Uterine Prolapse - HELP!

[fruitful womb]

Allow me to formally introduce myself since I'm fairly new at posting on MDC. I have 4 children. First born in the hospital, the rest at home. 3 boys and one daughter. Married in '00 to a wonderful man. Hi

My last two children were very big babies. Ireland waterborn '04 at 10lbs 5oz and Liam 9.8 - 8 wks ago... I gave birth with no labor pains at all. The pushing part hurt but that was 2 minutes with Ireland and 4 minutes with Liam. Jaden - first to be born at home - really hurt, labor and all. Christian - hospital - epidural, 4th degree episiotomy, and forceps (You can see why I never want to step foot in a maternity ward ever again!).

Midwife, from TX, arrived at the last 20 minutes when Ireland making her grand debut. MW wanted to check me and in doing so she broke my waters. Every time my water breaks I start to feel really uncomfortable. I began to push almost immediately. After the first push she yelled, "STOP YOUR PUSHING YOUR UTERUS OUT!!!" I stopped, freaking out now (on all fours, if you can imagine). She pushed my cervix back over Ireland's head and told me to push. I said I didn't feel the urge to push. She suggested I get out of the water then. So I pushed a really really hard push. Ireland was lifeless. MW gave her one breath and my baby girl began to breath.

8 wks ago I felt tightenings in my belly and they had a consistent rhythm so I called MW. When she came over she checked me. I was 5 cm dilated. She called everyone to come over and went home real quick to get cleaned up then came back. The evening was quite strange. I felt like I was a hostess, in a way. Even a friend of mine was on the couch sharing peanuts with the others said, "This is like popcorn and we're watching a movie". :
MW replied , "uh its not suppose to be like that". Thing is, My husband (what is it? DH or something - I don't know the codes) is a really funny guy and we, especially me, were laughing so dang hard. I'm surprised I didn't laugh the baby out of me. I suggested to MW that I wasn't really in labor so she checked me. I was a 7 and declared I was really in labor. I felt like everyone was expecting a baby right then. It was really late. Everyone went to sleep. MW slept next to me. I couldn't sleep. I think MW wanted to leave but was afraid she would miss the birth. At 6am I was so tired. I kept going to the bathroom trying to move things along my self. Kept getting in and out of the birth pool too. 8am she broke my waters, which I really didn't want done. I was hoping for a birth in the caul. At this time I was a 9cm. I allowed her to do it because I thought it would help things along. I went to the bed got on all fours so she could flip the lip of my cervix. Once she did that I had the urge to push. 4 minutes later, MW passed my baby to me through my legs. That part was way cool. Our eyes locked and we stared at each other for so long.

When time came to deliver the placenta. MW wiped away what she thought was a blood clot turns out to me my cervix. She told me to Kegal like crazy. Now that I think about it, I seem to remember the look on the apprentices face - she was very concerned. I went to a urogynecologist who said I have a stage 3 of 4 uterine prolapse. I went to another doctor for a second opinion and this time MW came with me. He had worse news to tell me. He suggested a hysterectomy. This is when I learned about the suspecting "blood clot" really being the cervix. I also have a cystocyle (4 of 4) bladder below the pelvis. And a 3 of 4 rectocyle. They both said my babies beat me up. Doc #2 mentioned that the forceps and episiotomy started this whole fiasco. Then with each baby things got worse. I saw the doctors because I could see bulging (if you can imagine what I mean) and I felt the heavyness, ahem' down there. Today I feel better as I've been doing like 300 kegels per day since then, as well as resting (really taking it easy) and researching like mad too. We want so much to have another daughter. It devastates me that at 29 a doctor is urging me to have a hysterectomy. He did say that if we wanted to have more children I would have to have a c-section. I bawled like a baby for two straight days.

My question is, has anyone been there? Can anyone offer me help, advice, support? Anything will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[runes]

first of all, .

and congratulations on the birth of your newest little one!!

please check out the information and forums over at whole woman

there are absolutely ways that you can manage your pelvic prolapses without devastating surgery such as a hysterectomy. that surgery very often causes many more problems than they solve, and set you up for a lifetime of subsequent surgeries.

i have a mild cystocele after my first baby (forceps and episiotomy) and was also told that i 'should' have c-sections for any subsequent babies, which is the biggest crock of crap ever, there is absolutely NO evidence that shows that c-sections prevent prolapses.

i would highly recommend finding a physical therapist that specializes in women's health. they can help you to do kegels correctly and also strengthen your core muscles in a way to help with the prolapses.

please feel free to pm me for more support.

[nicoley73]

My uterus prolapsed 2 wks after the birth of my second baby. We weren't planning on any more kids anyway so I don't have to worry about that - but this is what I have researched myself.

Your body will most likely heal itself somewhat in the first year postpartum. You may also see some improvement after weaning.

There is debate about whether subsequent vaginal deliveries will worsen prolapse significantly. It seems pretty clear that subsequent pregnancies do have a negative impact - all of that weight on the pelvic floor for nine months. Personally, if I were to have another baby, I would probably do it vaginally - I would hate to have a c-section and still have prolapse.

Even if you do opt for surgery after you are done with babies, you don't need to have a hysterectomy. The latest research is showing that uterine suspension can be very effective. I hate that doctors are so cavalier about removing women's reproductive organs when there is nothing wrong with them - except that they are in the wrong place...

Go to a physical therapist. I'm 9 weeks pp and have been seeing one for 4 weeks. She not only works on my vaginal strength, but core body strength. It has been really helpful, and I've seen lots of improvement - plus I feel better being proactive. My PT says that most women she sees don't know how to kegal properly - I think every postpartum woman should have a few sessions just to keep in shape.

Oh, a pessary might help in the meantime - I used a fembrace when I was feeling really bad postpartum. Dh called it my chastity belt - it's like super support panties - but it really helped with the bulgy feeling.

Sorry for the really long post - I hope you feel better.

[bryonyvaughn]

IMO you've gotten excellent advice so far. I'd also add in seeing a classical homeopath.

~BV

[fruitful womb]

nicoley73

Sorry for the really long post - I hope you feel better.

It wasn't long. You write very well and I enjoyed reading it.

bryonyvaughn

IMO you've gotten excellent advice so far.

Your darn right I have! This has been very helpful. You all have been so supportive. Thanks.

My cystocele started before I had any children. I asked the doctor how could this have happened. He suggested it may have been from holding my urine for long periods of time. This is in-fact very true. In High School we were never allowed to go to the potty during class. The only time we had a chance to void was during lunch. Our lunch was only 20 min. and the lines in the girls bathroom was always long. I either ate or voided, sometimes neither. Our school was huge and classes were half a mile from each other. I'm not kidding. And we had 5 minutes to get there. Oh don't even get me started on America's public school system!!!:

In addition to all the wonderful advice you've given me, I learned a few things in the mean time.

(In England) they won't do an evaluation for prolapse surgery until ONE YEAR post partum as they consider the vagina to be in trauma until that time. No s**t

In Chinese medicine, post partum is a period of two years, your body can repair itself. (an acupuncturist )

I can't tell you how much better I feel now.

nicoley73, if you don't mind my asking, what was it that help you decide-

We weren't planning on any more kids

I'll hear mom's say "I'm done!". It must be some kind of calling for them. I often wonder when it will hit me. I've imagine every one of my children so far. I knew who was coming and they came. Its very strange. I can see three more. Although, I would just like to at least have one more. So when the Doctor said hysterectomy I mourned for all the children that would not be born.

kidspiration ,

please check out the information and forums over at whole woman

I went there. Its a cool site. Thanks.