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Childbirth

5 weeks postpartum forceps

6 replies

mummywingingit · 13/03/2019 14:57

Hello,
I had my little boy 5 weeks ago via emergency forcep delivery.
I had an episiotomy going out to the side and sustained a 4th degree tear internally from the top of my cervix down. The surgeon mentioned something about my bowel and that I may of needed a stoma but he was able in his opinion to stitch the tear back. I was given antibiotics as a precaution.

2 weeks postpartum I was re-admitted back in for 6 days with a temperature of 39.6 and an infection that they were unable to find the source of. I had 4 different antibiotics IV to try to fight the infection, but was hard as doctors couldn't find infection anywhere after all sorts of tests. At time I had pains in my right lower abdomen/groin and right lower back. I was discharged with a further 5 days of antibiotics.

The pains eventually went and all was well.

2 days ago the pain started again in my right lower abdomen. When I sit it sends a pain/pressure up and trying to have a poo is very painful in my stomach when pushing.

Has anyone else had pains like this after a forcep delivery? Or after a 4th degree tear?

I will be mentioning to GP again even though they couldn't find why last time, but just interested if it's common with this sort of labour and if it's normal or if I should be worried?

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Bees1 · 13/03/2019 15:40

You poor thing! I had a 4th degree tear and definitely had pain up into my bowel (felt like it was going from my rectum up into my bowel) intermittently for the first 6months particularly if I’d been over doing it. It was agony at times but always transient and I didn’t have any of the infection symptoms you are describing. I assumed it was scar tissue/healing. I still occasionally get pain if I need to loo (it was 2years ago) very occasionally even waking me at night but nothing like it was at the start.
Just to reassure I healed really well otherwise with no residual continence issues etc. Good luck!

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mummywingingit · 13/03/2019 15:54

@Bees1 thanks for the reply 😊 I'm not sure it was connected to infection, but was very much there when I was unwell. I've been monitoring my temp just Incase though!
It's such a strange pain...like an ache I guess and all around my right hand side. It often comes and goes, but at the moment is consistent. Was wondering if it is just connected to the delivery, especially as they did mention my bowel and the had to call a specialist surgeon in to do my repair because of it. I'm sure he was a colorectal surgeon.
They tell you everything at the time but you just can't take it all in when all these people are discussing things with you about you, the delivery and the baby...all whilst heavily medicated and exhausted 😩

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Bees1 · 13/03/2019 17:35

Have they given you an appointment with colorectal surgery for a follow up? I saw them at 3months post delivery for routine review and ultrasound (that was a delight! 😬) but it may be worth you calling to ask if they would expect the pain you have, they may want to see you earlier.

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Bees1 · 13/03/2019 17:37

Ps. I also had a birth debrief at 6/52 it was really useful to fill in the gaps from my heavily medicated, hazy memory of it all!

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DelphiMum · 19/03/2019 07:48

It sounds like you have had a really tough time. Make sure you don’t get discharged by the hospital until you are ok. Ask for follow ups with specialists. Have you seen a women’s health physio?

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mummywingingit · 19/03/2019 11:58

@DelphiMum yeh has been pretty rough...I'm still waiting for physio appointment as it was done on my wrong address so would mean under a different county for funding so my GP is doing a new referral! I have an appointment in May to go over everything and have a debriefing on what happened