Prevention of uterine prolapse

hello and welcome to the site
I, too, carry very low. I discovered belly-supports in my fourth pg. I used the mini-prenatal cradle ( www.prenatalcradle.com ) when walking long distances or for standing for long periods of time. I did find it helpful in terms of comfort, but not sure it makes much of a difference in terms of preventing a prolapse. havent really given that much thought.
I personally do not like to wear any type of support if I dont have to, especially postpartum, though I would encourage a postpartum mom to get as much help as she can and to learn the posture asap.
there has been discussion here about pp supports, try typing it into the search box

I also carry low. Do you think that predisposes us to prolapse?

I'm 53 and going through "the change." At my last physical (mid-July 2011), I was told a had a stage 2 cystocele (including some degree of rectocele). It wasn't until towards the end of June (just before a period) that I noticed a bit of an "egg," when washing my private area. Surprise! I knew my hormone levels were dropping, but I didn't think my innards were joining in. To my knowledge, my uterus is behaving (the doctor didn't comment about it at my exam). I don't struggle with incontinence, thankfully, but am noticing some periodic sciatica, and soreness in my pelvic region that reminds me of later pregnancy/soon-after-birth tenderness. Sometimes the sciatica hurts pretty bad, and at other times it's non-existent. When I asked a nurse about it, she mentioned my center of gravity, and to watch how I walk, sit, stretch, bend, etc. She noted that even if I lose weight (I'm mildly overweight), I could still have it...it has to do with my spine and the center of gravity, and it can change with weight gain/loss. After reading some things on this forum, I'm trying to be very diligent about my posture (something I thought I was pretty good about before, but now I'm keeping an extra eye on it). Maintaining good posture does help (it reminds me of how we learned to walk while balancing a book on our head), but also stretching does, too. Kegels can help, but sometimes it just feels like my bladder has a mind of its own, and I'm just contracting vaginal walls while my bladder just lays wherever it wants. That's frustrating. I DO NOT want surgery, especially after reading horror stories about mesh infections, or scar tissue. My curiosity is there about pessaries...I've actually read that in some cases, women with 3rd and 4th degree prolapse(!) have had THERAPEUTIC results from pessaries. That is, after it was removed (I think the average time for those results was about 4 years) - everything stayed in place! What have you heard/read? If that be the case - and grant you, it doesn't work for everybody, but the research was encouraging - why wouldn't they be more common? Has anybody here ever had one? How did it work for you? I want to continue being able to lift things (up to about 50 lbs. is what I feel comfortable with - prolapse or not), and not have to worry when I shovel snow, or do any various exercises. Also, sort of related to this, if there has been evidence of therapeutic results from pessaries, why isn't there something else NOT requiring surgery that can reverse (to some degree - or maybe entirely, if possible) prolapse? By the way, my youngest child is 5 1/2. I have four older children from my first marriage ages ranging from 22 to 29. All of them were large babies (the smallest being just under 9 lbs., and the largest being over 10 lbs.). They were delivered vaginally, and my first required forceps. Any insight/advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, ladies!

I dont know if carrying low would predispose a woman to prolapse. my gut feeling is no, but I havent given it much thought. I wonder why a woman carries low in the first place? I always assumed it had to do with the torso proportions (I have a relatively long torso so I have a lot of space between my lowest rib and waist and alot of space between my waist and hip. so the baby might be exactly where it would be in a woman who is shortwaisted and carrying 'high' but just looks lower because I'm longer. not sure if that's clear, less sure if it makes any sense.
and I doubt there's much you can do to control how you carry anyway, but it is an interesting thought. I wonder how many women here carry low?

welcome to the site
and I agree...you do not want surgery!!
you ask "why isn't there something else NOT requiring surgery that can reverse (to some degree - or maybe entirely, if possible) prolapse" and the answer is here. many of us have reversed our prolapses to varying degrees.
when you refer to 'good posture' are you talking about the wholewoman posture? because it is different than conventional 'good posture' and it makes all the difference. might help your sciatica as well. personally, I dont find kegels very helpful in terms of POP. contracting those muscles will not move your bladder.
cant tell you much about pessaries, having never used one.

HI, All!

I rarely have a chance to check in anymore. But this post prompted me to comment.

For those of u who don't know me. I'm recently 52, still have regular periods, no signs of menopause, am still medium overweight. Had uterine prolapse almost to "there" and googled then found this site right after. Found the women here amazing. I was in a profound panic. Paid CLOSE attention to what was said here. Women here advised me to empty out, drink less. I also, eliminated oil supplements (I took a lot), added shark cartilidge, glucosamine, lysine, put my hips up or laid on an ironing board 45 to 60 degree angle to ground long as I could, (tops I could last would be four hours when trying to sleep), eliminated all tight clothes including adding an extender to my bra, thought positive, pictured myself whole, prayed, did whatever Christine and the women here said, and in about 6 weeks made it from panicking crying, pained, stressed out woman to having total peace and healing. Seemed impossible, but truly if it happened for me it can happen for anyone.

