MNHQ here: the impact of birth on women's bodies, wellbeing and sex lives

[RowanMumsnet]

Morning all

Today we're launching the next phase in our campaign for Better Postnatal Care, highlighting the impact of birth on women when it comes to things like prolapses, genital and/or anal wounds, and continence.

Figures we're releasing today reveal how many mothers are struggling with physical symptoms associated with prolapses or wounds, painful sex, and problems with continence, months or years after their babies were born.

You can read more detail about our survey here, and The Pool has this morning published a piece based on our stats if you fancy having a read.

The Chief Medical Officer’s Report of 2014 found that ten years after giving birth, around 20% of mothers will experience urinary incontinence and around 3% will experience faecal incontinence as a result of their pregnancy and birth experiences. And according to the NHS, up to half of women who’ve given birth will experience some degree of pelvic organ prolapse. You can read more about the current picture in the NHS here.

What do you think we need to be calling for to tackle this issue head-on? Do we need the collection of long-term data? Do we need to bring back the six-week check for mothers (which has become postcode-dependent now that it's no longer included in GPs' contracts)? And what can be done to encourage mothers to overcome taboos, shame and embarrassment associated with these symptoms and proactively seek help, and ask for second opinions where necessary?

We've made some suggestions here, but we'd love to know what you think. NHS England is actively looking at how to improve postnatal care at the moment, and so many healthcare workers we've spoken to are aware of the problems and looking for solutions - it feels like the right time to come up with concrete proposals.

So, as ever, do please let us know what you think!

If you'd like to join our mailing list of campaign supporters so that we can keep you up to date with the nuts and bolts of the campaign, please email us on [email protected] with 'Campaign Champions' in the subject line.

Thanks
MNHQ xx

PS We very much welcome thoughts from everyone on this bit of the campaign, but for those wondering where experiences of CS come into all this - we will be doing a piece of work on that next.

[londonloves]

I have gone private for postnatal physio as nhs wAit is three months for a group session. I'm very fortunate that I can afford this, as nhs help is basically shit here ( south east London).

I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has also been covered but there's a huge mental health impact. I feel like my body is wrecked and disgusting and all I get told is "well this is what childbirth does to you". I'm terrified of having another baby. I cried when I watched the London Marathon this morning as it was on my bucket list but I've pretty much been told that running is out of the question for me, forever.
And it's also had a massive impact on my relationship. I don't want to have sex, and I am SO SO angry that my partner doesn't really understand, says "oh I'm sure it will be alright" when it probably never will be alright, actually. He can still exercise, he hasn't put on three stone. He gets to enjoy this amazing baby and he hasn't suffered at all, and I'm afraid that sometimes that makes me really mad because it's so fucking unfair.

[RowanMumsnet]

@londonloves Really hope the physio improves things for you

@gizzymum thank you! That's really useful. The stakeholder day is part of this study into implementing pelvic floor exercises into antenatal care. The organisers have been inundated with people wanting to take part I think but we will report back here after the stakeholder event

Thought you might like to have a listen to this: we went on to the Standard Issue podcast to talk about the campaign (my first podcast experience, so please be kind...)

Just a reminder also that if you want to be added to our crack squad of campaign supporters please email us on [email protected] - you get all the campaign news direct to your inbox.

Thanks

MNHQ x