Just starting out

Submitted by UKmum on July 12, 2014 - 2:25pm
Body: 

Hi there,
I have never written on a forum before but after finding the WW website I felt it was time. I am 15 weeks pp and loving life with my little girl. At 4 wks pp I felt my prolapse and was told by doc not to worry about it - ' a bit of surgery and you'll be fine'. I was devastated, at 29 having my womanhood falling out of me along with urge innocence, I felt I had a lot to worry about! Its been great to find this site and hear others stories and know Im not alone. My husband tries to understand but its hard for him to understand the mental side of it which I think is actually worse than the physical discomfort. I am determined to pull myself out of this funk I'm in - I have started to do the WW posture from the free video. At the moment I cant afford to invest in the DVD but will get them ASAP.

I have a few questions if anyone has the time to answer them:

Since starting to do the posture I have got lower back pain. I don't know if this is because I have the posture wrong or because its a new position to hold my body in. I have been doing the tuck bum under, squeeze stomach in for years. I found the WW posture comfortable at first but now the lower back ache is quite uncomfortable. I also find it hard letting my stomach go as I have been working hard to get it back as flat as possible and now look about 2 months pregnant again - but if it works then I will do anything! I have been really trying to pull my chest up and not stick my bum out too much, but also dont want to tuck it under either.

The other question I have is about period and prolapse - I am still waiting for an appointment with a gyno (2 month on wait list so far). Is it ok to use tampons with a prolapse. I can't work out if they would be ok, hold everything in place, or bad, adding weight to pull things down?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this xx

Forum:

Aging gracefully

July 12, 2014 - 2:55pm

Hi ukmum and congratulations on the new babe!
It can take up to two years for your body to return to its original pre pregnancy state, so you have a lot of healing on its way. Many of your issues could just resolve on their own, but it is beneficial for all women to adopt the whole women posture into their lives for a lifetime.
Posture takes time to become a natural feeling after years of holding ourselves the wrong way for so long, so you will feel some strain in the muscles from it. Just keep remembering the principles of posture: relax your belly but don't just force it or stick it out, lift chest up but not out shoulders down but not back, and lift neck up with slightly tucked chin. The best way to practice these principle I have found is by the whole woman walking. You can really work these principles as you go.
And if you can get some of the DVDs, they will only help in strengthening posture, and so much more.
Rest when you need to. Get down on knees and forearms and just breath deeply into your lower belly.
Tampons aren't going to affect your prolapse, but prolapse can affect tampons from staying in. I know when my prolapse was getting worse, the tampons were just being forced out of me.

Relax and enjoy that new baby. Take this slowly and mindfully, your body will love you for it in the long run!

Surviving60

July 13, 2014 - 6:24am

Hi UKmum, welcome and congrats to you. AG is so right, your body has a long way to go with healing, and this is a great time to learn correct posture. Or shall we say, unlearn incorrect posture! Look around you at children, this is how they carry themselves and how we were meant to be, throughout our lives.

i don't recall being sore while learning posture, but I was not postpartum and I didn't throw myself into it as quickly as some (it took me a setback or two to realize it was time to get serious about this work). But what you describe is common as with anytime you start to work underused muscles and joints.

I have never consulted a gyno about my prolapse and you do need to be aware that most of them will not tell you anything like what you can learn here. It's just a fact.....doctors can do wonderful things, but their track record with female pelvic health is abysmal. So please cram yourself with WW wisdom before you take off for the gyno, and if you get there, vow to smile politely at the bad advice you will probably get! Gynos are surgeons so what can you expect...... - Surviving

Aussie Soul Sister

July 13, 2014 - 7:49am

Dear UKmum,
Christine's husband Lanny has a letter to husbands called A Husband's Guide to Prolapse.
Here is the link -

http://wholewoman.com/library/?p=244

Congratulations on your little girl,
Best wishes,
Aussie Soul Sister

UKmum

July 15, 2014 - 3:42am

Hi there - Thank you so much for your replies. Its been so lovely reading them. The letter for husbands has been great - I asked mine to read it and I think he understands things better. I think the bit about cutting of a mans pride and joy hit home :)
I am sticking at the posture and now trying to work on breathing into my lower belly. Years of doing this wrong means I really struggle with this as I am used to short breaths. I breath in for a bit and then kind of get stuck, like no more air can go in. I will keep working at it. Thanks once again - its feels amazing to get support from strangers who understand.

UKmum

July 15, 2014 - 3:55am

Hi again - sorry I don't know where the best place is to post this but wondered if anyone can help me. I would like to get involved more with WW and get the DVD/book etc. We are relocating to New Zealand and I wondered how I go about getting things shipped and what an approximate cost for postage will be. Has anyone had things sent from the website to NZ or australia?
Thanks once again for your time reading this - I truly appreciate it.

peacelilly

July 15, 2014 - 5:32am

If you go to the top where it says store you can order online there... I got my daughter to get mine.. the postage for the 3 yoga dvds , book and baton was only around $30 I think... I am new too so I don't know much more than that.. it would probably good for you to get the first aid for prolapse and book... as I will get that one soon as it has a lot of info on posture and supporting exercises I believe... (I live in Australia).. wishing you well.. no doubt someone else will have extra info for you... there is also a 'contact us' at the top too..

Surviving60

July 15, 2014 - 5:50am

We have many in that part of the world, so this would be a good time to contact Customer Service (see the Contact Us tab) and find out what you can about shipping and costs.

There are 2 practitioners in Australia and they might stock items. But I would check with Customer Service first about this.

Another option if you will have a good internet connection, is to get the "Destination Prolapse-Free" package which is all on-line. it is the newest product and has some of the latest and greatest moves and information. Great for a quick-start too - instant access from anywhere.

Customer Service will have the best suggestions all around. - Surviving

kiwigirl

July 15, 2014 - 8:50pm

Hi Ukmum, Ive been absent form this forum for quite some time, but getting back to basics and saw your post. I live in Wellington, NZ, Ive tried to look up the info on my WW purchases, but it's been awhile . I first purchased Saving The Whole Woman in 2010, postaged was quite dear at that time taking into account the currency conversion as well. I now have the 3 chakra wheels in DVD and Saving the Hips. About the best I can say is my purchase this time last year was lower in total. US$50 cost me $66.13
Another purchase a year before that came to NZ$48.07 I think it was 1 DVD plus postage . Hope that helps in some way.
By the way..where are you relocating to ?