After giving birth to your baby, you're usually understandably eager to start feeling like yourself again mentally and physically. Ideally, you won't have any serious complications and you'll be feeling better in no time. Although works out that way for many women, others have some serious side effects that can mean months of pain and discomfort. One of those is a postpartum prolapse, which you might not have even heard of before. But there are some signs of postpartum prolapse you should be aware of in case it happens to you.
According to the Pregnancy Centre, a postpartum prolapse occurs when the organs found in your pelvic area (like your uterus, bladder, or bowels) drop down into your vagina. This can happen because your pelvic floor muscles, which help support the organs, are sometimes greatly weakened by pregnancy and childbirth. It's not super common, but it's not exactly rare either— the National Association for Continence estimated that about 200,00 woman undergo surgery to deal with a prolapse every year.
The condition can be painful and embarrassing, but there's no reason to suffer in silence. If you think you might have a prolapse, let your doctor know. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are plenty of lifestyle changes and exercises that can help correct a prolapse, including weight loss and physical therapy.
Here are seven signs of a postpartum prolapse to watch out for.
1
You're Leaking Pee
According to the Mayo Clinic, urine leakage can be a sign of a prolapse. Some women complain they feel drips of pee when they're exercising, when they cough, or even when they laugh.
2
You Constantly Feel Like You Need To Pee
The days of needing to pee constantly don't always end once you give birth. According to Belly Belly, if you're still feeling like you need to go all the time after you have your baby, you could have a postpartum prolapse.
3
You Feel Pressure Or Heaviness In Your Pelvis
You probably got used to the unpleasant sensation of your baby's head pressing down on your pelvis during pregnancy, and looked forward to it ending after birth. But if you're still experiencing that pressure or heaviness in your pelvis, Healthline noted that that's one of the symptoms of a prolapse.
4
You Feel Pain During Sex
If you're eager to reboot your sex life after giving birth, a prolapse could make that difficult. According to the Harvard Medical School, postpartum prolapse can cause pain during sex.
5
You' Have Trouble Going To The Bathroom
Prolapses can cause all sorts of issues in the bathroom. In addition to urine leakage, you might also feel like you just can't empty your bladder according to Baby Med. Your rectum can also prolapse, making it difficult and painful to poop.
6
Your Back Hurts
There are many different things that can make your back ache during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. But according to the Pregnancy Centre, a prolapse is one of the more serious potential causes of an achy back.
7
You Can Actually See A Bulge
Although the other symptoms on this list may not be so obvious, this one is much more so. If your prolapse is severe, Today's Parent noted that you'll actually be able to see and feel a bulge in your vagina. If that happens, let your doctor know right away so you can figure out a treatment plan.
