work in progress

Submitted by zandria72 on September 24, 2005 - 2:10pm
Body: 

I have not been able to completely watch the video or read the book yet. I've been trying to glean as much as possible from the little time I have, but this demanding little 8 month old boy makes it difficult! I envy those of you who have peace and quiet to absorb this information and practice exercises.

The one thing that I've been working on the most is my posture. I spend a lot of time sitting, both in a chair and on the floor. So when I'm on the floor, I try to sit cross-legged with my back straight, as opposed to slumping or leaning on something, as I usually do. I also sit up straighter on the chair, with an arch in my lower spine, as per the straddling posture. I'd like to think that these things would have some impact. The standing posture is a bit more difficult to implement. I'm not sure where the line is between healthy curvature and swayback. Either way, it feels weird. Plus if I look as though I'm 5-6 months pregnant, thanks to belly fat and a lovely rigid shelf created by my c-section scar. Someone in the grocery store recently asked me if I were expecting another baby. Ugh.

I'm unsure about what cardiovascular exercise I should be doing. As I mentioned before, I can't walk much. I used to use a recumbant bike. Now it feels awkward to me, like it's bad for my POP. I've been spending more time (15-20 min, 2-3 times per week) using an elliptical machine. The motion seems similar to walking, but the impact is less. The problem is that any exercise I do seems to cause random abdominal/pelvic pain. Sometimes this also happens when I'm not exercising at all. I have no idea what to do about this. I feel as though my POP must be getting worse. It looks pretty nasty, but that could be just due to the fact that I know what I'm looking at now, and I don't relish knowing that my urethra is a few inches off from where it is supposed to be!!

So...from what I've gathered thus far, there is a whole routine of exercises. It's going to be very difficult for me to do those things with a baby. If I'm home, I'm usually taking care of him. There is very little down time. But I'm working on it. I've been increasing my kegels, which of course can be done anywhere. Hopefully the posture issue is the biggest influence in my case and will have some effect. Any other advice?

Thanks,
Suzanne

fullofgrace

September 24, 2005 - 7:01pm

I did not notice any prolapse after my c-section (my first baby) but I can tell you I had all kinds of weird, electrical sensations all through my pelvic area for about 18 months after the surgery. I think it was all the nerves trying to reconnect.

The main thing you need to concentrate on is the posture. I hardly exercise at all with a 10 month old, 3 year old, five year old, teaching HS English full-time, working on my masters, and taking care of my home pretty much zaps all my time and energy. There is one exercise on the video that I love and that is the one where you're on all fours and kick the heal of one leg up to the ceiling-- it always puts everything back into place. As far as cardio goes-- listen to your body and walking in the posture is the best thing you can do. Another tip is sitting on an exercise ball because it puts you in the posture and my baby loves to sit on my lap while I bounce and rock on it.

Listen to your body about the bike--if you feel like it's increasing the pressure down toward your bottom, don't use it. You may find after you're over a year post partum that you may be able to use it again. This is a delicate time. Take it easy and give yourself a break. You also aren't the only mother with a "baby belly" that people have asked due dates of-- you'd think people would be wiser... but oh well. So give yourself a break about that too.

I was obsessed at looking at my prolapse (I discovered it after my second child was born at home assisted by midwives--it was awesome--especially compared to my c/s birth). I kept hoping every time I looked that I'd look "normal" again. Nothing has changed a whole lot--about 50% of it receeded back up, but I still look different. I look like a mother there now. Because I am. :) My advice is that if you're obsessed with looking to give yourself a break from looking. I felt so much better when I didn't have the image.

I remember I kept wanted to "push" and just push it the rest of the way out so I quit having that falling feeling. Now I rarely have that feeling and when I do I know that my organs are not going to go any further south than they are now. So if I notice that I can feel them, I just go about my business because it's not painful or anything so now I do not even let that sensation annoy me.

BTW, I had my third baby 10 months ago in the most incredibly gentle, easy, quick birth, and I honestly think that my prolapse is better thanks to practicing the posture.

Things will get better with time. You can do this! :)

Christine

September 25, 2005 - 7:11am

Hi Suzanne,

First of all, relax around the time issue. This is a rest-of-your-life project, so take a deep breath and know there is all the time you need.

I don

MeMyselfAndI

September 25, 2005 - 10:15am

Sorry to butt in - Christine - I get no pain at all with my prolapse - Is there usually pain?

