Pelvic floors and prolapses - oh, the joys!

[arizonagirl]

Ok, so I got my vba3c and am really really chuffed about this. But.....I wasn't expecting all this extra stuff afterwards. For some crazy reason, I thought everyone recovered from a natural birth really quickly. Ok, rather naive!! (Had a kiwi ventouse and episiotomy).

I am not sure my pelvic floor will ever be the same again . I had my gorgeous ds four weeks ago and still don't feel my pelvic floor is feeling at all tight when I do my exercises. Is this normal? I even tried stopping during a wee (sorry, tmi) but there was no chance of that). I know that isn't recommended by the way. And if I need to go the other way iyswim I need to get to that bathroom quick . Is all this normal? It's all new to me.

And don't get me started on prolapses. How do you know if you've got one and when does it occur. Things feel rather heavy but no idea if I have a problem. Think it's just that my pelvic floor has got up and gone .

HELP!!!!

I didn't have any interference or a ventouse, so I don't know if my advice will be any good.

I followed the rule of thumb of doing 50 when feeding your little one, so even if you forget you get at least some in every day. I used to stop weeing mid flow, and for the first 12 weeks, I felt nothing, my ds is now 10 months and it's been fine since h was about 5 months. My friend had her son a year before me, and if she does star jumps or sneezes, she wees, before confessing that she didn't do any pelvic floor exercises and "won't bother".

Stick them out, you're body went through so much of labour, it won't be the first thing on the list of repair, but you'll be thankful you did in a few months:) Think of it like a torn muscle, it takes a while of gentle exercise before you see the results.

Congratulations on your new addition !!

Thanks for the lovely reply and great advice. Am so relieved to hear that you didn't manage the mid-pee thing straight away. That was worrying me!!! 50!!! Omg!! Will follow your advice. Just hope lo stays asleep for a bit longer

lol, if you drive, it's useful to do them while driving. I still find myself doing them now, force of habit I think, but it can't hurt to keep them up! No, the first time I couldn't hold in a wee mid flow, I felt so helpless! The MOST bizarre feeling as a new mum! But grit your teeth and stick it out! If you have seen no progress at all after about 12 weeks of continuous "clenching", I'll eat my hat. and send you to the GP.

I had a VBAC with 2nd son and had a ventouse and episiotomy but suffered 4th degree tears as well.

When I started doing pelvic floor exercises I couldn't feel anything at all! I had problems with urinary incontinence and when needing to go the other way had urgency. However, with pelvic floor exercises I'm now pretty much ok.

Keep going with the pelvic floor exercises, 4 weeks is early days - however if you have real concerns speak to your GP at your 6 week check. Because of my tearing I was automatically referred to a women's health physio and she made sure I was doing pelvic floor exercises properly and the right amount.

Thanks for the great advice wishingaway . Great to hear you are feeling back to normal!