Postnatal prolapse - positive stories only please 🙏🏻

[Clementine895]

Hi all, looking for some comfort/support in quite an emotionally charged time. I’m 6 weeks postpartum with baby 2. First baby was a traumatic emergency c-section whilst being fully dilated (but wasn’t checked so they didn’t know until theatre). This time I was determined on VBac (idiot). Anyway, baby was having head compressed, was back to back, came out sideways with forceps. Episiotomy and 3a tear. Anyway, thought I was healing really well! Was feeling great, have been taking toddler to soft play, getting out etc. Went to 6 week physio (NHS) due to above. Was informed I had prolapsed but couldn’t tell me how badly/degree/what had gone. Told me to go to GP to be referred to gynae. Obviously horrific to be in limbo. Since then, I’ve realised I have like an air bubble feeling pretty much constantly. 11th May- I had taken a pic of my bits because I had possibly some afterbirth still inside - so I actually have a pic to compare to. I now have a much larger bulge and down there looks so much worse. I’m finding this all encompassing- horror stories online, talk of hysterectomy, I feel like 💩 and feel so sad. Definitely my mental health has plummeted since being told. Decided to book a private gynae app. She said rectocele minor, go back in 6 months. But she didn’t examine me standing up, which I was told was really important. Also the bulge has definitely got bigger since seeing her and I’m freaking out it’s going to drop down even further. Am I even allowed to walk?! Hoping to get an appointment with a private pelvic PT over this weekend (I am booked with her next week, but have asked if she would mind checking wtf is going on down there beforehand as I am losing my mind). Any success stories? Positive ones only please! I’ve already seen on the horrific ones. Feel like I can’t enjoy by baby or my lovely toddler as it’s on my mind non stop. Also feel like maybe I’ve made it worse before knowing picking up toddler etc. keep getting mixed opinions on this. Gynae said keep picking up toddler and live as normal but don’t want to make things worse. Feel like everything I do right now is wrong. Also exclusively breast feeding right now which I’ve read can also make things worse so now questioning all of my choices.

I have had similar issue. If you can at all it's so important to just continue pelvic floor excercises until you get seen by phyio/gynae. That is like the no1 thing I kept being told is pelvic floor excercises. That's the main reason for prolapse as the connective tissues are so weak that everything falls down out of place. Im still recovering but honestly that has helped massively. It is very important to keep pushing to get checked properly. If you are not happy with ur physio or consultant then I highly advise getting a second opinion. It saved me a lot. I had to get a third opinion before I got taken seriously. They try to fob postpartum issues off after the 6 to 8 week check. And its not normal to be left to fend for ourselves. Unfortunately we have to keep annoying them for support and health checks otherwise we just get left. Take responsibility fornyour health and keep pushing. It is definitely possible to get better with the right posture and excercises. The anxiety is definitely real regarding health issues and being left to wonder wtf is going on. You're not alone. Try to get support from any local charities that help with motherhood/postpartum.

Also really important to keep eye on potential for infection. I know thats an extra headache. Fever, redness on skin, hot to touch compared to normal etc or feeling malaise. Get to GP asap.

I had a level 2 prolapse after DD. GP was useless and told me to do pelvic floor exercises which I was already doing. I was also using an elvie trainer but nothing seemed to be working.
I booked an assessment with a private physio in January and I haven't looked back.
I've got a tailored programme and it only takes a few minutes each day. My prolapse has improved and is now level 1. I can don't have that horrible full feeling anymore and don't feel like my bits are about to fall out.

Women's health physios can work wonders. Find one you gel with- maybe chat on the phone before meeting. Check out the book/ instagram and podcast Why Mums Don't jump (and other accounts) for solidarity- there are so many non-surgical resources now (eg hypopressives down the line when you are recovered from the birth). The biggest thing is to know that it is really common and pretty much nothing you can do will make it worse (assuming you're not training for a marathon or lifting heavy weights) but the symptoms will come and go. It's not your fault. While you're waiting to see somebody try wearing high waisted control pants if you need to be active- you can buy them from physios but I found cheap ones from Sainsbury's worked just as well.

You need to see a pelvic floor physical therapist! And make sure to find one that will do internal work. I had similar issues post partum, but within two weeks of treatment my genitals looked normal again, and my other symptoms were greatly improved. You absolutely can heal from this!

So I was seen by a urogynae and pelvic floor nurse and they have agreed that it is not prolapse, but laxity in the posterior wall creating a bulge. The report says no decent on valsava (I think that’s what it’s called). Hopefully it stays that way but I’m not so sure. I don’t understand how it could be THAT lax

Have they given you any exercises to improve the laxity as it will only worsen as you age?
That's how mine started off with laxity that the nurse told me about when I went for my smear.

Yes I’ve been told supplements to take and pelvic floor exercises. I’ve got NHS and private physio and been recommended Perifit too. The urogynae said it all looks normal for what has happened and even for some natural births without intervention so I’m hoping and praying things stay that way? She said no organ descent 🤞🏻🙏🏻