What was your pelvic floor like after 1st pregnancy?

[Silverylining]

I don't mean immediately after - more like 4-5 months, once it was back to what it would be henceforth.
Would really like to know to assess how normal it is that I have some issues.

Hi silvery
The lady I went to was in Sheffield but perhaps she could recommend you someone locally ? Her website is here www.womens-health-physio.co.uk. Might be worth getting in touch just to see if she'd knows anyone near you. One thing i have heard is that although pelvic floor exercises are a good thing they're not as effective if you're breast feeding or shortly after delivery as you still have the hormones that cause everything to ...erm. ..slack off a bit

ooh thanks, will look her up

I think mine was still improving at the point you are now, so don't give up hope. I was quite worried at one point quite some months after birth but has definitely got better, though still not perfect!

Glad you asked. I had a straightforward birth and didn't tear or need to be cut. Was peeing every half-second during pregnancy, mostly because of DD's position though I think. Anyway, I think my pelvic floor could use some help. I don't leak but it's sort of uncomfortable when I cough - does that make sense? Had my first AF since giving birth 12 months ago recently and couldn't use a tampon at all.

:( :( it's my own fault I need to do more exercises. In France apparently all women get dedicated PF postnatal care!

Oh Lions, that's v. interesting. Am still breastfeeding.

Straight after mine felt great now 7 months down the line it's exactly the same as before pregnancy, I wouldn't worry too much speak to your dr

Mine felt fine then but now I'm pregnant again, they feel surprisingly weak! My friend gave birth about the same time and had lots of pelvic floor issues for many many months. Do see someone about it.

I think mine was stronger as I actually paid attention to pff

NAR4 you are right about c sections damaging the bladder and bowel in some cases but it is almost always emergency c/s that does this - the uterus is contracting and often there is urgency to slice fast if the baby is asphyxiating. Added to which, you get whoever is on duty which may be an exhausted and wet behind the ears junior who is wetting his/herself as its their first go on their own! Electives are nice day jobs at civilised hours and you tend to get a more senior doctor or at least a senior supervising.

I work on the legal not medical side of this but I understand you never get bowel damage that leads to incontinence from an elective caesarean.
Not to get too gruesome but upper bowel damage can be fixed but damage to the lower end (the elastic bit) doesn't seem to ever fix properly; sewing elastic just doesn't work so it leads to a lot of claims.

That's my understanding anyway.

My consultant said the uterus is so expanded with baby, its highly unlikely they would get anywhere near the bladder etc with a knife - and if they did cut it - it would be so small and easy to repair.

This was for an ELC.

Op After my section I have had zero PF or incontinese issues.

Having a vaginal delivery does increase your risk of continence ishoos when compared to a c-section. You are x3 more likely to have a problem when your kid is 21 if you didn't use the open-top delivery.

But, that doesn't mean that c-section will leave you dry as a desert. Just supporting the pregnancy can be troublesome for pf - and, as you age, the ligaments stretch and that can be where the trouble starts.

Gotta doyerblardyexercises, ladies!

If you want some info, pm me or look on my website - it's on my profile. Amn't advertising, just wanting fanjo evangelising!

Really, don't put up with it, see your GP or women's health physio - and doyerblardyexercises 3 times a day for 3 months before chucking them in in despair.

thanks - good to get a bit more info on c section. The risk lists don't seem to distinguish between EMCS and ELCS and heartened by the above

gussie i have PM'ed you

My pelvic floor is exactly the same now (near end of 2nd pregnancy) as it was before my 1st dc. The only problems I've ever had are needing to wee a lot at night in the last few weeks of pregnancy, at the 'beached whale' stage.

But I had a planned cs for my 1st, am aiming to have the same for my 2nd, and have done a fair bit of yoga for years, which is great for pf. I've also been a runner for years, which helps with abs and pelvic floor strength.

I've never understood the much recited line that it is pregnancy not vaginal birth that damages the pf. It certainly isn't backed up by my experience or that of ANY other woman I know.

agree rain - I think the line that's it's pregnancy not VB etc... is the same as the 'it's pregnancy not breastfeeding that changes your boobs/makes them head south' that I've seen in some baby books
Cooked up to brainwash us!

3rd degree tear after 1st baby and I needed physio afterwards, had leakage whenever I sneezed etc. 9 months on and I'm fine now. Exercises the key! My physio was awesome though, and the biofeedback thing they did was very helpful. Get a referral, you don't need to put up with it!

yes I have (chatted to GP) but was a while ago. had a bit phsyio but think it was rubbish by the sounds of what other people have told me about theirs, biofeedback etc. I have a new GP and will be getting a referral hopefully.

As for boob saggage: I suppose pregnancy plays a role - mine were certainly bigger& heavier all the way through. But not half as big and heavy as they were for breastfeeding! maybe it's the difference between a minor slump and a major SLUMP?

I have one DS aged 15mo and my PF is still shot to buggery. DS was born with shoulder distocia, forceps, humungous episiotomy. Have had one operation to 'tighten' things though I'm still in much pain.
Also spent 2hrs/week for ten weeks with one of those electric-pulse thingies up my cream puff to no avail.
As PP, still can't wear tampon - or my precious my mooncup. Sex has happened all of once
I'm envious of all of you who have healthy bouncy fanjos.
Fwiw I have also been doing pf exervises since about 16 and read about it in Cosmo!

Sorry for taking so long to pop back on here - have been without internet for a while. Turns out, it is possible to survive without broadband, who'd have thought it?

Silvery, that's a good point about emergency and elective CSs. The difference is that often and emergency section is performed after labour has started, often with pushing time too. So, it would be a higher risk to have an emergency than an elective CS.

Chunderella - yep, long second stage and any sort of mechanical help to get baby out will increase your risk. Glad your exercises helped - still doing 'em?

Rain - good point. In the aftermath of childbirth, you are right, it's the vaginal delivery women who will have more horror stories of having nethers lookign like mince to share. But, catheters from a csection can cause trouble.

Pelvic floor muscles are at a mechanical disadvantage becasue they are long and thin - so, not as powerful as big, juicy muscles like your quads. these long, thin muscles have to resist forces from above (intra-abdominal pressure, weight of your organs, pregnancy) and from below (impact from when your foot hits the ground) The problem is that their attachments are ligamentous - so, with hormonal changes during pregnancy/breastfeeding/ageing, their actual anchor can stretch - and, because they are at an anatomical disadvantage, you don't need much sag before they can't contract sufficiently to support the neck of your bladder - so you leak.

Vamosbebe - are you still having treatment? It's worth following up and trying again after the hormones have settled back down. Sorry to read that you've had such a hard time, there are lots that can be done apart from zapping your la laa. Has anyone checked to see whether you have a prolapse? Pessaries can be really effective at hoicking everything back to where it should be so you can get on with doing your blardy exercises.

Which are, inescapably dull. But, so's brushing your teeth, adn you manage to do that. 3 exercises, x3 day for 3 months. If no change - get a referral.

Am really heartened to see so many women saying "you don't have to put up with it" You really, truly, don't.