Help

Submitted by Kp1 on June 1, 2015 - 9:58pm
Body: 

Hi,

I am desperate for information. I am five weeks postpartum and struggling intensely with anxiety over prolapse. Had my first baby, 7lb 25oz, fairly straight forward delivery, small tear no stitches no prolonged stage or intervention. However since then I haven't felt quite right. The back wall of my vagina seems to move forward and slightly down when I strain for a BM. Is this normal? I am also having trouble going to the toilet for a BM. I am scared to strain, but my back passage always seems full. Now these symptoms started to appear after my anxiety intensified, so not sure if it is linked, but the fact my back passage always feels blocked I'm not sure is down to the potential prolapse or post partum hemarrhoids. I have been checked by both a consultant obstetrician gynaecologist and a registrar gynae who both said I have no prolapse just back wall laxity due to childbirth and have referred me to physiotherapy. I was examined lying down however with finger inserted asking me to cough. Would this detect prolapse? Will this go away with time? I am extremely antagonised by this it's haunting me daily and I'm struggling to look after my newborn and it is destroying these early weeks with him. I also sometimes have the feeling there is air down below, however it can be sort f moved by moving my underwear or sitting in a certain way and sometimes I put it down to the extra discharge there and the fact I am probably more open. But again another sign of prolapse. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you x

Forum:

Miss Diagnosed

June 2, 2015 - 5:42am

Welcome to the forum.
If you are looking for information then you have come to the right place. I don't think there is anything that you could ask here that wouldn't be met with a host of helpful replies. I'd say stop googling and stop reading around other forums about prolapse - you will only depress yourself. It is on here that I have gained so much strength from the post partum testimonials. Read them.
I'd say you sound like you have a classic rectocele. I do. It's not fun especially when you feel that your enjoyment of your newborn is being tainted with worry.
My 'diagnosis ' was also just lax walls but I don't trust doctors to know my body better than I do and have seen improvements working with the posture and adapting my diet and clothing. Probably the biggest change you need to make right now is to your diet. Keeping everything moving is key.
look at the video on posture. Read around here as much as possible.
I'm still coming to terms with my situation but have learned that I'll have good and bad days and I try not to get too down about the bad ones. A lot of my symptoms (horrible pressure in my bum, rectal fullness, tailbone pain and sloshy dropping organs) have subsided or gone now but I still get achey and feel pressure when lifting or if I'm tired. Most days I feel not quite right in there but I do have good spells and normal feeling days so.....Basically I'm a work in progress but im keeping hopeful that things will continue to improve over the next eighteen months.
Slow and steady. Best of luck to you and please educate yourself here but please for now stop reading anxiety feuling horror stories on the rest of the web and spend more time looking at your lovely baby instead!

ActiveandLapsed

June 2, 2015 - 6:09am

Hi

Well you are in the right place. You will get a lot of messages from pp Mums in the next 24 hours I am sure as there are many on here including me.

There is a wealth of information on this site and forum and also wonderful materials from Christine that will help. It's a journey though and a new way to know your body. If you can order any material then take a look at the store. It's vital to understand WW posture to reap the rewards and that will meant reading and watching as much as you need. You can check out Christine's You Tube channel to:
https://www.youtube.com/user/WholeWomanInc?app=desktop

In the meantime:
Air in the vagina - I get this although much less with WW work. This is because the bladder has moved so is not always a closed air-less space when we move around. WW posture will help with this. I understand it is not a pleasant experience.

BM - you need to stop straining immediately. Use breathing instead and do not go until you feel like you really need to. This might be trial and error.

Constipation - I have struggled a lot with this and it was definitely part of the reason I got my prolapses. I have just had a my first week without problems without this in 5 years. I have been doing a lot of fermenting and had no treats in my diet. I know with a new baby this can all be too hard but see what changes to your diet you can make. You might not have to do that much. There is a lot of info on here about constipation (if you need to strain then to make it simple assume you have some constipation or your stools are not soft enough). Christine is also writing a new book with lots info about the role of bacteria and how we need that to poo among other things.