Those of u considering surgery, go with this instead if u at all can! I too had surgery recommended as the only way out! But my gut (and God) told me there has to be another way. She was a lovely woman but it sounded like man talk to me that I needed an organ taken out!

Anyway, constipation seemed to be key. So anyone even remotely thinking of that as a problem, take it seriously and get yourself empty. What a difference!

II saw a TV show two days ago that showed the real insides of a cadaver with belly fat. And the doctor on the show said that FAT WEIGHS ORGANS DOWN TERRIBLY.

Note: Upon learning of the prolapse, I IMMEDIATELY lost 23 pounds by eliminating soda, sweets, desserts, I cut down on bread (a weakness for me, I have too much normally). learned here to drink less liquid. Between a bladder full of soda and a stomach and bowel full of pasta or bread - and lots of belly fat - where else was my uterus going to go when I slouched and wore a tight bra and panty hose or tight jeans?

Picture it happening, and pray. Oh, I read every post, I researched, I did the firebreathing, I did not do anything that gave me any kind of discomfort. (certain exercises I never could do, like sitting on my legs, but whatever. I did what I could. Under Fab's advice, my big break thru cam after I emptied out, showered, and THEN rode the bike for a few min and increased it each day from there. Did the same with walking. Swimming. Then running). This is only about 6 months later and I have my life back again.

I'd say I can even lift up to about 25 pounds now, briefly, without ill affect. I ever so slightly test things. So far, so good. Thank you all. Keep the faith!! I look forward to checking in one day and seeing everyone's praise reports!

Just to say thank you for keeping in touch, your posts are always so uplifting and I'm so pleased you're doing so well. You mentioned a while back that you thought swimming had helped you, so I followed your example and have been going to the pool regularly for the last few weeks. Definitely seems to help in the prolapse department and hopefully will do something to help the weight loss too!
Thanks again

Oh, yes, Tint!

I do indeed think swimming had a positive impact. And my first day swimming (as I think you commented on at the time!) definitely made it feel like something "clicked" back into place. I have a strong instinctual feel that when I swim it is the stretching upward with my arms, while I am with belly toward bottom of the pool that does something.

During swimming lessons as a kid I was always taught that on each stroke of crawl and sidestroke and breast stroke one should extend ones arms more than one would think one can. When swimming I was conscious of my front suspnderlike muscles being taut. And there was something about that rocking right and left motion along with the up and down that came from lifting my head to breath during the breast stroke, coupled with the kicking that made me think of Louise and her mentions of sort of jiggling parts into place (she was referring to being on hands and knees on ground though) - that had me feeling something was being nudged back into place.

Each time I swim I get the feeling organs are getting back into their naturally assigned positions! : )

I also took someone's advice about having LESS bulky fiber - when realiing wow - "more" and "less" are so relative - and maybe I was bulking up to the point of being too heavy in there with all that fiber and all that liquid. I try to think of it these days as keeping overall weight and volume low in there. : )

I also try to keep the stress level down as I'd read a couple of things about how much stress doesn't help prolapse. And Lord knows I was under stress when it happened. And that the stress has been aleviated. Narrowing down how much time in the day I would allow myself to furiously worry helped I think, too. My advice is keep on looking, looking for that one last thing that is going to be the last GOOD straw that tips it all back into place for you! Really good stuff really does happen!! Praying for u!
CSF

Mamacita

You ask for shared experience regarding pessaries - here is mine. I have mentioned, but not updated, this info on earlier forums. After waiting 6 months plus to see a specialist (in UK), hoping that a pessary might be an answer to my grade 3 rectocele, I was told the ring pessary used by the NAtional Health Service wouldn't work for me - and the alternatives would be pelvic floor exercises (very effective!?) or surgery. I was a bit disappointed but went home to order sea sponges from PInk Robin suppliers. What I have found is that sometimes the pessary stays lodged up high, and definitely relieves the draggy feelings of the prolapse, other days I just couldn't seem to get it in the right place. Sometimes I feel like I need to use it, other days, I hardly notice the prolapse although it is definitely there (mind over matter and a busy life?). Once I tried stuffing two sea sponges into the vagina, one high and one lower like a tampon, but that didn't work. Either way the sponge always falls out when I use the toilet for wee or bowel movement, so has to be reinserted or not bothered with.

I have dreamed up a sea sponge cut out shape like a T so that the top bar sits high in the vagina and the downstroke part gently pushes back the bulge. When I see a suitable sponge I'll give it a try...

I think the reason why the sponge works sometimes and not others is because all my insides are very movable, and it probably depends on how full the rectum is, how long I have been on my feet and maybe other factors.

It is a learning experience.... good luck

PS I think the sciatica is more likely to be associated with incorrect posture, lifting or maybe too soft a mattress, than with the prolapse. I have had sciatica on occasion, always sorted by being careful with the above.

Hi, I am hardly an expert but everything you wrote rang true for me including the thought that a t-shape sounds right. Almost like if he Top of the T were sort of sprning loaded (is that an awful way to say it? lol) so that it could go in like a folded umbrella, then open up. Kind of to take up space and support things like it's a roof and a wall all in one.