My pelvic floor is f***ed :(

[BettyButterknife]

Had my post-natal check up on Wednesday and told the GP I'd had a couple of, ahem, accidents where I haven't quite got to the loo in time. She examined me, got me to do a couple of pelvic floor exercises and concluded that it's very weak, and has referred me to a physiotherapist .

Not sure how soon that'll be... is there anything (other than trillions of pelvic floor exercises) I can do in the meantime?

Google "athena fem" or have a look on amazon in the maternity products at electrical toners, these can make a real difference.

Good luck and you're definately not the only one

Nope a year on I have been refered my pelvic floor is gone, prolapsed a muscle but as I am young they don't want to operate so I am waiting to see physio first to see if we can repair some of the damage .

Mortified to admit I am a 22yo and incontenant . You are not alone.

Being referred to a physio who specialises in this area is a really good thing, there is a lot that the correct exercises can do (and lots of women either do them wrong, or don't actually do them). I would much prefer to try physio first before going for surgery.

Good luck, and this might well all be fixable!

Katy

Katy I agree 100% besides which if I have surgery then natural birth is out so plus recovery risk of surgery, All in all much rather try physio.

BigOfNooks: Thats such a positive attitude. My pelvic floor physio was lovely, and made it all seem absolutly ok.

Katy

Thanks I dont supose you could give me a rough idea of what physio entails? Just so I am prepared.

OK....

Now I'm the type of girl who gets in a flap about smear tests, but I did have a lovely birth and the pelvic floor lady was very nice, and had seen it all before, which actually did make it all ok.

Should probably put in a slight disclaimer here that we (me plus husband plus sports physio) didn't think I had a pelvic floor problem, but because I had had such problems with my pelvic joints (was in wheelchair when pregnant with pelvic girdle pain) he wanted me checked out to ensure that my pelvic floor wasn't contributing to the problem, so I was shipped off to a nice lady specialist.

So....

Discussion first about what was involved and that I was happy to go ahead, which helped a lot as I felt I was in control if that makes sense

The my knickers had to come off, BUT, I got changed behind a screen and then had a blanket to put over me so I didn't feel naked below the waist

She watched me doing pelvic floor exercises so she could visually check I was tightening up the right muscles (I was)

She then put some fingers inside my vagina and checked internally that everything was working as it was, during which time I had to squeeze various muscles so she could really check I was working the right ones.

In my case it was almost an all clear (although muscles on one side were over tight, she massaged them a wee bit ) and I just got told to keep up the exercises and in my case we eliminated my pelvic floor from contributing to the other problems.

It was intrusive, but it was fine, and they see people like us all the time. I would really recommend anyone who has problems does see one as you can get better.

Good luck

Katy

I have started attending Pilates classes for pelvic pain as referred by my GP.

The Pilates lady gave us an excellent website - link here - that provides instruction on some really good pelvic floor exercises.

Thank you Katy I don't mind smears or internals that much and I have had many intrusive examinations. Sorry to hear about your Pelvic girdle pain hope it is better now .

It sounds much less embarrassing than pissing myself anyway . I think I can cope with that I shall just remember to leave my dignity at the door and pick it up on the way out

I'm surprised you've still got it to carry about with you BigofNoorks! Mine's still packed away with the clothes I've not been able to fit into for several years...

Just after dd was born I had a allergic reaction down there so I had to go to anti natal with all the pg women I had about 40 bleeding blisters. So there was a little curtain separating me from all the very late pg women and partners.

Anyhow the mws were horrified and kept pulling more people in by the end there was a SMW two mws and two registrar's and a consultant. So as I was about a week post birth still bleeding and they were making me go up on all fours with my bum in the air, in the stirrups while debating taking me back in. As I emerged to see the horrified faces of the pg women I thought,So glad I left the dignity at the door otherwise it would have been destroyed for ever.

I agree - mine's wrapped in tissue paper with a sprinkle of dried lavendar. Currently ttc#4 so will unwrap in a few years and resume with it intact!

Hmmm, the dignity thing.

OK, heres my take: Dignity to me is about how you are treated NOT what actually happens. Hence mine is fully intact :)

Seriously though, I really think dignity, or lack of, is the wrong term.

Running a marathon to me doesn't look particularly dignified, but noone gives athletes a hard time about being undignified.

Thats my opinion and I'm sticking with it :)

Just reread thread, hope my last post wasn't too flippant, and sorry to hear you've had a rough time of it.

