Anyone found that stopping bf improves pelvic floor issues?

[HelpMePleaseImConfused]

I am currently bf my 6.5 month old ds. He was ebf to 6 months and i have recently started to introduce solids.

He was a big baby at 9lb 13oz and i had a difficult second stage delivery which ended in failed vontouse and forceps. Sorry if this is a bit tmi but i feel a bit destroyed down below and still very loose. I am seeing a urologist currently and a physio who has sent me away with pelvic floor exercises to do. I am also seeing a gynaecologist who referred me to both of these.

Last time i saw the gynaecologist she prescribed me vagifem oestrogen cream (which i later found out i couldnt use whilst bf) and mentioned that bf lowers oesteogen levels and that i may remain quite lax until i stop (she didnt in any way suggest i wean early).

I apparently dont have a prolpase but my pelvic floor is very weak i have been told. I am scared that it is getting worse and that by the time i finish bf, which i wanted to do until a year or longer, the damage will irreversably be done.

Im torn because i feel selfish for worrying about my own body before his, but i do want more children and this is putting me off that, and off even want to try for one. I also do not want a prolapse or to feel this way about my body at a fairly young age. Before i decide though, i was wondering if anyone has experience of this, as i dont want to stop bf only to find it doesnt help as i wont be making this decision lightly. Or does anyone know if there is any scientific basis in this?

I have no idea but just wanted to send a hug and give your post a bump. For what it's worth my bits and bobs were still settling after 6mths. I had a friend who had horrible injuries - prolapse and needed big stitching up as the baby got stuck - 3 yrs later she's just had her second and had the most wonderful, natural birth. I just hope it doesn't put you off because it might all be different next time anyway

I had very similar results to you after a big first baby (only 9lbs 2oz for me) and venteuse delivery. I was battered internally, loads of stiches and very saggy pelvic floor, though no prolapse. A couple of years later I saw a physio who was spectacularly impressed by my lack of pelvic floor control - off the bottom of the scale in terms of how loose I was. I was still bfing at 2 years when I saw her - ds1 was a milk monster feeding 10-12 times/day at 2 yrs.

I went on to have ds2 - like SMs friend, it was a totally different birth - he shot out like a bar of soap, and was only 7lbs!

To answer your first question, however, having had awful results from the physio, after ds1 I didnt find that a second child made it any worse, and I did find a gradual improvement in my pelvic floor control, probably starting from when I stopped bfing (3 years after ds2, so 6.5 yrs after ds1) 10 years further down the line, things are improving further. I may even be able to sneeze gently now - haven't tested it recently.

It may be down to changing hormones (I am now starting menopause) as I really don't have enough pelvic floor muscles or will power to do exercises, although I did also notice a big improvement when I started a job in which I am standing/walking a lot, rather than sitting down all day. I don't do a lot of sport/general exercise (pelvic floor problems prevented much!) but walking and standing a lot does seem to have helped.

HTH

Thank you both fpr your kind replies.

It is particularly reassuring that a second baby doesnt seem to make it worse because i was imagining that i would be completely ruined if i had another.

It has really got to the point a few times where i have thought that i need to stop now before too much more damage is done, but if you can still see improvement after ten years, i guess a few more months of bf cant do much harm. Was just feeling that all the pelvic floor exercises in the world won't do much if my hormones are working against me!

Yes your pelvic floor will improve after you have finished bf, all to do with hormones (could be that the body is still producing relaxin, I'm not sure, but it's along those lines...).

Don't let that stop you doing the PFEs though, the exercises always count. I only ever remember to do mine at night when I'm too knackered to actually do them....