first posted, others gave me advice to hang in there as it will improve - and the good news is, it has - a lot!! The back pain I had is gone, the pain, dragging and falling out feeling has gone too - it is now just a bulging feeling if I walk too far or stand too long. And I am hoping for more improvement too, once you start to have normalish days again, it gives you hope....so hang in there!!!

Hello Mommaof2. I know the back pain you are talking about. I am pretty sure it is due to the prolapse, but not sure exactly why. I know when I was 3 mos PP with my last child, that is when the back pain was horrible for me. I was in the same boat with having a hard time just standing doing the dishes. When I told my doc about this, she said that it was normal to have lower back pain with prolapse. Don't remember her exact phrasing, but something to do with how the ligaments are being pulled due to the sagging pelvic floor which in turn causes the pain. I don't personally know if it will get better, but I do know that all the girls on here say that 3 mos PP is the worst time & they generally feel better after. So hang in there! You are probably just at the peak.

As far as a defining moment, YES, I had that too. I was running one day at 3mos PP after my last DD. I just finished and sneezed really hard. That is when I felt a horrible pain and found the prolapse after. I do think I was already somewhat prolapsed thinking back, but I do think that day made the problem worse. I think of it as a pop sound (not POP for pelvic organ prolapse, but actually like I heard a pop) when it happened. I also found out I was pregnant again after the diagnosis & just gave birth to our 3rd DD. I am only 2 wks PP so I will know more about how the body adjusts later.

The only thing I know to help with your backpain is to give yourself plenty of healing time, rest when you need to, ask for help if needed, try the WW workout and start on the WW posture. All these things are the most advised plan on this forum it seems. And from all the personal stories shared it seems this is the best way to go. Keep us all updated. HUGS!!!

I was 18 months pp and had gone to my mw to be fitted for a diaphragm. could not get the darn thing out in her office. she suggested that I squat and bear down and pull it out that way. which I did (little did I know that that is the absolutely worst thing to do if your bladder is trying to prolapse!). well, when I went to use it I found this awful lump, had a look-see and nearly passed out.

about the back pain/rectocele connection, I wonder if the rectocele is actually causing the pain or if they are both symptoms of the same cause. could be as rosebud suggested, or maybe the overstretched ligaments are not supporting the pelvis well, and in turn leads to pain and pelvic organ instability.
remember that pg does a number on your body, and its cumulative. so while you may have bounced right back after baby number one, the second time around is a different experience altogether. stressing an unstable spine will lead to pain. pain lets us know something is wrong and we need to stop and change.
12 weeks pp is way to soon to predict how you will feel in a year's time. chances are, by your baby's first birthday you will be feeling a whole lot better.

the human body is incredible in its ability to heal. believe that.

Many women who give birth have coccyx problems during labor and delivery. A broken, cracked, or dislocated tailbone can present itself as lower back pain. There are so many muscles and nerves attached to the tailbone and spine, it can be easily pulled back out of alignment after a chiro visit. Like everything else that can happen during delivery, this pain will go away. However, it is very slow to heal. I would continue chiropractic visits. Have them research diagnosis techniques and treatment procedures based on what they may find.

Melly

Hi again Mommaof2

Yes I definitely had a defining incident. We have renovated our house but have not completed the front garden landscaping so our front verandah is particularly high off the ground. Well I had bought a big double stroller when I had bub no 2 as pictured myself walking everywhere with my 3 yr old and new bub. I did do a LOT of walking from very early PP. And when coming inside the house I used to bring the big double stroller backwards up to the verandah and I would stand on the edge and heave it up (!!!) Unbelievable now that I didn't even think about how bad that can be. Pram weighs 16 kg, daughter weighs 17kg, bub probably weighed about 6-7 kg at the time so great, there I was hauling 40kg (!!!) up onto a verandah like Wonder Woman. I recall a time I did that lift that something didn't feel right. The same week I tried a hydrotherapy session with a postnatal physio and she had me doing some exercises in the water and something felt like it had pulled downwards and I was immediately aching and in painful discomfort. This was a few days after I had done a long walk pushing 2 prams at once as my friend's baby was being carried, and postnatal yoga and pilates too. TOO MUCH. So the week of incidents combined - all a few days apart - was when it started. That said I'd had some incontinence issues directly after the birth and had also had a few constipation issues... so who knows what caused what really. But that 'bad' week in question was back in March when my baby was nearly 5 months old. Sigh. I do wish I could turn the clock back too.

On a positive note has anyone considered that for us 'younger' Post Partum ladies that maybe there might be a positive to discovering POP earlier in life, so that now we can implement all the necessary lifestyle changes to see us going through menopause and old age with minimal further issues? Do you know what I mean? Anyway take care Mommaof2. Talk soon.

