Anyone have any advice/experience on giving birth with a Hernia?

[becklesparkle]

Am due in 3 weeks and have an iguinal hernia in my groin area but the MW has not given me any advice on what effect that could have on me during labour! I also have SPD although thankfully not too badly.

Doc had never come across a pg woman with a hernia (which I find hard to believe) and all he has said is that the hernia may pop out more while pushing - v helpful - not!

Am waiting for an appointment with consultant surgeon but TBH it is unlikely to be before my due date.

I am starting to worry a bit about the labour as I tend to have large babies and don't really know what effect the pressure will have on the hernia. I am trying to stay away from Evil Google so thought I would ask you ladies if you had any experience of this at all.

[becklesparkle]

Advice on good positions for giving birth in to minimise discomfort from SPD and Hernia would also be greatly appreciated - again MWs have not even discussed this with me!

[Camillathechicken]

www.pelvicpartnership.org is a good place to start

left lateral position is good for SPD sufferers

also, using a piece of material to show how far apart your legs can comfortably go

[Camillathechicken]

and all fours

[becklesparkle]

Thanks Camilla! Legs go a fair distance apart, thankfully the SPD is not too bad and mostly on one side (the opposite one to the hernia).

[Camillathechicken]

no worries

BTW, the link i gave you is wrong

it is

www.pelvicpartnership.org.uk sorry about that !

[becklesparkle]

Wondered why I got nowhere with the first link! Had a good look at the second one - thanks for posting it Camilla. Far more on there about SPD than the leaflet I was given by the MWs.

Anyone got any experience of a Hernia during pregnancy?

[becklesparkle]

bump

[becklesparkle]

Has no-one had a hernia in pregnancy then? I am surprised as I thought it would be fairly common with all the pressure involved!

[orangina]

I had exactly the same as you becklesparkle.... an inguenal hernia appeared in my first pregnancy (RHS), and reappeared early on in my second as well. Was as worried as you about it, felt sure that I would push a hernia out before I ever managed to push a baby out, but in fact it didn't bother me at all during labour. Felt very uncomfortable during both pregnancies with it. My advice, don't worry about labour, my hernia popped back in as soon as babies appeared. Did make sure it was in my notes though, and the hernia was monitored during pregnancy. As a general rule, if you can lie down and the hernia "disappears", you're ok.

[orangina]

BUT, if you are thinking about getting it operated on after your pregnancy is over, think very carefully about timing, as it does put you out of action for a while, and you can't lift anything very heavy for a least 6 weeks. Not easy if you have a big baby and perhaps a clingy toddler to deal with (as I found out myself )...

[wobbegong]

Hi there becklespeckle, our stories are almost identical. I am due in four weeks and have an inguinal RH hernia and moderate SPD. It's great to see orangina's positive response. I've done lots of research and found that my midwives are giving absolutely no advice or help (a Professor of Midwifery told me most midwives will never have come across it, which sounds pretty weird to me- though like your doc). But I did get to see a consultant, who was immensely reassuring. She said it wasn't unusual and not to worry. She said it might hurt a bit in labour but I'd be unlikely to notice given everything else going on! I have an appointment with a surgeon about a week or so after the birth to see whether it has "tidied itself away" or got worse after the birth. Given the advice I got I wouldn't worry too much about not seeing a surgeon before the birth. Certainly it is getting bigger as I get bigger, but only uncomfortable not painful. My GP brother-in-law also very reassuring and said not to worry, only worry if it becomes suddenly very painful as it might be strangulated. He also advised me to try to avoid getting constipated. Because of the SPD and hernia and everything I'm looking at a waterbirth if I can- to ease the pressure a bit. We might want to avoid being on our backs with legs spread (esp if bracing ourselves with our feet). Good luck to us both!

[becklesparkle]

Thanks for your replies Orangina and Wobbegong, its really reassuring to hear of other people with the same problem!

Really glad to hear it was not too much trouble for you in labour Orangina, my boys quite big babies and it has been concerning me! How did it effect your recovery from birth afterwards? Were you able to do excersise/go to the gym? Am supposed to be doing a 5km run (am not a fitness freak usually, it is for charity!) in the summer and would like to have some level of fitness back (hahaha)! Do you have to have it operated on afterwards? Am quite worried about possible surgery afterwards too.

