uterus settles

Body: 

I am at the point where after lifting the uterus is going out the vagina & the rectum At times I have to stand to go potty. The uterus has blocked but luckily it goes back but fragile state...Any advice as to keep the uterus from pushing way out . Thanks

Hi Alexis

Just to clarify, as you have posted in Menopause and Prolapse I am assuming that you haven't had any repair surgery.

I also understand that after you have lifted something heavy (5+kg ~ 12lb???) your uterus comes down into your vagina, and your rectum balloons forward into your vagina as well. Is that right?

I have had the same problem in the past but I find that there are a few techniques I can use to lift, which prevent and remove these two symptoms. I will give you the example of lifting a 10kg box of 12 x 750gm cans of dog food from the floor to a kitchen bench.

The first thing to do is to

1 stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, with feet turned out.
2 Then bend your knees as much as you can, into a deep plie with feet flat.
3 bend from the hip joints (not from the waist) and keep your butt sticking out the back until your butt is higher than your shoulders.
4 Grasp the box at both ends, making sure that your feet are astride the box.
5 Now let your tummy go big, and fix your abdominal muscles so your waist does not bend.
6 Now almost straighten your legs using your thigh muscles, holding the box as close as you can to your body, lifting the box off the floor. If your butt is high enough you will not feel your uterus bulging because it has to bulge upwards.
7 Then straighten your hip joints, keeping your pelvis and spine stable, until you are upright.
8 Now lift your chest, keeping your shoulders low and your elbows back and in as far as practical, and use your arm muscles to lift the box straight up and stepping forwards before putting it straight down. Keep your butt sticking out until you have released the load.

If you do feel the bulge at 6, then split the box into two loads. Splitting large loads into smaller loads is quite a valid way of handling loads. No prizes here for being Superwoman!

This lifting method uses several techniques including keeping your lumbar curve in place at all times to keep your uterus supported on your pubic bones and lower abdominal wall, instead of rolling backwards over the abyss, hinging at the hips to enable this, and to keep your pelvis tilted forwards; keeping your load close which keeps your centre of gravity passing through your feet to keep intraabdominal pressure low, bending your knees and lifting with your strong thigh muscles, and tipping your uterus forwards and deep into your vagina before you lift. This also makes gravity work for you and keep your uterus away from your vaginal entrance during lifting.

If you want to test how well this works, bring your elbows forwards at point 8 so the load is held further in front of you. You will probably feel the bulges developing as you do this. Pull your elbows back again and the bulges will disappear.

Being aware of the presence or absence of bulges, which will tell you whether or not you can do a manoeuvre safely. If you cannot do it safely, then think your way around different ways of accomplishing the same outcome, ie split the load, get somebody else to do it, use a trolley or hoist, or even lift it in stages, eg floor to low stool, low stool to high stool, high stool to bench, or don't put it on the floor in the first place!

Hope these suggestions work. Come back with questions.

Louise