Two months after giving birth, my vagina is very loose

Generally speaking, women who have given birth vaginally, which is often called normal childbirth, are very likely to have loose vaginal walls. This is generally a normal phenomenon and it takes some time to recover. Women's vaginas will undergo varying degrees of changes during normal childbirth, which will affect the quality of the couple's sex life. In this case, it is best to go to the hospital for a pelvic assessment and then do some rehabilitation treatment based on the assessment results.

Causes of vaginal relaxation after childbirth

During childbirth, the fetal head enters the pelvis, compressing the muscles and fascia of the pelvic floor and related supporting structures, and the various ligaments supporting the uterus are also greatly stretched. Especially when the labor is slow and unsuccessful, due to the long-term pressure of the fetal head, coupled with the assistance of forceps or fetal head absorbers, etc., the muscles and fascia of the pelvic floor are often torn, and the related supporting ligaments become loose.

For mothers who give birth naturally, since the fetus is delivered through the vagina, the diameter of the baby's head is usually about 10 cm. That is, the vagina will expand to 10 cm during delivery (the normal vaginal diameter is 2.5 cm). After being squeezed by the born child, the vagina expands significantly, the muscles and hymen scars are completely destroyed, and the elasticity is significantly reduced. However, the vagina of the mother who gave birth vaginally will change, and there will be different degrees of vaginal relaxation. But it does not mean that natural childbirth is the culprit for vaginal relaxation, because when the mother is in labor, the pelvic muscles and ligaments will be fully stretched to prepare the birth canal for the baby's birth. Therefore, even mothers who have undergone cesarean section will have vaginal relaxation.

Symptoms of vaginal relaxation after childbirth

Vaginal relaxation after childbirth, mild cases with no obvious symptoms. In severe cases, patients may feel a sense of falling, back pain, and a lump coming out of the vagina, which is actually a bulging anterior vaginal wall. The lump becomes larger and the feeling of falling becomes more obvious when standing for a long time, after strenuous activity or when abdominal pressure is increased. If only the anterior vaginal wall is combined with cystocele, the posterior urethral bladder angle becomes sharp, often leading to dysuria and urine retention, and even secondary urinary tract infection. If the anterior wall of the vagina bulges completely, the posterior angle of the urethra and bladder disappears, and urine overflows when the abdominal pressure increases due to coughing, holding the breath, etc., which is called stress urinary incontinence.

During vaginal examination, loose vaginal opening is often accompanied by old perineal tear. The anterior wall of the vagina is hemispherical and soft to the touch. The mucosa there becomes thin and translucent, and the wrinkles disappear. The bulging anterior vaginal wall is clearly visible when the patient holds her breath.

Treatment of postpartum vaginal relaxation

The vagina itself has a certain repair function, and the expansion phenomenon that occurs after delivery can be restored within 3 months after delivery. But after all, the muscles in the vagina are damaged by squeezing and tearing, so it takes a longer time for the vaginal elasticity to recover. Postpartum mothers can use some exercises to enhance elasticity recovery, treat postpartum vaginal relaxation, and promote vaginal firming.

1. Hold your urine

During urination, consciously hold your urine for a few seconds to interrupt urination, and then continue urinating after a short pause. Repeating this process for a period of time can increase the tension of the muscles around the vagina.

2. Anal lifting exercise

When you feel the urge to defecate, hold your stool and do anal lifting exercises. Repeating this exercise frequently can help train your pelvic muscles.

3. Contraction exercise

Lie on your back, relax your body, gently insert a finger into the vagina, then contract and clamp the vagina for 3 seconds, then relax, and repeat several times. The time can be gradually increased.

4. Kegel exercises

Doing Kegel exercises early after delivery can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. After a period of exercise, the vagina can shrink and its elasticity can recover to more than 80% of its pre-delivery level.

5. Other sports

When walking, consciously tighten the inner side of your big toe and perineum muscles, then relax and repeat the exercise.

Through these daily exercises, the tension of the pelvic muscles and the muscles around the vagina can be greatly improved, which helps restore the elasticity of the vagina and is helpful for sexual life. In addition to restorative exercises, postpartum mothers should also ensure that they take in essential nutrients to ensure muscle recovery.

5. Vaginal repair

Vaginal repair surgery can help improve vaginal relaxation, but it is not conducive to a second natural delivery. The purpose of vaginal repair is actually to improve the quality of sexual life.

Indications: After vaginal delivery, loose birth canal, enlarged vaginal opening due to episiotomy, or eversion of the anterior vaginal wall can all be restored through vaginal tightening surgery.

Contraindications: Patients with gynecological diseases such as vaginitis and uterine erosion are not suitable for surgery.

During pregnancy, the body's progesterone and estrogen levels increase, which promotes breast secretion, relaxes the birth canal, and enlarges the pelvis in preparation for the birth of the baby. Therefore, if a mother plans to undergo vaginal tightening surgery, she should wait 3-5 months after delivery, when the hormone levels in the body return to pre-pregnancy levels. Moreover, since there are scars on both sides of the vagina after surgery, the elasticity is affected, which is not conducive to a second natural delivery. In principle, it is recommended to choose a cesarean section. Therefore, mothers who are considering continuing to have children should make careful choices.