I Had a Baby and Things are Different "Down There"

You had a beautiful vaginal birth the way that babies were made to be born but now it is a few months later and you noticed things "down there" do not seem quite the way they used to. 

Following, you will see an explanation of what might be going on that is different and what if anything you need to do. Keep in mind most change is normal and requires nothing different.

Scar Tissue

What it looks like-There is a line from between your vagina to your rectum. 

Where it came from-If you had an episiotomy or tore significantly and needed stitches you may have a line of scar tissue on your perineum. Usually this is painless and does not cause any problems. 

What you can do to help- If it is painful or in preparation for subsequent births where hopefully you will not tear you may want to apply some evening primrose and coconut oil daily and rub it into the scar tissue.


Extra Flaps of Labial Skin

What it looks like- The folds in your labia (the lips) look different and may have extra folds or flaps.

Where it came from- As the skin stretches it usually goes back to its original shape but not always and occasionally there may be slight tears which cause extra pieces of skin.

What you can do to help- Most of these are not painful and are cosmetic only. You may be surprised that intercourse after a baby feels better because of this extra skin. If that is not the case and it is painful talk to a gynecologist about having them surgically removed.

Cystocele

What it looks like- A ball like lump of tissue on the top part of your vaginal canal.

Where it came from- A cystocele  is a medical condition that occurs when the tough fibrous wall between a woman's bladder and her vagina (the pubovesical fascia) is torn by childbirth, allowing the bladder to poke down into the vagina. Even if you have a c-section you can still get a cystocele just by being pregnant.

What you can do to help- For most women a cystocele causes no problems. In some cases the woman may need to urinate more frequently  Occasionally it may cause problems with retaining or leaking urine or pain during intercourse. Some things you can do to help your cystocele heal are: maintain a healthy weight, avoid lifting things that are very heavy, urinate frequently to keep your bladder empty, space your pregnancies to allow healing time between each child, avoid strenuous running that puts pressure on the bladder. If it is very severe there is a surgical procedure that can be performed by and gynecologist. 

Rectocele

What it looks like- A ball like lump of tissue on the bottom part of your vaginal canal.

Where it came from- A rectocele results from a tear in the rectovaginal septum (which is normally a tough, fibrous, sheet-like divider between the rectum and vagina). Rectal tissue bulges through this tear and into the vagina as a hernia. There are two main causes of this tear: childbirth, and hysterectomy. Women who have birthed a posterior baby, face up, are more likely to have a rectocele,

What you can do to help- For most women a rectocele causes no problem. In some cases a woman may have a "full" feeling in their vagina, have trouble having a bowel movement or have discomfort during intercourse. Eating a high fiber diet and encouraging regular bowel movements is the best treatment. Using a stool to place your feet on and avoid bearing down while passing stool helps a lot. If you are having major pain or problems a gynecologist can perform a surgery to repair things.

Vaginal Prolapse

What it looks like- Extra tissue in your vagina, a feeling of "falling out", feeling your cervix (entrance to your uterus that feels like the tip of your nose) just inside your vagina, vaginal wall hanging out of your vagina.

Where it came from-Vaginal prolapse is characterized by a portion of the vaginal canal protruding (prolapsing) from the opening of the vagina. The condition usually occurs when the pelvic floor collapses as a result of childbirth. Childbirth with an epidural, a very large baby or pushing for a very long time increases your chances of prolapse.

What you can do to help- Give yourself time as things tend to heal by themselves. Avoid lifting heavy object or running and jumping. If it is problematic a gynecologist can prescribe a pessary, which is a plastic rod that you wear internally to hold everything in, or perform surgery to repair things.

What about Kegel exercises?
Kegel exercises can help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and for years they were thought to be the cure all for all pelvic floor issues.
 All about Kegel Exercises

New studies have shown that doing sets of squats several times per day are actually far superior to Kegel Exercises.
 All about squats for pelvic floor health

In the end remember that "down there" is beautiful no mater what has changed since you gave birth to your baby. If it is just cosmetic think of it as ever evolving if it is painful or problematic consider some of the above options to improve your quality of life.