Toilet Position - very important. This will make a huge difference to you. You can search Louseds and the LoPo position on this forum and a thread will come up about this. You need to sit on the edge of the toilet seat and have a long back and stretch up through your crown (or back of your neck if you prefer that terminology) and relax your belly and your body (as much as you can). There is more to this but for the moment if you can get your self forward on the toilet for pee and poo then you are not having your pelvic organs pulled back into the toilet if you like to think of it that way.

Below is a picture that you can use to do stuff on the floor with your son. Maybe try to adapt this for nappy changes for now. Christine has a relaxed belly. The organs can drop forward into your lower belly where they belong.

https://wholewoman.com/blogpix/CAKonfloor.jpg

There is a lot I want to say but like motherhood you will pick up stuff as you go along and learn what you can take in at the time. I will say DO look into this work before vising a PT and DO NOT do kegals. They pull your organs back towards your vaginal opening as does sucking in your abs.

Today/tonight can you spend some time watching your baby and see his abdomen moving when he breathes and how he has a lovely rounded belly. This is what you want. Also think of how little kids sit up with their lovely straight spine - that is what you want too.

I'm trying to think of something great to say to end this but am not much of a writer. My WW journey as been very up and down but I am SO SO SO grateful I found this site and have gained so much. I am not the same women but I am much more the women I was born to be and that brings great rewards and inner peace. It may sound crazy how changing your posture and breathing can do this but it does.

Hugs
A&L
37 years
2.5 years PP

Kp1

June 2, 2015 - 6:17am

Thank you so much for your reply. That is exactly what I thought I had. Where can I find the video on posture? Can I ask how old you are? I'm only 25 so I'm really worried this is gonna get worse with time impact my whole life. I never knew this could happen after having one baby. How do you cope with it all? Do you manage to stil have a sex life? I feel like I will never ever be able to have sex again at this rate as I feel so unfemine and basically like my body has let me down. Feeling a bit helpless at the moment. Xxx

Surviving60

June 2, 2015 - 7:11am

Hi Kp and welcome. You can start with this:
https://wholewoman.com/newpages/video/ww101.html

Miss Diagnosed

June 2, 2015 - 9:03am

I'm 35. Sex is still good but it might be that your head needs to get over all of this first! I have easier orgasms now than before baby number two.
I think young pp mums have a much better chance at recovery too. There's plenty of healing time ahead at only 5 weeks.
And the helpless thing is normal. You'll feel so much better given time but as A and L says there are ups and downs.
Xxx

wholewomanUK

June 2, 2015 - 10:36am

Hi Kp1,
Welcome to the WW community! - I'm so please you found this site. You've come to the right place. I agree with all of the above! You'll find a wealth of experience, knowledge, advice and support from the forum, the website and the various resources that are now available.

I strongly recommend you engage with this approach asap. Start with the WW posture - look up the library and the blog @ WW Inc for more info and you tube links. The pelvic organs have basically fallen back and down and the WW exercises and posture encourage the organs up and forward into healthier positions. Knowing the theory is very helpful for some people, but the physical aspects are key for improvement of symptoms and optimal recovery or management of pelvic organ prolapse.

There are lots of resources available. Wheel of Yoga 2 is a good one for post partum mums. The 1 st Aid for Prolapse has a thorough explanation of this approach and dance based exercises. The book offers a very thorough overview of pelvic organ support, prolapse and holistic treatment. There is also a brilliant on-line course. Most of the resources are also available on-line. Look at the WW store for more info/to order. Your WW teachers may also offer resources to purchase. Another option is to see or talk to a WW teacher/Christine for 1:1 consultations, either face to face or SKYPE or tel. Apart from personal resources, there is a great deal available via WW Inc and You Tubes.
Love & best wishes,
wholewomanuk