[DuchessTergie]

Ladies, TMI ahead.

I put on a belly binder 12 hours postpartum and for 2 days I felt terrific from the support. Then, I put it on the third day and felt like my insides were falling out. For me, binding caused a mild pelvic prolapse which in my view is way worse than a baggy tummy.

If your pelvic floor is exta weak ( and I think mine was going into delivery and made worse by DS's hand being at his face) I'd skip the binding and book an appointment with a pelvic floor specialist.

Most don't have this problem crop up (or drop down) but I wish I had known it was a risk....

 

[Metasequoia]

DDCC from July. Hugs Mama, not something a new mama should have to deal with.

I had something similar after my third baby when he was about 2-3 weeks old. I wore him in a pouch (KKAFP) while shopping and I also wore pre-pregnancy pants that sat a bit high on my waist and buttoned too tight and by the end of the day, I felt like my insides had dropped too. Mine turned out to be a collapsed front vaginal wall, not uterine prolapse.

I found the WholeWoman site and spent a lot of time reading, corrected my posture, both sitting and standing, and it gradually got better. Posture is a HUGE issue leading up to pelvic organ prolapse of any kind - even for women who've never been pregnant (and even for men.)

I was nervous going into my 4th pregnancy and birth but everything was fine! The initial issue had resolved and never reappeared after birth. Now I'm pregnant with my 5th and am not worried.

Your description of the belly binding sounds so much like my tight-waisted pants + pouch with baby = pushing everything in and down. Low-waisted pants that aren't tight are really the best idea for women. And *never* tuck in your butt & suck in your belly, as we've been told for so many years. Gotta have that natural curve in our lower backs.

Remember that Katy Bowman interview a while back about how Kegels are BAD for your pelvic floor? She's a great source for info on proper posture preventing and correcting pelvic organ prolapse too.

I know it's hard not to worry, but things often get better, especially if you correct your posture and are careful not to strain. No crunches/sit-ups (EVER - for any women!), take magnesium citrate if you get constipated so you don't have to strain, and rest with baby.

Hugs mama & congratulations on your new baby!

 

[marilyn612]

DDCC - this happened to me as well. Use binding with caution, or not at all.

 

[Valerie11]

I was planning on using mine loosely just to make it from the bed to the bathroom in the first 2-3 days without that horrible feeling of the stomach hanging. Not while in bed or whatever, and I'm not concerned with getting my shape back quickly. Do you ladies think that would be doable without causing a problem?

 

[cagnew]

I can't bind after birth for similar reasons. I have to wait a few weeks. In fact, I can't do much baby wearing either at first because of my pelvic floor and some other unidentified internal discomfort. It's a bummer! Good thing is most of the problems clear up with time and care.

Duchess: I had a moderate prolapse after #3 and I was devastated thinking I was handicapped for life (a bit dramatic). It pretty much healed completely with time.

 

[marilyn612]

I have a rectocele. I haven't started any physio yet as the original dr I saw doesn't think it works. I have an appointment soon with my regular dr soon and am hoping he will give me a referral. I can't afford
Physio alone but do have insurance. Personally I will never bind again. My "minor" rectocele is bothersome daily.

 

[DuchessTergie]

I am so thankful for each and every reply. They were not only helpful but I'm encouraged to know I'm not alone. Cagnew, not dramatic. I feel like my body is wrecked. I'm so happy to hear it can heal. I thought I'd be done with babies (and sex for that matter) forever. I also stupidly thought this would never happen because I'm fit. Apparently, the muscles that count aren't fit at all.

I'm going to order the MuTu system and start physio after my 6 week check. I'm working hard on my posture, too.

Here's to healing, ladies.

 

[Rikki Jean]

Oh, no! I'm not planning on binding, but I have diastasis recti and am planning on splinting (and I've been splinting for most of my pregnancy). Similar idea, I guess, but not quite the same (the splint is only supposed to be snug like a hug, not tight and binding).

Either way, I will hopefully be seeing a PF specialist in the next few months. I was already dx'd with a hypertonic pelvic floor and prolapsed uterus and colon before getting pregnant.

Also, I love Katie Bowman, and I've heard great things about MuTu. I do a different program, but the ladies that run it speak highly of MuTu.


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[jodieanneanton]

Oh, no! @DuchessTergie, I am sorry you are dealing with that!

I am glad that women with experience piped in to give you hope. (I second the Katy Bowman advice, too. She has a lot of good stuff in her blog and has also written a few book/done a few videos.)

