I had my procedure in June of 2017. I had never been able to even insert a finger, Q-tip, tampon, etc. and my husband could not penetrate me. The pain-fear cycle was so intense that attempting any insertion would nearly make me faint, but I kept desperately trying anyway.
I was very diligent with the dilators post-procedure, and was thrilled when we were able to begin having intercourse a couple of months later, and with only minimal discomfort (mostly just from certain positions or from thrusting). However, I still had to take things very slowly, maintain a lot of control, and could not find pleasure in any type of thrusting motion. I was thrilled to be able to have intercourse though and that I could even climax during it.
Fast forward a year and a half post-procedure, and I had my first child. I had a completely unmedicated birth (minus a tiny dose of lidocaine injected at the entry muscles after a long pushing phase to help those muscles relax for the final couple of pushes when I was running out of steam at the end). My son weighed 9lbs and had a head circumference in the 97th percentile at birth, and I was able to push him out without any hindrance from vaginismus! I was a bit concerned about secondary vaginismus, but my husband and I resumed intercourse as soon as I had clearance…and it has felt 10x more amazing for me than it did previously!! There is zero discomfort in any position or from any level of thrusting, I no longer have to be in control of insertion, and I am able to climax so much more easily now that things go so smoothly.
I was so discouraged prior to the procedure. The procedure, follow-up support from Maze, and dilation enabled things that seemed completely out of reach after so much effort on my own.
I hope I can be an encouragement to others. And if anyone has a desire to have an unmedicated birth after vaginismus, it’s completely doable! I also met with a pelvic floor PT a few times during pregnancy, which was helpful to boost my confidence that I knew how to work those muscles for birth.