Mine has not been monitored at all, it started appearing at about 20 weeks but the MWs and Doc didn't take it seriously. About 3 weeks ago I saw a different doc who immediately diagnosed a hernia, he said he could feel the tear in the muscle! Like yours Wobbegong it is only uncomfy but is getting bigger! Doc gave me a belt thing to wear to push the hernia back in but it is supposed to sit around my waist and I don't have one at the moment so the belt is currently more uncomfortable than the hernia! Avoiding constipation may be a problem though as I am on iron for anaemia - that never helps! I have been told that all fours is a good position for labouring with SPD and my friend (who had it really badly) gave birth on her side. Whichever of us 'pops' first will have to let the other know how it was - we do sound in a very similar situation!

[orangina]

Hi Becklesparkle.... I didn't HAVE to have surgery afterwards, but as it had popped out twice (for both pregnancies), I couldn't face having to possibly deal with an emergency by lifting or pulling something later on. It didn't affect my birth recovery at all, and to be honest, once the baby was born, it popped back in again and it didn't bother me at all. I don't regret having had surgery to sort it out, but the post operative recovery was definitely worse than I was expecting. Don't imagine it would affect your getting back to a decent level of fitness either. But go to your gp and perhaps get a surgical consult to advise you.

[orangina]

Sorry, not very clear. I would imagine recovering from hernia operation WOULD affect your getting back to fitness (anything abdominal is a no go area for 6 weeks at least, though cardio work is fine...), but certainly post birth, the hernia shouldn't affect it at all.

[becklesparkle]

Thanks Orangina, I guess I will have to wait and see what the surgeons say about it. Obviously if they say it needs repairing then I will have it done - like you say I would hate for it to pop out while lifting or pulling. I am just a chicken about pain!!!

Can I ask how long ago you had yours repaired and if you have had any further problems with the area at all?

[orangina]

ds born on feb 4th this year, hernia op on april 20th this year. wasn't allowed to lift dd (2 years) for 6 weeks, which wasn't easy as she is still in a cot (I got little stepladder and she obligingly climbed in and out of her cot ), but feeding ds was NOT easy. He weighed about 12 lbs from memory (maybe more? God, I can't beleive I can't remember...), and getting him in and out of his moses basket even and settling him properly on my lap was painful for about 3 weeks. Worst post op pain over within 10 days (bugger the paracetamol my surgeon said would be enough, I hit the volterol post birth pills I still had, ok for bfeeding), some discomfort when I twisted for another few weeks after that. Absolutely fine within the 6 weeks, though I then tried to do a bums and tums class at the gym, which wasn't easy.....!

[orangina]

I would see if you can arrange (maybe through your midwives?) a surgical consult asap after the birth (or perhaps just after your 6 week check).... if you do it all through your gp, the appt will probably take 3 months to come through, but I seem to remember getting the consult arranged as part of the post birth thing.

[becklesparkle]

Thanks for the advice! Thankfully my DSs are 7 & almost 5 so very little lifting is required there! I am within walking distance of school, shops, etc so that is good too. My boys were both large babies though and I am small so even at 2-3 months lifting this one may be a problem. I think I am going to write a list of questions for the consultant. How did they repair yours? Did they stitch it all together or did they put a piece of mesh in for the muscle to 'grow' back over?

Got my consultant appt through today. For Jan 11th. I am due on 27th Dec and quite likely to be late! 10th Jan will probably be my induction date if I get that far!

Tried to change the appointment but they have 'no appointments available at the moment, try phoning after Christmas'. Helpful.

[orangina]

I had the mesh put in. On consultants advice. Glad to hear you have a surgical consult appt already.... you are in the system, and that's a start!

[becklesparkle]

I have heard that the mesh is better so will certainly be asking the question when I go! Apparently it is less likely to reoccur too. Thanks so much for all your advice, its really reassuring!

[orangina]

Good! Best of luck for your delivery.... when is your EDD?

[becklesparkle]

Thanks! EDD is 27th December but baby showing no signs of getting into any decent position so will probably be late!

[orangina]

Sorry, feeling a bit thick, you had written your EDD about 2 posts earlier.... I think non 1st babies don't bother getting into position until about 5 minutes before they are ready to come out, so don't count on him/her being late! (Last year ds due and born on Feb 4, was convinced he was going to be early, and was desperate to get tax return in before any action started...!)...

[becklesparkle]

As long as baby doesn't come Christmas Day I'm not too worried! Obviously I would like it to be here before Christmas but it seems comfy where it is for now!

[orangina]

A Christmas baby.... how lovely!