Probability of stitches 2nd time round?

[skiingmummy]

I've 13 wks to go before no 2 arrives and am starting to seriously stress about the prospect of having stitches again. The experience of being stitched after no 1 was far worse than the entire experience of labour (induction with gas and air for pain relief). Even with local anaesthetic and gas and air I felt every single stitch going in and as it took 3 threads and over 1/2 hour (the longest of my life) to put me back together this was not an experience I'm looking forward to repeating.

Just wondered what experiences other Mums have with no 2. Am I likely to tear badly again or do you tend to find everythings a bit more stretched and pliable 2nd time round?? Any comments and good or bad experiences gratefully received!! I just feel that if I know what to expect I'll be better equiped to deal with it!! I hope!! Thanks!

[Angeliz]

skiingmummy, i am pregnant with number two too!
I obviously don't know the answer to your question, (I've 18 weeks to go and have to admit, i like your style of counting down how many to go rather than 22 weeks pregnant, seems quicker ).
Anyway, i just wanted to say, the Doctor who delivered my dd, (was a bit of panic in the end so Doc came in), stitched me up in minutes and i didn't feel a thing so you might get lucky++

(BTW, i hope not to be cut again too as was the worst bit about afterward- the stitches healing)

[skiingmummy]

OMG I'm sooo jealous!! Wish I'd been stitched up in minutes. In the end it took 2 midwives to do the job and the senior midwife had to come in and inspect the needlework once done. My legs and whole body were shaking uncontrollably by the end of it. The only funny bit was the look on my dh's face when the senior midwife asked him if he wanted to inspect the job!!

He graciously declined her kind offer!! Thank goodness.

[Angeliz]

{I think i got a bit spoiled first time, was very quick and had fantastic midwives). I worry that the second won't be as easy!!

My dp is dreading it more though

[moongirl]

Skiingmummy i experienced almost exactly what you describe with ds1gas and air near the end, a 10lb baby and nothing was so awful as the stitches. I was terrified of labour this time round as i felt so traumatised about being stitched again. Dd2 was born at home in August, very quickly with slight tear to old wound and didn't need any stitchesthe whole thing really was the most wonderful experience of my life. It's healed abit wonky apparently but neither Dh or I would know. I hope your experience this time is as good, 2nd time really can be totally different.

[KateandtheGirls]

I had an episiotomy with my first (after a brutal, induced, forceps-assisted birth). I had an epidural (actually I had 2 because the first didn't work), so I didn't feel the stitches.

But the birth of my second was much easier. She just popped out (as my friend who was there likes to say) with no tears. I don't know how much of that was to do with the fact that she wasn't my first, or whether it was more to do with the fact that I wasn't induced and they weren't in a hurry or need to use forceps. So hopefully your second won't be as bad as your first.

[pupuce]

From both my personal and professional experience I would say the chances of being stitched up the 2nd time around are lower.
Would you consider a water birth ? It's good for that as it softens the tissues.... often there are no tears in water !

[skiingmummy]

Thats really great to hear Moongirl! I hope I have a similar experience to you with no 2. Do you think you would have had to have stitches if you'd been in hospital with no 2? Did you find your 2nd labour was a lot quicker than first time round? And less painful??!! (Well I can hope can't I?!?)

[KateandtheGirls]

Pupuce, what about perenial (sp?) massage. Do you think that might help too?

[skiingmummy]

Pupuce I would love to try a water birth but unfortunately the maternity unit I'll be going in to doesn't allow them - no room for birthing pools I think. I have thought about trying to stay at home as long as possible (assuming I go into labour naturally this time) and sitting in the bath as I have read all the positive stuff about being in water during labour. If you think this would help reduce tearing too I can see my poor dh will end up having to drag me out to go to the hospital! lol.

Kateandthegirls your post made me laugh coz I keep saying that I hope no 2 will just 'pop out'!! If I say it often enough I'm hoping the baby will hear me and oblige on delivery day!

[pupuce]

The studies I have read on perineum massage say that it makes a significant difference for a first vaginal birth but if the birth cnala has already been visited then it makes no difference.

Skiingmum - any chance of a home birth ?

[KateandtheGirls]

"Visited". What a nice way to put it!

[Socci]

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[acnebride]

skiingmummy, i have only given birth once but i had a slightly complicated tear that the midwife felt unable to handle, and was stitched by a doctor in theatre under a spinal block. this was relaxing, calm, entirely painless and everyone who saw it afterwards waxed lyrical about the beautiful job the doctor had done. er. It was the usual barbed wire feeling afterwards but it really felt fine after 2 weeks. incidentally I laboured in water but not for long and delivered out of the water on the mw's advice.

