changes after vaginal birth

[mauraa629]

i don't know if this is the right place for this but wanted to know from people who have had vaginal births, does your vagina ever go back to normal? i had an emergency c-section with my first and knew i wanted a vbac with my 2nd, i got it, pretty easy delivery, no tearing or anything which really suprised me because im pretty small there, well anyway im 9 wks postpartum now and sex just doesnt feel the same i feel bigger, my husband says it's almost the same as it used to be but it's really upsetting to me that it is different now. i wanted a vbac so badly but now i feel like im ruined, i dont know if this is just a hormonal thing that its making me so upset, but just wanted to know if it is still getting smaller, will it ever be the way it used to be or is this just how it's going to be from now on? is 9 weeks too soon to expect things to be back to normal? also im pumping full time dont know if that has any affect on things going back to normal but would really like to know.

[alegna]

Yes, but it takes time. After my first baby it was about 3 months before everything felt "normal"

BUT, fwiw, after my second (both vaginal) I felt totally normal by about 3 weeks.

-Angela

[LCB]

Claudi, just because the OP got to have a VBAC doesn't mean she isn't allowed to have any insecurities stemming from it. We're supposed to be supportive on this board. Anyway,
In my experience, there are some permanent changes but you will continue to recover for quite some time. I really felt that it took me a full year to recover from my daughter's birth. There is alot of tissue and muscle and everything else that has to heal. It's also going to depend on your individual body and how your body heals. For example, I have a friend who gave birth a few months after me. I have stretch marks but my abs are 100% back to normal. She has zero stretch marks but feels that her abs have not bounced back. So as for you, there maybe some changes that do not rebound like you were before, but you WILL continue to heal for awhile yet.

[MNHall]

I personally think it's just fine for you to have posted this...there are many issues that can arrives after a c/s or after a vaginal birth and if you can't ask them here, where can you? This board is to support members having anything to do with a VBAC, successful or not!

As for things going back to normal...well, TMI, but I feel like size wise, I'm back to normal. I don't know exactly how long it took, my VBAC baby is a year now, so I can't really remember when things felt normal in that aspect. What still doesn't feel normal is that I had an episiotomy...so, that still feels sensitive, still, a year later. I'm sure everyone is different, but I'd say, do kegals and things should get back to at least a good condition!

PS. My OB said that even though everything is back to size at 6 weeks, things doing really 100% get back to position and place and so on until around 6 months! So, I kept that in mind too!

[babygem10]

One word Kegels~!!!!

[cairomama]

I feel the same size wise. I agree on the Kegels.

[Fay]

First of all, I want to tell the OP that I think it's impressive that you're already having sex 9 weeks postpartum!

My pelvic area changed significantly after my VBAC in 2007 (3 years ago). My uterus used to be retroverted, it is now in a forward position. My cervix used to be high, towards the back, and very tightly closed...it is now low, towards the front, short and lumpy from stretching and permanently opened. My pubic bone feels lower than it was before my VBAC. My hip bones also feel different, though it's hard to describe how...I guess they feel slightly bent backwards. But the muscles around the vagina are pretty easy to get back into shape...do lots of Kegels! It took many months before I had those muscles under control again after my VBAC, so go easy on yourself..this is one thing that time + exercise can fix for you.

[roadfamily6now]

I've had 5 vaginal births and feel like i'm pretty much good to go in that area. My Husband has never commented that it is not.
KEGELS!