Prolapse or is this normal after three children...

[NaturalBlue]

Sorry if TMI.
I’ve had three children, first one had to have episiotomy which got infected and healed ‘open’ as stitches broke down. Second birth straight forward and third a whopper almost 9lb baby which I’ve never really felt I’ve come back from. The crowning was unbearable and I can not believe I didn’t tear.

So here’s what I’m worried about now, the opening of my vagina is incredibly ‘open’ You can see the inside walls of my vagina when using a mirror. I have to hold it and my perinium when I poo or it feels like it’s bulging out. I get a bulge after having a poo, around my anus and also A hard lump behind my perinium. I have to push it all back afterwards to feel comfortable.

I had my last baby two and a half years ago.

I haven’t wanted to bother doctors with the current Covid situation but I’m starting to think this should have started to improve a bit by now! Reading back what I written here it’s fairly obvious I have a prolapse or two, what would happen if I ignored it? Has anyone had this repaired or solved the issue?

Tia

It does sound like a rectocele. I’ve just had baby 4 and I’m wondering whether my bits are normal too, problem is I can’t remember what they were like before, I don’t have symptoms though.
However if your symptoms are bothering you there are things they can do and you should see your GP.

Thank you for replying. I’ve googled rectocele as not come across this before, and yes it does appear to be exactly this, I will make an appointment with my go and see what they say.

I saw a women's health physio after the birth of my first. I thought I had a uterine prolapse from what I could see (the one and only time I ever looked- freaked me out too much) and feel.

I first spoke to my GP at the 6 week check up but he totally fobbed me off and had no interest. So I did a Google search and booked privately sometime around 4 - 6 month after birth. She was wonderful. She did an internal exam and also made sure I was contracting my muscles correctly for kagels. She explained what she could feel (pelvic muscle ripped from bone) and what I could do to improve it but that kagels couldn't repair it. She also explained a separate issue I was having with dripping when standing after a wee. It was so great to talk to someone with such specific knowledge. I remember thinking after the birth that I couldn't believe no one ever looked up there again to check all was ok. I went away with a sheet of exercises and some fact (all of which I could have got on the internet) but the main thing for me was being listened to for an hour and finding out what had happened to my body during birth, plus a prognosis, which even though it was that I'd likely never run again and could consider surgery after I'd completed my family, it was good just to know.

I booked privately so don't know what it would be like going through the NHS but it 'only' cost me around £60-70.

Recently had a second baby and I can feel it a lot now. Plus this time I also have a bulge after a poo now. I've also got some pelvic pain, so I absolutely am going to see someone again - I just need to get myself organised and do it.

On the what would happen if you ignore it... maybe nothing, just no improvement. But it may get worse (especially around/after menopause) and cause incontinence issues (of both types, and not being able to hold gas in). You can also have a full prolapse (sure that's not the right term) where your cervix protrudes down outside your vagina.

When I used to hear people say that having children had ruined their body, I used to think stretch marks, loose skin, saggy boobs. Prolapse issues really sick. Good luck with it all.

Suck!

Thank you so much for your reply, I’ll look in to seeing someone privately if my gp doesn’t seem interested, which I feel might be the case.

Definitely get your GP to look at it and give an opinion.
I’ve had 3, episiotomy for one and stitches for the other two, and I’m now in my 50’s. Yes, my vagina opening is bigger and you can ‘see inside’ a bit. I also have a bit that hangs down into the opening and you have to push past it to put a tampax in, so when I had my last smear ( done by a GP due to short staffed in Covid) I asked her if it was a prolapse. She said no, that it’s normal for a woman who has given birth. I was then seen by a women’s physio for my pelvic floor and she wasn’t concerned either.
But get it looked at to put your mind at rest.

Op, if you are able to, I would advise seeing a women’s pelvic physio.

I have 3 children, and have a slight prolapse. After the birth of DC1, I struggled to walk and had unbearable pain in my pelvis if I walked far, this continued after DC2 and finally after DC3 was born I took it in hand and saw a private physio.

She worked WONDERS! I can now run! 3 times a week. It’s miraculous.

Best of luck. You do not have to live like this.

I should say that the word ‘prolapse’ put me in a spin for a while. But my physio worked with me both physically and mentally and now it’s just something I accept.

It’s really important that you feel someone is recognising what you are feeling, and I have to say, I don’t think a GP wouldn’t given two hoots about my pelvis!

Have you had any luck regarding getting seen? X