Miss Monica

Hi Miss Monica

I think you younger women are very lucky to be finding your POPs now. I am pretty sure mine started with a fully managed labour, with stirrups, epidural, forceps and epi, with DS1, when I was 29, though I have always had stress and urge incontinence since childhood, and I think my bowel was quite distended by constipation as a child. I am sure my poos are narrower now than they were then, and I am now much, much bigger!

If Wholewoman had been around then, in the early 1980's I would have been able to do so many things differently, including challenging the advice of physios, or even not going to them because I think I would have been able to resolve a lot of my pain and stiffness issues myself. I certainly would have avoided jeans and other tight clothing, sit-ups, butt tucking, pulling my tummy in, etc. I would have done all my lifting differently. I would also have been forced to understand my anatomy better. I am a 'how does it work' person, so understanding my own anatomy is my key to making my body work better.

I only had a formal diagnosis of significant POP at age 51, so I was sort of asymptomatic for over 20 years. I had symptoms but I didn't know they were because of POP, and they persisted despite all the physio etc.

Louise

Hi all,

I haven't posted for a while, but still check the forum often. I am just looking for some advice. Generally I have been going along ok, up and down, feeling better then worse again, and then better! So it goes on..... Terrible to say I have almost gotten used to being such a sedentary couch potato, but just recently I have had more lower back pain which is really bothering me.

I am nearly 8 months pp, and I suppose the baby is getting heavier which could have triggered this. I am seeing a chiropractor, and after the first appointment I felt a lot better, in fact many symptoms I thought were prolapse related went away. It only lasted a few days and then was back again. I have been a few times and get some relief for a few days, and then it comes back. I have been feeling nauseous, which seems to be related to the continuous pain (not bad pain, just a radiating, sciatica like pain). The chiro mentioned that my lumbar spine is a bit 'too moveable', and looks inflammed. I have been icing it daily which helps a little.

Has anyone got any advice about back pain? Have others found chiropractic helpful? Or other therapies?

Hi Aussie mum,

The couch will do it every time. I can only guess, but sacroiliac joint dysfunction is the most common reason for lower back pain. When the SIJs are not properly supported - and they are 100% supported in WW posture - they can cause debilitating lower back pain.

No practitioner can do for you what only you can do for yourself. For starters, I would suggest lying flat on your back with arms stretched overhead and a small pillow or rolled towel underneath your lumbar spine. Just breathe into this stretch for several minutes several times a day.

Then, lie on your stomach with arms stretched overhead (forehead on the floor) and do a series of easy leg lifts, keeping your knees straight.

From here, try to stay in WW posture as much as possible. Sinking back into upholstered furniture is okay for the short term, but to spend a lot of time there forfeits lower back health and pelvic organ support.

Let us know how we can help you further. Again, I have no way of knowing what your specific pain might be, but can only offer a general picture of the problem.

Hugs from Christine

There is hope! I've been reading the comments here and wanted to reply , Im just not good with terminlology and words like Louise and Christine are :-) so here goes...I am in their age group, so my children are grown up and I am post meno.If I think back to about age 20 I had an incident at work carrying some heavy coin boxes and kind of fell through.Panic! I told an older workmate and she sent me home to rest, I was worried sick.It seemed to sort itself out and I carried on. Id done 10 years ballet just before this.I was also a coughing asthmatic but that was not diagnosed until I was early 30's.While breastfeeding my 2nd (born when I was 32) I got lower back pain to the point where my father insisted I go see a chiro(my mum died just before this).His Xrays showed my lower 7 veterbrae at right angle to the main trunk. Chiro work fixed that and I felt well.While home with the first two I was doing daily aerobics(weekdays) for 30mins, and walking with pram and toddler.Then at 36 had 3rd baby and prolapsed 4 days after birth, for which doc gave me a hormonal suppository. With help from my darling daughter then aged 4.5yrs (she was an angel with the baby) I managed to get some rest.
Time moved on and I started going to the gym doing areobics x3 weekly eventually 4-6x over 5 years. I front and back packed no.3 until he was 2 1/4 .....up and down hills etc. I remember that I could not run but could do areobics and walk if I timed it right (back n forth to loo!).
Moved overseas and did walking and stretch classes .Back home and started dancing again and, like areobics, built up to 4-6x weekly.I would say at 48 I started to feel the drop again and started doing kegel exercises on and off.Which I thought helped a bit. Went through meno mid 40's-mid 50's.Still dancing, and took up a 2nd dance option a year ago.
What Im trying to show is my history hasn't stopped me doing dancing , aerobics, yoga, walking. My POP peaked the last 2 years and then I found the W.W site when I was about to give up and wondering if an op would help. There is no-one around who understands or has it altho my good friendsand my DH put up with my grizzles about it lol. Im off the op idea now and following the natural health I like and through the chiro I am off all asthma meds too.I rarely go to the doc or get sick or even get colds eg . I do feel its a mind body soul thing as well. Just little steps along the way and be kind to yourself, get plenty of rest but also watch the posture. I find if I dance 2 nights in a row, I must rest the next day, so its a must to pace oneself. That is easier to say now Im at this age rather than like you young ones with babes and all that entails. But I do wish Id let the housework go more and the over exercising. I can still leap about the dance floor in such a fashion that my grownup daughter said recently....I was worried about you mum,all that energy and jumping!!!She has joined one of my dance classes lol. Yes I can do the odd bit of gentle jumping if the Pop is holding well, but not if Ive overdone it :-).PS I do like my waterbed for comfort , its feels kinder than a normal mattress..in my opinion.
Good luck to all you gals here young or getting younger hehe.