((HUGS))

 

[forestlover75]

Wow, sorry to hear that Duchess. Thanks for sharing everyone. This is great information to have. Hope all heals up soon.

 

[Metasequoia]

I thought I'd be done with babies (and sex for that matter) forever.

Sex is actually better for me since things shifted down there. :grin:

 

[luckiest]

I had a minor cystocele a while back, and the Christine Kent Whole Woman stuff really helped. Mine was hormone related, it developed after a miscarriage and would worsen during certain parts of my cycle. There's definitely a lot that can be done to heal. I hope it heals quickly, that feeling is so uncomfortable.


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[honeybunmom]

I am so thankful for each and every reply. They were not only helpful but I'm encouraged to know I'm not alone. Cagnew, not dramatic. I feel like my body is wrecked. I'm so happy to hear it can heal. I thought I'd be done with babies (and sex for that matter) forever. I also stupidly thought this would never happen because I'm fit. Apparently, the muscles that count aren't fit at all.

I'm going to order the MuTu system and start physio after my 6 week check. I'm working hard on my posture, too.

Here's to healing, ladies.

Don't be too hard on yourself, Duchess. Since I went into this pregnancy with more than a year of kettle bell training under my belt, I was very surprised to have back pain. And to have it now when I hadn't been working out prior to the last pregnancy where I had zero problems! Kettle bell training should have given me a posterior chain of steel.

Well, mentioned this at my physical therapy session today (bc yes, that is where the pain has landed me). I had a new therapist and she asked whether I had been told about the impact of hormones? Nope. Apparently, with each successive pregnancy, the hormones that cause our ligaments and joints to soften and expand have a more lasting affect and talk longer to leave the body. And the body (in most cases) does not 100% return to its prior state.

I did not enjoy hearing that!!

 

[DuchessTergie]

I thought ligaments played a role-- organs aren't just suspended in space, so that makes sense.

Ive been looking into whole woman but it seems I have to buy something? And Katy Bowman, a biomechanist Ive read before, seems excellent on prevention I'm not findng much from her once the damage is done.

So I e been sticking my butt out, activating my TA and working hard to maintain good posture

 

[Metasequoia]

I thought ligaments played a role-- organs aren't just suspended in space, so that makes sense.

Ive been looking into whole woman but it seems I have to buy something? And Katy Bowman, a biomechanist Ive read before, seems excellent on prevention I'm not findng much from her once the damage is done.

So I e been sticking my butt out, activating my TA and working hard to maintain good posture

I never bought anything from Whole Woman, just read about the posture and spent a lot of time on the forums. The DVDs are ridiculously expensive which infuriates me.

How was your pushing? I know you posted, but w/o going back to read, I don't remember the details. My first 2 births were with a midwife in a hospital and she was totally hands off, letting me follow my body's cues - so I only pushed with my firstborn when my body told me to and my second baby came SO fast that I didn't even push; she just quickly slid out. I had no issues after these births.
In my third pregnancy, I hemorrhaged at 12+ weeks and let fear guide my decision to go with an OB/GYN practice. I delivered in the hospital with a male OB who was unbelievably horrible. It felt like birth rape. He forced me into pushing when my body didn't feel like pushing by telling me my baby was in danger (he wasn't.) I was fully dilated and my water had broken, which only happens for me right before birth and I didn't push more than a few times. I had a completely natural birth until he gave me a shot of pitocin *after* I'd delivered to hurry up and get my placenta out (and it was only a minute or two after delivery that he administered this *without* my consent (while simultaneously tugging on my cord.) It was after this birth that I had issues with my pelvic floor. Maybe it was the pushing when I didn't feel like pushing and/or the pit. and/or the tugging on the cord. Who knows.
My fourth birth was heavenly, I only pushed once and when I did, it was more of an easing the baby out versus a forced pushing. And zero issues afterward.

 

[DuchessTergie]

That birth sounds awful. I'm glad your next birth was better! I had an epidural, and pushing on my side was painful so... I ended up on my back. Great.

 

[jodieanneanton]

@DuchessTergie, How are you doing? I have prolapse now, too.

 

[DuchessTergie]

Oh no, Jodie! I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm 6 weeks out with considerable improvement! I started the Hab-it DVD 3 weeks pp. I have no symptoms anymore. Though if I look with a mirror, things have moved only a tiny bit. I'll see a women's health PT in 2 weeks for exercises and some sort of feedback. The Whole Woman website has lots of info, so does the Hab-it site. I hope you heal quickly, mama.