All i get is a funny feeling down below - Like 'it' is 'peeking' out - at period time of month - The rest of the month I feel fine - Took me a couple of months to work out why one second i thought I had a Prolapse the next I didnt - Spose the uterus is heavier near period time...

But other than it peeking feeling - It doesn't bother me

Is there normally pain then

Thanks

fullofgrace

September 25, 2005 - 12:59pm

Now, I'm butting in :) I don't know the stats, but I have no pain either. I think most of the stories I've read on here is that it's more of an annoyance. Though I do beleive some suffer back pain when prolapse is very severe. I suspicious that the original poster of this thread is most likely experiencing the pain associated with recovery from surgery.

zandria72

September 25, 2005 - 4:14pm

I don't know. I wasn't having this pain until just recently - shortly before I discovered the cystocele. I had the c-section in January, and after a few weeks postpartum, it didn't cause me any pain.

zandria72

September 25, 2005 - 6:14pm

I did have pain DURING the pregnancy from certain exercises (including recumbant cycling). But I am not sure if there is any relationship there.

(I tried to add this to the previous message and there was a server problem...)

zandria72

September 25, 2005 - 7:05pm

>First of all, relax around the time issue. This is a
>rest-of-your-life project, so take a deep breath and know
>there is all the time you need.

I guess I feel a certain urgency about this for two reasons: one, I would like to prevent any further prolapse. A lot of what I've read seems to be about prevention. It's too late to prevent the cystocele, but I'm hoping that nothing else will prolapse. The second reason is that I would like to have another child in a couple of years, and I feel like I need to do whatever I can to prepare for that. I'm nearly 33, and if we're going to have more children, we need to do it soon. That said, the pregnancy and birth were hard on me in many ways, and I'm not certain how many more times I could go through it.

>The random discomfort there (most notably
>around menses) has disappeared for me several months into
>menopause

zandria72

September 25, 2005 - 7:00pm

>I was obsessed at looking at my prolapse (I discovered it
>after my second child was born at home assisted by
>midwives--it was awesome--especially compared to my c/s
>birth). I kept hoping every time I looked that I'd look
>"normal" again. Nothing has changed a whole lot--about 50%
>of it receeded back up, but I still look different.

I don't think I've been obsessed with it...but maybe I did hope that it would look better somehow after a week. Or maybe I was afraid it would look worse. It would probably be good for me to avoid looking at it.

>BTW, I had my third baby 10 months ago in the most
>incredibly gentle, easy, quick birth, and I honestly think
>that my prolapse is better thanks to practicing the posture.

What type of prolapse did you have, and how was it effected during/after the pregnancy? This really concerns me, because I am interested in having more children. It seems like a cystocele would just get worse during pregnancy. It is a little comforting to read that it went so well for you. :)

Suzanne

fullofgrace

September 25, 2005 - 7:12pm

I have universal prolapse. The rectocele is the worst. Cycstocele is second worst. And because of them presenting my cervix is lower than before I was a mom, but it is stabilized by the other two. The uterus and teh bladder have the potential of becoming "fused" together after a c/s due to scar tissue. I really believe that mine are. During mid and late preganncy the cervic and cystocele really lifted and it was as if I did not have prolapse. I did have some difficulty totally emptying the bladder at times during late pregnancy, but I thik that is a symptom of pregnancy and was not necessarily related to the cycstocele because I had the same issue with all my pregnancies.

I had such a good experience after my last pregnancy and birth that I am considering having a fourth. We'll see...

I do want to continue to encourage you that you do have time and really your body hasn't even had enough time to recover from pregnancy, let alone a surgery, etc. Your body just did a monumental feat. Every part of your body gave to build that little life: your cells, your nutrients, your body, etc. Now it's time to nuture and care for your body to replace all the stresses and possible depletions your body experienced as it created that precious life.

I send my continued blessings to you as you move toward recovery.

Christine

September 26, 2005 - 7:01am

Prolapse is not painful per se. All of the downward pressure can drag on the lower spine though and create aches and pain in the tailbone, buttocks, pubic bone and thighs.

MeMyselfAndI

September 26, 2005 - 7:54am

What does a grade 3 prolapse look like? All i know is the scary pics I have seen - Mine i can't see - i spose if i had a mirror at period time i would see it 'peeking' but what is a grade3? - In my head i picture baddddddd things

Thanks