Rectocele (posterior vaginal wall prolapse)

[USaYwHatNow]

Hi, I'm looking for some positive stories. I am seeing my GP today but I'm pretty sure I have some kind of prolapse. I am 30, slightly overweight (BMI 29). I had my first baby 4 weeks ago via ventouse and had to have my episiotomy extended to get him out. He only weighed 6lbs.

I checked my stitches for what I thought would be the final time and can see a visible bulge just as the entrance to my vagina. I also get a horrible dragging achey feeling when I've been on my feet for too long.

Im really tearful and worried about it. Has anyone had the same? Did it get better? I was looking forward to being 'signed off' by the GP at 6 weeks so I could be intimate with my husband again but now I'm really scared that it'll be painful or sex will make it worse.

Any advice or positive stories would be so appreciated.

Prolapses after birth Can sort themselves. I have a rectocele and it only impacts when I poop. I support my perineum with a bit of loo roll.
nearly 11 lb baby and forceps deliver 10 years ago- fab sex life. No surgery. Keep up the kegel exercises.

Please don't worry - you're only 4 weeks post-partum! It usually takes a year for the vagina to heal from birth and many prolapses will heal in that time. It's just been completely stretched out and it takes time to go back to normal. At the moment your oestrogen is low (especially if you're breastfeeding) and you have a hormone called relaxin making everything floppy. Low oestrogen also makes the vagina walls weaker so everything bulges in. I saw a gynecologist after childbirth and she said "Yes you have a rectocele but nearly all women who've given birth vaginally have one - many just don't notice it." I had a triple whammy - bladder, bowel and uterine prolapse - all quite severe. They healed up greatly by 1 year. I noticed a huge difference when I stopped breast feeding and my oestrogen levels went back to normal. You really don't need to consider surgery at 4 weeks PP! You can certainly see a pelvic floor specialist for advice but I'm sure things will be great improved in a years time.

@SallyWD what helped you to heal your prolapses?

During that first year I tried many things. I was referred to a pelvic floor physio (not sure how much she helped but I hear some are great!). I bought a Kegal 8. It's basically a little machine with a probe you insert in to the vagina and it sends electric impulses which strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. It has a programme specifically for prolapses. I believe this helped. I also followed this woman: www.hab-it.com/. She's a physio who had a severe prolapse herself which she "fixed" through exercises. I bought the DVD and did the workouts for a few mins a day. They really helped! Highly recommend getting the Hab-It dvd. However, I can't emphasise enough that the main factors in healing were time passing and hormones going back to normal. I stopped breastfeeding around 11 months and suddenly all my symptoms disappeared! It was a huge change. All because breastfeeding suppresses oestrogen. I know it's horrible but you really need to believe that healing can take a year and there's no quick fix.