Pelvic Organ Prolapse question

[kpsunbound]

I am 6 weeks postpartum and just had the courage to look "down there" since being frightened at about 3 weeks postpartum when I looked last. I'm devastated to see a huge, fleshy tissue inside my vagina which, incidentally my vagina looks like a huge cavity - nothing resembling "normal." This is what I saw at 3 weeks but thought it was just massive swelling still from the vaginal birth - it felt then like a big tampon was sitting really low & was at times difficult to urinate. I hadn't looked since, telling myself that I was going to give myself proper time to heal before jumping to conclusions and getting myself upset (advice from my doctor). Urinating has become easier (was only a bit blocked-feeling for a few days and since it went away, I didn't think much of it) and I don't feel the low tampon sensation so much, but that could be that I've grown accustomed to the feeling perhaps?

I'm 31, fit and had a healthy pregnancy - could I have POP? Moreover, my birth was relatively quick and easy - was induced with pitocin and pushed my baby girl out in just 5 contractions (in 25 minutes). I had a small tear in the inner layer of the vagina which required 4 stitches, but no tear in my perineum. I've done some internet research since I can't get in for my postpartum check up until Tuesday, and have been a crying mess all morning as it sounds like POP. Something HAS to be done...I couldn't have intercourse now if I wanted to due to the large "mass" in my vagina. Is surgery needed to look & feel normal again? I saw that in some cases a hysterectomy is needed! Have I misdiagnosed myself and is it potentially normal to still look really "not normal" down there at 6 weeks and/or to still be really swollen? Apart from what feel like internal hemroids, I've felt great for the most part until now...positive, energentic, in good physical condition (so I thought).

Help - somebody please shed some light for me! I'd be grateful for any advice offered, however brief, to confirm or suggest otherwise to my POP concern.

Thank you.

[wombatclay]

I know you found us, but http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=713732 is a huge thread for mamas dealing with POP.
I just wanted to offer another hug.

Hang in there... the inner organs are moving around a lot during the first 8-12 weeks, and my own care providers told me they wouldn't diagnose anything as "final" till about 6 months pp. Some health systems (like chinese traditional medicine) actually say that nothing is "final" for the first year postpartum. That doesn't mean you shouldn't be checked, or that you shouldn't explore the healing ideas in the POP thread (like maya massage, chiropractic, herbal treatments, homeopathic treatments, different fitness routines like Whole Woman, Tupler Technique, CORE, belly dance, kundalini or svaroopa yoga, the use of sea sponges as pessaries)... but it does mean you should try to give yourself the time to heal before getting too upset.

I know, easier said than done... even now (a year pp) I have days when I just break down. But there are days when I feel totally fine despite the bladder/uterine prolapse. And it's A LOT better than it was a year ago! So hang in there!