Luv n hugs
from the land down under

Christine & Kiwigirl, Thank you!

I found your advice for stretching helpful Christine, the stretching feels good for my back. I am conscious of my WW posture as much as possible, but often carry bub on my hip and think maybe this is taking me out of good posture.

I am curious about back pain and rectocele, as my physio said a uterine POP causes back pain as the uterus sits on the back? But she didn’t think a rectocele would affect the back, and put it down more to pregnancy/birth issues. On the other hand, the chiropractor thought that my lower spine was hypermobile and inflamed, (has been since the birth) and she noted that some of the areas of my spine which were problem areas had nerves that fed into the pelvic areas – bowel and bladder.

Now I have had a few treatments, I have found chiropractic to be fantastic! My bowels seem to have completely righted themselves and no more need for any sort of laxative, no more slippery elm or anything. My back has improved a lot, and a lot of radiating pain that I thought was from the prolapse seems to be related to my back (or is it all related – my question???) Anyway, it is amazing!!!! I am feeling like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. My pelvic floor is so much stronger now, and I noted in another post some find doing too many kegels make them weaker – I think I would too and am pleased my physio has taken it gentle with me and it really helps. Initially I did 2 sets of 10 per day. Now I do 2 sets twice a day of 15 reps, and 2 pulses. Today she rated me a 4 out of 5 for my right hand side strength and a bit more for the left.

Things go up and down, but each time I notice the downs are shorter and less intense, and the ups are longer and more positive. Thanks Kiwigirl for sharing your experience too – it is wonderful to read about all the dancing and exercise you have been able to do. How long did it take until you could exercise again after your pop? I have just tried walking again as found it aggravated me, and was so happy to find, that even though it was so slow, I can go for a short walk and not feel worse. As you have found, I think you work out your limits and learn not to overdo things, and bit by bit you can do more each time. How wonderful you have so much energy and know how to enjoy life :-)

Glad things are improving for you, it takes time. Sorry I haven't been on here for a week.Busy painting and that aggravated my POP, so been resting when I can before 4 nights dancing and saturday, coming up. Re: when did I start back exercising after my POP....trying to remember back 20 years,I was frontpacking no.3 from 6 weeks pp around home and when out.Wasn't doing any set exercise regime then, I was busy enough with a new baby, one at kindy , one at junior school, and 2 flights of stairs at home.In and out of the house like a yoyo.When he was 6months I started yoga once a week with a group of retired ladies , the teacher was 78!!! I was 37! By about 7months pp I was doing short walks with him in frontpack (about 20mins to MIL, stop for a cuppa, then back). Better say here that I live at the top of a short steep hill.The following month for 6 weeks (when I had no car and it was summer break) I walked with the baby in pram and the 5 and 7 yrolds 50mins to the local shopping centre, bought us lunch, and then we walked back home.We did that 2-3 times a week.Poor kids , when I look back , tired them out, but it filled in time without a car.School restarted and it was still summer, so the odd day I backpacked no.3 down our hill, across the flats and way up the hill to where school was. Fast walking took 50mins. You get the idea POP didn't seem to be a problem eh.When he was 16months old I started at the gym with the aerobics I mentioned.There were so many ups and downs in between, pain in ankles knees and lower back. So a few years ago I decided to see the only female at our chiro centre to see if she could help with my ankle problems, as Id had to have a 3month break from any exercise , I couldn't walk far, it felt like glass in my joints.Not arthritis either, as got that checked.She had been to a conference where Podiatrists said they were seeing more older women presenting with lower joint problems and something about ligaments coming from the foot , up the legs and across the pelvic floor area,all connecting.So if one joint was out eg another would be affected,and that untoned pelvic floors were part of the problem, so it was important to keep that area toned,and I did find that if Id been doing kegel exercises, then my ankles felt better.Ahh it seems so complicated to me to explain, hence so many words.I'll be a frustration to many who can use fewer words :-). I think you understand that its different for everyone, and you can take what you need from each story to help it work for you.I stopped doing kegels altogether but feel they help my ankles indirectly.So Im doing some again.But I also feel that keeping the posture is helping and ohh also footwear is a biggie for me.So Ive bought some good low boots in the winter sales.Listen to your body it has the answers as well as here and posture.Im happy to be this age and feeling postive I can manage Pop with a lotta help from my friends here.All the best and keep those dancers feet straight , its a helluva job aint it haha.
Ciao for now M.