Postpartum Cystocele Success

Submitted by bad_mirror on March 15, 2011 - 5:50pm

Body:

My very successful journey with Whole Woman began a little over two years ago after the birth of my first child. I had been a professional ballerina in fantastic shape, had the most gentle of home water-births, and still discovered a bulge in my vagina at 5 weeks postpartum. I was devastated, thinking I had done everything “right” to avoid such a thing. The night I discovered my prolapse was the night I discovered Whole Woman, and the self-exam quickly helped me determine that I was dealing with a cystocele. But that’s as far as I got on the site. Instead of diving in to the program developed by Christine Kent, and the great advice from those who have “been there, done that,” I spent the next few months balled up on the couch in fear, thinking I would never have sex again, never dance again, never be able to chase after my son, never be able to travel again. I had just been accepted to nursing school, and remember thinking how in the world would I be able to become a Registered Nurse, on my feet 12 hours a day? My cystocele was there constantly: standing, sitting, lying down. It was awful.
I saw a physician who merely told me she could see “a bit of my bladder” and “do Kegels.” That cost me $300 after insurance. I saw a young, highly educated pelvic floor therapist who sold me some useless vaginal weights and a gym ball, and told me “do Kegels.” She watched me choke back tears the entire session, and then finally admitted that she too had a cystocele that was “pretty bad” around her period. (So what good would her therapy do me??!!) That cost me $400 after insurance. I drove two hours each way with my newborn for two sessions of Mayan Abdominal Massage that was absolutely delightful, but did nothing for my cystocele. That cost me $300. I was utterly depressed by the total lack of knowledge and hope from every avenue. And then I went back to Whole Woman . . . .
I began by reading every article and every post on the website. I kid you not, I read every post. Then I purchased Saving the Whole Woman and the First Aid for Prolapse (FAFP) DVD. That cost me maybe $80. It was the least expensive of all my attempted interventions. I cannot begin to express how refreshing the message of hope was that I found in these resources! My body was designed to heal from prolapse! I could life a full life doing the things I love!
So I got to work. This was at three months postpartum. I spent the first few days just sitting in strong Whole Woman posture, and could really feel a difference. It was very, very, very slight, but it was there! I began to train in the posture, the exercises, and taught myself Nauli. And I got walking. I put the baby in a stroller and walked every day for miles. Up the steepest of hills. In the snow. With groceries. When I needed it, I used a tampon or sponge for support. By five months postpartum, I began to have days where the cystocele would disappear for a few minutes a day. One year later, it was noticable smaller, and gone for longer periods of time. Six or so months after that, I believe I achieved total reversal. I don’t see it. I don’t feel it. I have no symptoms whatsoever. I will probably always be prone to a “relapse” and I can feel a slight softening to my anterior vaginal wall if I go looking, but that’s it.
Fast forward to today. I am almost half-way through a second pregnancy that has been very enjoyable and prolapse-free. I graduate as a Registered Nurse in a few weeks, top of my class and able to have completed all of the physical demands with ease. I walk everywhere, jump, dance, chase after my toddler, have great sex, and live without fear of any worsening of the condition of my vagina. I have no need for a pessary. I am complemented daily by absolute strangers on what gorgeous posture I have. I feel womanly. I feel happy. I feel whole.
Here are a few things I’ve learned (maybe more personal beliefs, but still . . .) about pelvic organ prolapse (POP):
1) The worst thing to do for prolapse is to become less active. I saw much greater results when I got more physical. One of my “best” days was after 12 hours on my feet (in posture!!) as a nursing student in the operating room!
2) The body does fight for a state of equilibrium in all aspects of health, and there is potential to heal within your own body if you are willing to help it with posture, clothing, diet, etc.
3) Healing takes a very long time. It is a bit like body-building, not an overnight process, with definite set-backs along the way, but with end results that are quite tangible and almost permanently incorporated into your body. Whenever I got frustrated with my progress, I compared it to my dance career -- it took half a lifetime of daily work to become the kind of ballerina that put me on magazine covers. How could I expect to reverse my prolapse in 2 weeks or less?
4) Postitive thinking is a vital ingredient in the reversal of prolapse.
5) Whole Woman works!

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Christine

March 15, 2011 - 8:33pm

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Postpartum Cystocele Success