So is it worth discussing with your midwife whether this would be an option? If people can ask for a caesarean after a traumatic first birth (and I fully support that choice) then why not a knock-out painkiller for the stitches after a traumatic first stitch?

[skiingmummy]

I'm afraid a home birth isn't an option for me as I had a heart op as a child to repair a hole and faulty valve - no big deal normally but the medics want to keep an eye on me during labour and afterwards. Tho having to stay in for a week last time practically destroyed me (10 hours sleep over 7 days) so I'll be pushing to go home asap this time.

At least having a hospital birth means someone else gets to clean up all the mess!

I really am terrified of the stitching tho.

Socci my last labour was ok I guess apart from the midwife not believing I was in active labour and telling me I was having 'pelvic twinges' rather than real contractions and it was going to get a lot worse!! All hell broke loose when I managed to convince them that it was the real thing and they examined me to find I was 6cm dilated. I was still on a normal ward full of pregnant mums just in for observation at that point - and it was visiting time so there were lots of daddies about too - while I was trying desperately not to make too much noise while experiencing the worst pain of my life (this was before I experienced being stitched up tho!! lol). From my 2nd dose of prostin I gave birth 6.5 hrs later so it was fairly quick I suppose.

[midden]

I had no tear 2nd time, but like moongirl I was at home and very relaxed. Labour was much quicker but I don't think that would have been the case in a hospital, agree with pupuce, maybe booking a home birth is something to consider, the relaxed envoironment of your own home and you could have a pool to use too.

[midden]

sorry to hear that skiingmummy, is there a chance that this child will have the same condition?

[skiingmummy]

Acnebride I hadn't even thought about asking my midwife about stitching options!!! Its funny but with no 1 I found that all the antenatal classes concentrate on the pregnancy and labour part of giving birth and the pain relief options you have for that part of the experience yet no one mentions about post birth stuff too which in my experience can be just as horrific. I felt really unprepared for that side of it and really don't want to be in the same situation this time. Having discovered MN this evening I have a feeling I won't be!!

Good idea - I'll ask at my midwifes apptmt on 8th Nov!!

[midden]

Sorry I didn't read your post properly, thought it was your first child that had the hole in the heart, not you. Surely if you were ok last time? What sort of thing might there be to look out for?

[Socci]

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[skiingmummy]

Midden - thankfully congenital heart probs are not hereditary - hurrah!!!

Mind you when I went for a post natal check up at the heart clinic with my 11 day old ds, my wonderful cardiologist actually checked his heart out too for me to put my mind at rest!!

Everything was fine as I knew in my heart of hearts (ha ha!) it would be.

[acnebride]

skiingmummy, hope it goes well - asking the midwife i mean. Hope you don't tear at all! Maybe just tread gently as stitching is part of midwifes' skills - emphasise that it's not the person doing the stitching that is the issue, it's the pain and the trauma of last time.

before they stuck in a spinal block for me, they had injected a local anaesthetic, so that might also work. I see no reason why they should expect anyone to hang on with just gas and air.

[skiingmummy]

Never heard of an NCT labour day!! Must look into it - really really want to talk to other 2nd time Mummys for their experiences before D day. I've found that this time I've felt quite lonely and abandoned. You don't seem to have the support and opportunities to ask questions as with no 1. This time round it feels very much like 'You've done this before so just get on with it' kind of experience.

[moongirl]

skiing mummy, i do think that i may well have been stitched had i been in hospital. Both the midwives with me at home seemed to ponder for a little while but knew how i felt about stitches, and it is a different decision: packing me and baby up post birth to go to hospital for stitches than if i was already there and everything was just on hand. Like i say though the scar isn't very beautiful!

And yes my second labour was fab compared to firstds1 was "officially" 10 hours (swear it was days!)and near the end felt totally out of control etc, this time Dd2 labour was "officially" 4 hours but only about 4 contractions approached anywhere near painful, infact i walked upstairs to get something 2 minutes before she popped outand she did literally. As i got to the bottom of the stairs i started with my most painful longest contraction and suddenly wanted to push, the midwife said she'd have a look and managed to catch her as she was born. May be because i was at home and relaxed and active, may be just because its all been stretched up before? I hope it's good for you--keep up the positive thinking

[tearful]

I have had 3 babies and tore with each one, though it was worst with the last as he was biggest. Really loads. I find midwives so good at their job that if you explain your fears to them they will do whatever they can to make it easier foryou - talk to them before the birth too as the worst thing that can probably happen to you is your fear.

[Socci]

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