Can having another baby make prolapse worse?

Submitted by Always Hopeful on July 7, 2016 - 4:15pm
Body: 

Can having another baby make prolapse worse?

I have two children (discovered a bladder prolapse after the 2nd) and thinking about baby #3..... I feel pretty good about the state my prolapse is in right now, very manageable, thanks to WW, but the thought of having another baby with a prolapse already, is a big question/concern to me, as i'm not sure if I am more subject now, to things getting worse? It's also a REALLY big factor for my husband. He's very worried that if we had another baby, my "guts" would totally fall out! Those are his words by the way, not mine... I think it's a vital concern though, as it scared both of us a lot when it happened and he doesn't want it to be any worse for me either.

Anyhoo, I know there are people on here that have gone through this, so i'm very curious to hear their experiences/stories. I have tried looking on the forum already, but it's all kinda scattered in the different responses and i may have missed some story, so just wanted to make another post asking this directly.

I feel pretty good about getting through the pregnancy and delivery (at least from what i could tell/read so far from others) but not sure about the after affects once baby is out? I know it's still probably very dependent on me doing WW and keeping it up with it, but still curious to hear others experiences who have also done WW, whether they noticed their prolapses getting any better, worse, or staying the same, when they decided to have another baby with an already exsisting prolapse.

Thank you!

Forum:

Surviving60

July 8, 2016 - 3:08am

There is no way to predict in any particular woman's case. The women who have shared their stories here, by and large seem to have gone through their ups and downs but ended up no worse off, and in some cases better. This is because of a deep understanding of the anatomy of prolapse. If you have truly internalized the posture and practices WW teaches, your post-partum healing period can be quite constructive in maintaining everything in a good position. The weeks following birth can be a minefield for bad posture......careless lifting techniques, lots of slouching around on soft furniture with our babes.....it's definitely not the time to let your progress slip away.

Your husband's fears can be nothing more than an extension of your own. If you aren't worried about your organs falling out, how come he is? Maybe you are over-dramatizing the situation. Prolapse is a lot for the average man to understand and place in context. But husbands will only reflect back the fear that you are feeling and expressing. There's no other source for it. So be careful not to feed it.

You'll be fine. You must dedicate yourself to this work. I hope that some other moms will share their thoughts here. Meanwhile, there's plenty to read.- Surviving

Aussie Soul Sister

July 8, 2016 - 5:25am

Hi Always Hopeful,
In another thread you asked me about my experiences, and as I was away for a while and unable to post, my answer may have been missed by you.
There is the link below. I hope it answers your questions.

All the best,
Aussie Soul Sister

https://www.wholewoman.com/forum/comment/54240#comment-54240

Always Hopeful

July 8, 2016 - 10:57pm

Thanks surviving! That makes sense. Would you say that it's better to take it easy those first couple weeks (staying in bed, laying down to nurse, etc) or try to be sitting/standing/moving in WW posture as much as possible? Last time, my midwife put me on bed rest for 10 days right after my prolapse initially descended. It never descended as far as that very first time, so maybe that helped? I don't know what is the best protocol for that.

As for my husband... we still have very different thoughts re: my prolapse. He still thinks i should be doing kegels! Which I obviously don't and will not do, and have pointed him to Christine's paper on it, etc. He also believes preg/delivery etc will make it a lot worse (i really don't know why, maybe cause he knows things get stretched and moved around down there during that time?), where as I am more hopeful it can be alright with this work. I've expressed that, but he's a different person and has different thoughts then me.

Always Hopeful

July 8, 2016 - 11:06pm

Thanks Aussie Soul Sister! Your right! I'm really sorry but I did miss your response! That's the one problem I have with the technical side of the forum; you aren't notified when people respond to you, unless you constantly check the post, and when it's been a while, your not checking it. Anyhoo, your story is encouraging. I think I may have had a fissure after my first child as well. The docs couldn't identify what it was, but I had a really sharp shooting pain for a few months, that eventually went away. Glad I found this work now too. Maybe you have more advice on the question I just posed to surviving too? Whether you think more upright/movement helps in those first weeks in WW posture vs laying down more? I couldn't quite understand if you thought that the walking helped you/and the prolapse, or if you just had to do it out of necessity.

Surviving60

July 9, 2016 - 5:42am

While quality rest is extremely important, the answer is no, I would not recommend 2 weeks of bed rest following delivery. You need to be up and moving around in Whole Woman posture. What I would highly recommend for you, is to re-read the Pregnancy and Prolapse chapter of the Christine's book, "Saving the Whole Woman". If you don't have a copy, get one.

As far as following the forum is concerned.....if you are signed on, and you click on "recent posts" on the Navigation menu at upper left, you will see all the discussion threads that have new activity since the last time you were signed on. If you don't sign on for awhile, this will be a very long list. But you can, at the very least, look for your own topic(s) and see if there has been any activity.

