I read this awesome article this morning talking about childbirth injuries and why some of our OBs don’t do a very good job of handling these issues.
If you are experiencing any sort of pain, incontinence or if everything is just a little “not right” then find yourself a women’s health Physio (that is basically a summary of the article conclusion). And it doesn’t matter if it was a vaginal birth or csection, these things can happen to us all.
I think we are expected to just pick ourselves up and recover from birth like it was nothing when really, it is a massive event for your body and it is quite normal if something isn’t quite the same after it. Yes women have been delivering in the fields for years because oh it’s natural but I bet they also have flappy vaginas from tears that haven’t healed and terrible incontinence issues. They aren’t all just bouncing back because they are back in the fields the next day.
My favourite quote from the article on this:
One New York mother summed up her recent postpartum experience this way: ‘You’re not hemorrhaging? OK, peace, see you later.'”
Here’s the link if you want to have a read. I highly recommend it if you have anything at all funky going on.
The Secret Life of Emily Maine 
Yes! And normalising things that are actual medical issues like mild incontinence. Same thing happens to menstruation as well, some women put up with incredible pain and inconvenience because it is just their period, when in actual fact, it isn’t normal and should be dealt with my a doctor. My GP (Primary physician) summed it up “Mention anything and I will tell you of it is normal or not, don’t put up with something just because you think it is just what everyone has to do, especially if it affects your life”.
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Totally. You have put it there beautifully!
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That quote is bang on how I felt!
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Yes – it’s considered ‘abnormal’ because nobody talks about it! Still a lot of stigma surrounding incontinence and other ‘women’s issues’
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Totally. My MIL suffers terribly still from just her one child (Eric) and he is now 46. It’s crazy.
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Interestingly enough, I once examined a woman who had never even been pregnant, and she had complete prolapse, which is when the vagina and cervix come out the vaginal opening–and is mostly thought of as a result of childbearing. She had just lived with it and had never, ever said anything and would have lived with it longer except I talked her into a complete physical exam. She must have been so uncomfortable! And said nothing! Isn’t that a crazy thought?—–Terri
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That IS crazy. Wow. It is amazing what people will put up with.
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This article was amazing. After my first, I suffered for almost 8 months of back and hip pain before talking to a chiropractor who specialized in women’s health and pre/post natal care. She changed my life…..apparently my pregnancy had caused a sprained Glut muscle (yes a sprained ass!) which made it almost impossible for my pelvis to stabalize. She taught me how to get those muscles activated again, and after a few weeks of core strengthening exercises I was virtually pain free.
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That’s awesome!!
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It’s such a product of sexism that women with childbirth injuries are so dismissed. I had no idea about any of this stuff. What an awful experience for the woman in the article.
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SO part of me really likes this points but another part of me is conflicted because I think instead of childbirth injury being “normalized”, we should be trying to change the birth industry in general to lower rates of childbirth injury in the first place. In the U.S. we have one of the highest intervention rates in the developed world, one of the highest infant mortality rates, one of the highest maternal mortality rates, and some of the highest “injury rates”. What if we could changes women’s perception of birth as something wonderful that our bodies (I KNOW this doesn’t go for some women and situations) were made to do wonderfully on their own. What if we didn’t “fear” childbirth because our health providers evolved with all the information that’s coming back around the bend showing us that fewer interventions, non-directed “pushing” or laboring down, alternative birthing positions are all beneficial and have lower rates of perceived negative outcomes. I would love to see a change to improve birth experiences, more than just normalizing negative ones. (even though I know this is also good because of course, they do happen.)
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I totally agree. I had a successful VBAC of a 9lb9oz baby last year and the reason that took place was through me being educated , having a doula at my birth and a supportive obstetrician. This post was made due to someone commenting on Facebook about being glad they had their CS as they didn’t have any injuries and i felt compelled to point out that CS isn’t injury free just because the baby doesn’t come out your vagina. I am starting a new blog where I will be talking a lot more about VBACs and birth education and I will take your comment on board to reframe the message as I think it is a good one. Thx for stopping by. 😃
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