IMO, a pelvic floor assessment doesn't sound anywhere near as bad as what you've described re your blisters. You'll be fine.

Katy

Is it normal for all women to have a bit of pelvic floor issues after giving birth? Do any women escape it?

I had DS 7 months ago, and sometimes now when I cough or sneeze I leak. Was at a keep fit class last week and running on the spot and doing star jumps was not good!

Don't think I'm bad enough to need physio, but just wondering if the only thing that will help would be doing lots and lots of squeezes?

Sorry Katy I only just saw this thread was still going.
Firstly the blisters were my fault I know if a gel sanitary towel splits it will happen but the other ones make me leak and are uncomfortable. so I risked it, it split, and I paid the price. I had a right royal telling off considering my severity of reaction .

Secondly I am the kinda girl who laughs at everything embarrassing that happens to me, so believe me when I say I was laughing at my own mortification within minutes. Also it makes a great dinner story for childless friends who really squirm . I don't get easily offended so don't worry .

I really like your take on dignity sounds better than mine I may have to steal it .

TryLikingClarity I had no problems after dc1 (Till I was pg again)so as you are post your first birth it may be worth seeing about it because being pg 2nd time with a weak floor is not fun .

BigofNoorks - that wasn't what I wanted to be told! But I'm glad you told me the truth.

I don't plan to have DC2 for another few years, so hopefully I can get it sorted by then!

It doesn't happen all the time, just if I have a big sneeze or jump up and down!

best to get it sorted now so you can have a peaceful second pg and avoid surgery

TryLikingClarity:

Yup, lots of squeezes, they do work and really only take a few minutes.

I was absolutly obcessed with being able to ski moguels again after pregnancy so that was my big motivation :)

BigOfMoorks:

You're welcome :)

Katy

Have to add to the others saying don't worry.
My pelvic floor was wrecked and I was referred for physio. (or 'fanny physio' as my best mate referred to it )

As KatyS36 described I had to remove my knickers, the physio (and a student physio) watched me attempt to squeeze the muscles, then put a couple of fingers inside and I had to squeeze again in a variety of ways. It was decided that my pelvic floor was knackered.

I was then taught a variety of pelvic floor exercises to do and how to know when I was doing them right.

I went off and did the exercises devotedly and returned after about a month. If there had been minimal improvement the next step would have been an electrical stimulation programme. However, I was much improved and now have an amazing pelvic floor again

So don't worry about it.

Also, I got referred very quickly, so it might not be as long a wait as you are expecting. Fingers crossed for you!

RedFraggle - what pelvic floor exercises did you do that worked so well and how many repetitions etc ??

Interested to improve my own pelvic floor.

I was told to do:
10 x 3 second squeezes (so squeeze as hard as possible for 3 seconds, then relax for 3 seconds, then squeeze again etc)
10 x rapid squeezes (squeeze hard as possible for 1 second, relax 1 second)

Ideally you do this at 3 separate times each day. Also, you can target different parts of the pelvic floor by doing them sitting and leaning slightly forwards, sitting up straight and sitting leaning back. A good pelvic workout should exercise all parts of the muscle.

I was advised to try to do them with a certain activity to make it part of a routine, eg when making a cup of tea, watching a certain programme.. This ensures you don't ever stop doing them.

Once I'd got to grips with that I was told to gradually increase the repetitions. If you overdo it the muscle tires and they are less effective, so.. I was told that to check I was having an effect I could put 2 fingers inside and check that I could actually feel the muscle responding.

Another variation is to try to draw the muscle up gradually. So squeeze as hard as possible, then try to relax half way, then let go entirely.Repeat in reverse. So draw up part way, then all the way, then let halfway out, then all the way out...

Incidentally, if you have a vibrator, pop it in and practise squeezing against it. Good workout and quite ahem fun!
Hope that helps!

(so should have changed username for this post...)

Cool advice Fraggle, will have to try those squeezes.

... I don't have a vibrator. but I do have a DH; will have to practice on him

Just to reinforce RedFraggle's word about overdoing it - I definitely did too many in the year or so after having DD1, too many, and held for too long, making the muscle really tired. The result was the muscle would at random times go into spasm and sit there "fluttering" at me - which, I can assure you, is nowhere near as fun as it sounds . I stopped doing the exercises and after a while it stopped happening.

I now do them much more carefully, and stop when I feel the muscle beginning to tire. Think I still need to do more though... Had a bit of a shock last time I tried skipping . Thanks for the link taffetacat.