Always Hopeful, it's like everything else in life.......you can't sit back and wait for the answers to be delivered to you. Go out and get them! Good luck and keep up the good work. - Surviving

chickaboom

July 10, 2016 - 9:52am

In my experience, no, it didn't make things worse. But then, I didn't give birth in a hospital on my back, with an episiotomy, as I had in my previous births.
Try for a natural home birth if you can. With an experienced but laid back, hands off midwife.

granolamom

July 21, 2016 - 7:48pm

Hi there Always Hopeful
I'm an old time member here, but havent had much time for my computer lately. if you dig up my old posts and read through my history maybe some of it will prove interesting.
in short, I found my POP after baby number three and I really really really wanted a number four but I was afraid. it took time to get over the fear and to learn that I really could manage my prolapse. and then I realized that in life there are no guarantees. my POP could get worse even without another baby. I could have another baby and maybe it wouldnt. I figured I would always regret not trying for that baby I felt was destined to be in my life and I was willing to risk the prolapse worsening. BUT. I did alot of work. I changed my posture, my diet, my clothes, my exercise routines. I read everything I could about pregnancy and delivery, and gained lots of wisdom here from other women who had gone before me. I planned another gentle homebirth, planned to stay OFF MY BACK during delivery and was very careful about posture postpartum. I did have my number four (my granolababy, I think I called him here) and was no worse off for it. then I even had my surprise baby number five, and I am OK. there was some initial setbacks, iirc things were back to my baseline by 3? or 6? months pp, I dont remember, it was a while ago (granolagirl, my baby, is 6 now). so I say that if in your heart of hearts you long for another baby, dont let the prolapse hold you back.
and because this struck me, I gently ask if perhaps your husband is less than longing for another? maybe his concerns are partially stemming from other fears surrounding the addition of another child? of course I could be way off about that, so ignore me if I am.
another thing, is I find that when I am confident that I am ok, and will be ok, my husband is less worried too. he's got that idea that he must make sure I am ok, and the whole childbirth thing (with or without POP) really does freak him out a bit. also, look into no-push birth. its what I did with my fourth baby and it was awesome. hand and knees and just breathed through the birth. ('course I tried it again with number five but she kinda pushed her way the heck out of there in no time flat, it was insane. so the no push birth doesnt always work, but I'd read about it anyway). and I wouldnt stay in bed much postpartum. I mean, do rest plenty, but moving around is a good thing. I remember nursing on my side, and doing lots of gentle cat/camel exercises and gentle pelvic tilts in sitting. remember that after birth everything is overstretched so go easy. and no straining on the toilet.

Always Hopeful

July 28, 2016 - 11:42pm

Thank you so much for sharing your stories and advice! Granola mom, I resonate with your comment that in life there are no guarantees, and was encouraged by your story of going on to have 2 more. I'll look in to the no push birth. My last delivery was actually super fast, turned out to be an unassisted birth with no pushes, but I am sure #3 won't be exactly the same, so I need to be prepared. Yes, there are other reasons my husband is hesitant on a 3rd, and rightly so (a lot goes in to these little munchkins! :)) but the prolapse issue itself, was/is one of his MAIN concerns. I am planning to go to the conference in a few weeks and perhaps I will gain that extra confidence/encouragement/education I need to comfort myself and my husband on this issue, should we embark on the path of #3. i actually feel pretty good about my prolapse right now, but I just don't want it to get worse. I am encouraged to know that it is even possible that it wont, by hearing some of these stories. Maybe i'll hear a few more. :)

Always Hopeful

July 28, 2016 - 11:49pm

Hi Surviving, since I can't find a way to send a personal message on here, I am just gonna say it... I am thankful for your input and advice, but I am often offended by your comments as well. It's like there always needs to be a little jab in there, mostly in the way of false assumptions of what I am or am not doing. Regarding your last post for example, I don't feel like I'm sitting back at all regarding this issue, that's why I'm posting questions on here, buying and going through Christine's work and trying to learn as much as possible! If I was truly "sitting back" I wouldn't be doing any of that, would I? I just don't understand why you have to say stuff like that. It's really bothersome and in my opinion, unnecessary. But nonetheless, I am going to continue on with this journey (and the forum) when I have questions, and will try my best to not take your assumptions personally. I can not control what you say, only my own writing. And I am going to try my best to believe that all your intentions are pure and mean well (they probably are) , even if they aren't coming across like that to me.

Surviving60

July 29, 2016 - 5:32am

Always Hopeful, my comments were in response to your remarks to Soul Sis about the difficulty of following the forum since it did not automatically notify you when someone posted on your thread. That's all. I was giving you hints on how to more easily monitor new posts. For those actively engaged in this work, it's an on-going thing. You go to the forum, it doesn't come to you. Certainly did not mean to offend but I can see how it may have come across. - Surviving

Mamama

June 16, 2017 - 12:53pm

Hi always hopeful

I would also love a 3rd and am also concerned about what it will do to my lifestyle body and cystocele ( gr1) . I feel hopeful when i read stories by granolamum and alemama but am scared.

I just learnt about my pop 9 months pp and am so upset. I love lifting my 4 ye old and want to be able to play football with him forever.

My husband is also concerned. I am just starting whole woman and feel like i need some time to adjust.

But i am very t hankful for all the learning and insights. Let me know how you are doing.

I'm 33 So i feel like it might still be possible.