Table of Contents
Introduction Elaine Miller 1
Prologue: The Beginning - How did I get here? 4
Part 1 Pregnancy and childbirth
1 Speaking up 13
2 Childbirth - Expectations 23
3 Childbirth - Reality 34
4 Coming home 42
5 Six-week check 48
6 Damage assessment 60
Part 2 Aftermath - Who am I now?
7 Depression 73
8 Survival 82
9 Booze 90
10 Starting again 109
11 Pelvis 114
Part 3 Round 2 - Back for more
12 Childbirth - Again 121
13 Physiotherapy 125
14 Urogynaecology 136
15 History 148
16 Surgery 160
Part 4 The Final Taboos
17 Potty Training 177
18 Poo 182
19 Stigma 202
20 Sex 214
Part 5 Lessons
21 Feminism 223
22 PMSL 234
23 Men 241
24 Medics 250
25 Coping 261
Epilogue - The Ending: How Did I Get Here? 271
What If You Are Leaky Too? 280
Talking to Doctors about Your Private Parts - Written with GP Rachel Boyce 288
Getting Help and Information for a Broken body 294
Getting Help and Information for a Broken Mind 297
References 299
Acknowledgements 307
Index 309