New to all this

Submitted by ellian on June 7, 2015 - 5:29pm
Body: 

Where to start...I just turned 28 (today) and have a 4 year old and a 14mo old. My oldest was an emergency csection after I started pushing (stinker turned her head and got stuck). My youngest was a VBAC, but was a vacuum assist with a second degree tear and LOTS of intense pushing at the end.

So I knew my pelvic floor needed work, but I never experienced that leaking pee thing everyone talks about so I thought maybe it wasn't too bad. I also have diastasis recti - never measured but pretty sure it's a decent sized split. Fast forward to just over a week ago when I was putting in a tampon and noticed it was difficult to do, and that's when I noticed the bulge. Saw OB the next day and she said everything looked fine, but I know my body and I knew a bulge come out of my vagina isn't normal. Lots of research later and I now know I have a rectocele (and maybe a cystocele?)

Here's the thing - the bulge is my ONLY symptom. No pain, no difficulty with peeing/pooping (though last night I did try pushing on the bulge while pooping and noticed it helped, which is what confirmed it to me, but I've never had what I'd call a problem). We even had sex yesterday and neither of us noticed anything feeling different. Looking back I can see that I've had issues with tampons starting to come out for awhile (just got my period back in March, but remember it happening occasionally before my second pregnancy). Otherwise this is a total shock to me, and the bulge is the only thing different and isn't always protruding. Sometimes it's tucked back inside my vagina. And none of the other symptoms/problems apply to me.

I've been reading through the the site and forums and am going to get materials ordered, but I had a few questions:

-Anyone else had the bulge with no other symptoms? Does this mean it falls more under minor and has a better chance of resolving?

-should I order the basic kit with the book and first aid DVD or get the postpartum one since I have diastasis too?

-before finding this site, I had been reading about the problem with kegels and that wall squats (with a stability ball) were good for diastasis and strengthening pelvic floor so I ordered a stability ball, but now I'm wondering if those are maybe bad. Should I return the ball?

-can I no longer hold my kids? I usually babywear while grocery shopping, otherwise the baby wants to be on my hip and even my 4 year old wants to be held sometimes. Not sure how to stop doing that if needed.

-Anyone have tips with maintaining WW posture with large breasts? Mine are VERY large (I always planned on getting a reduction after my kids had weaned) and the majority of my poor posture over the years has been the weight of my breasts pulling me forward.

-I've found so far that sitting cross legged allows me to maintain correct posture best, but I have bad knees (prior dislocations/torn miniscus) and they hurt if I sit cross legged too long. Any similar sitting positions that aren't as stressful on the knees?

I'm sorry if any/all of these are addressed in the book. I'm just very Type A and need a lot of info, and I have anxiety to boot, so I've been obsessing over this all day :/

Forum:

ActiveandLapsed

June 7, 2015 - 6:20pm

Hi
Your story sounds the most like mine that I have read on here. Not the C-section bit but the vacuum bit and the symptoms.

First you seem to have caught this before it's too symptomatic. I had your symptoms for a year and did not find this site and went on with life and then things got worse and then I found this site. I will always wish I had found this site earlier.

Go for it and throw yourself into WW work and you will be in a wonderful position to take advantage of the PP healing window. There is a lot more to gain than simply prolapse management with WW work too, it's a much more feminine way of living and a way that is closer to what nature intended so is much nicer on the body (and mind).

I had the tampon issue and no longer use them. The medical profession said it all looked fine when I asked too. That and the odd bit of air caught (one a year type of thing) was the only indication I had of any issue then I had a bulge come down when straining a few times in my first year PP and then one day things got worse. I know they would not have if I had been doing the WW work.

All the best, I know it may not seem like it when you first discover a mild prolapse but you are so lucky to find this site and have the personality to really take it on board. This work is marvelous and a really great way to live once it becomes second nature. It's a journey though so expect it to take at least a few months if not a year to become fully your new way of life - well we never stop learning really. By the way don't worry your symptoms are not going to get worse tomorrow you are already making important changes as you mention above.

Try to not lift your 4 year old perhaps until you can get the posture a bit sorted. I have a 4 year old and he climbs onto things with my help if needed and I sit in posture and he sits on me. He has adapted. I did babywear out of posture but there are many posts on this forum about people baby wearing in posture. Safely Held is doing it right now and is on here a lot. Baby wearing in posture is very helpful for moving your organs forward where they should be.

Here is the link to the WW You Tube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/WholeWomanInc?app=desktop

All the best.
A&L

Aging gracefully

June 7, 2015 - 8:43pm

Hi ellian and welcome,
The postpartum bundle actually has all the great materials you will need, including the goddess belly DVD which addresses your diastasis recti. Loads of wonderful information and exercises that can help.

I wanted to address the big boob situation. I also am a little hefty in that department, and before I started this work, I was one of those that would round my shoulders over in order to hide them. I will admit when I started this work, I did feel a little exposed in that department, but over time I found it less and less of an issue for me as I started to feel better with whole woman.

And, yes some women don't have any other symptoms besides the bulge, count yourself lucky in that, but remember that our organs are always on the move, so there will be days of bulginess and others not so much, but as you go along you will notice less of those too as your pelvic organs are being pulled into the lower belly with whole woman posture.
Best wishes to you on this wonderful journey!!

Surviving60

June 8, 2015 - 4:06am

Hi ellian and welcome to WW. I wanted to say a few words on the subject of breast reduction. One of the things you will learn from the Goddess Belly dvd is how much you can damage yourself by cutting into the breast tissue. The dvd addresses tummy tucks and breast augmentation, but I am quite sure that the issues are similar......once those tissues have been compromised, there is no going back. Please watch it before you decide to go under the knife. And best of luck on this Whole Woman journey. - Surviving

Aussie Soul Sister

June 8, 2015 - 7:04am

Hi ellian - I would just like to add another welcome from me,

As you learn the posture and start to hold up your torso with your own strength, you will find your centre of gravity will be better, and with that you will have better balance, and feel more grounded with even weight distribution on the soles of your feet.

All the best,
Aussie Soul Sister

ellian

June 8, 2015 - 8:54pm

I'll definitely see what the dvd says, but I have to consider the back problems and other aspects of my life my breasts affect too :) I'm not talking about what most people consider to be large breasts. One of my breasts is larger than my 14mo old's head. If I lift them with my hands, I instantly go into WW posture without even trying (I've never done the suck and tuck posture because it hurt).

Aging gracefully

June 8, 2015 - 9:29pm

Hi Ellian,
My breasts might not be as big as yours, but they are some pretty good size melons, and I did find that the exercise helped strengthen my back muscles as well, so I was able to hold them up more easily over time. I don't notice nearly the back pain I used to have since getting stronger into the Whole Woman posture. I really do hope that you can find some relief too!
Best wishes to you!