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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

is it possible to bf after 4th degree tear?

47 replies

sunshinesupermummy · 04/12/2007 21:05

posting on behave of best friend, just given birth to a beautiful baby girl yesterday, however the birth did not go too well and she ended uo getting a 4th degree tear and having to have it repaired in the operating theater.
she is still in hospital well they both are but the midwives keep telling her that not to worry about breastfeeding as it will be too difficult for her.
don't want to be seen as bossy but is there anyone out there that can help
it is difficult to get in to see them as they are both on the high dependency unit.is this hdu the same as intensive care?

OP posts:
HoHoHoOfWalsall · 04/12/2007 21:12

bump for you...

Brangelina · 04/12/2007 21:17

A girl in my antenatal group had a 4th degree tear and breastfed successfully for a year. I wasn't aware that there would be a problem. Is it from the GA perhaps?

blushingm · 04/12/2007 21:17

hdu i think is just when the staffing ratio is lower - i was in hdu following my 2nd cs - we had a mw with us in the room rather than just outside on the desk - she was there for just us - the maximum was 4 mums & babies in the room with a minimum of 1 mw permanently wih us - a replacement would come in even if she had to pop for a wee!!

Most of the women I was in with were trying to bf and with the mw so close we could have help on hand - the dedicated bf person would come in too - I can't understand why they aren't giving her more encouragement and support - true certain positions might be uncomfortable but they are there to help her find a solution not dismiss her - tell her to go for it - how can someone say what's going to be too painful for someone else.....if that's the case then bikini waxing would never have caught on

kiskidee · 04/12/2007 21:29

methinks these midwives do not know enough about bf then or are to lazy to give her the help she needs. of course I can't speak for her particular situation but all this means to me from this place where I am sitting is that it is more inconvenient for the MW to make her comfortable and assist her with bf.

she needs to ask if the hospital has a proper infant feeding advisor first of all and then also speak to a counsellor from a bf charity if she doesn't get the right answers.

Mags143 · 04/12/2007 21:39

I had 3rd degree tear and a doc managed to repair me or it was theatre for me!! I also managed to bf. It is uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time, but i dont see any other reason.
Also, bf can cause you to bleed a bit more heavily in the first few days. But bf might ensure your friend rests and heals, which takes a fair bit of time.
I had terrible problems trying to get mw to help when i was in hospital. Did much better when I got home and spoke to bf counsellor on phone.
Tell your friend to contact as many people as possible for advice, as sometimes mw just dont have time/cant be bothered to help.

Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 04/12/2007 21:47

thank you so much for your replies, this is really going to help her

the mw thats supposed to be looking after her seems really,really lazy, my friend is v keen to bf but its hard as she cannot even stand. tomorrow morning ill ask my friend if she wants me to see if i can get a bf adviser to see her.
how do i go about this?

if she could lie on her side i think that would help as obv she is sitting on her repair but she still has the catherter in,surely that should be out by now?

how long are women ususally on the hdu?
would she be better off at home?

OP posts:
Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 04/12/2007 21:48

yes its definatley laziness on the mw's part

OP posts:
kiskidee · 04/12/2007 21:55

you may want to print off this page for her.

will go look for another one.

Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 04/12/2007 21:58

kiskidee thanks for that im printing it off now,ill take it tomorrow

OP posts:
kiskidee · 04/12/2007 22:04

this and this is also excellent back ground reading on biological nurturing.

kiskidee · 04/12/2007 22:06

and what about the flier broody.

Pannacotta · 04/12/2007 22:08

Am sure there is no reason why she cant breastfeed.
If she can try and get the hang of feeding lying on her side this will help, it'll also makes it easy to feed the baby at night - if the baby is in bed with her then she wont even need to get up, which must be easier than getting up, boiling the kettle to make up a bottle etc.
Cannot see how feeding the baby a bottle would be any easier really.
I presume she is having pain relief for the tear?

Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 04/12/2007 22:10

yes the lying on the side would help ,should they have taken the catherter out by now?

OP posts:
Pannacotta · 04/12/2007 22:15

Sorry dont know about HDU or the catheter issue, but if she can get home soon it would be more peaceful and therefore easier to establish breastfeeding.
Is she taking arnica? Its a good homeopathic remedy for post birth and helps with healing. Many chemists, inc Boots sell it as well as health food places etc.

SoupDragon · 04/12/2007 22:17

I cannot think of any reason not to bf. I had a theatre-repaired 3rd degree tear and a whole raft of antibiotics etc etc yet no one suggested I shouldn't breastfeed. Sitting will be uncomfortable for a while but that isn't insurmountable.

onepieceoflollipop · 04/12/2007 22:21

In order to ask on her behalf to see someone more specialised (or be with her when she asks) first ask her named nurse/midwife - i.e. the one who is allocated to her on that shift. If no luck then persevere and ask for the nurse/midwife who is in charge of the ward or the ward manager/sister.

If she still has no joy (which would be unlikely I would hope!) then I think it is the Supervisor of Midwives you would need to contact.

Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 04/12/2007 22:32

oh thanks so much for all the help,when do you think she will be able to come home ?

ive got a list of things to buy on the way to the hospital, arnica,lavender drops feme pads
and lots of treats

OP posts:
Pannacotta · 04/12/2007 22:34

She might like a hot water bottle too (with a cotton cover), I found this really comforting after I gave birth.
Cant she ask to go home asap and see what they say, is there any reason why she is still in hospital?

Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 04/12/2007 22:36

thankyou for all your replies, ill let you know how we gt on tomorrow.
i will check this thread in the morning befor i go, so if theres anything anyone can add please do
thanks again

OP posts:
Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 05/12/2007 08:34

ok off to the hospital now via boots.
ill pass on all of your kind comments and helpful tips.

OP posts:
goingfor3christmaspuddings · 05/12/2007 08:40

One of my friends has a fourth degree tear and was rushed in to theatre as soon as her baby was born. She had to go to HDU after and had really supportive midwives who helped her breastfeed. With their help she was succesful and breastfed for 6 months, this was her second DD and she didn't bf her first.

Original poster
sunshinesupermummy · 05/12/2007 16:41

just got back from the hospital, she is still on the hdu and still has the catheter in? i asked the nurse if that should still be in, she replied it's fine, there was urine in the top of the tube, so again i said, i think you had better change that bag. the nurse again said no thats fine for a while.
she is taking augmentin antibiotics.
she seems v unwell, she really wants to bf but she said the nurses and mw are not helping her, and keep saying most women that end up on here [meaning hdu] don't bf, this is her 1st baby.
ive been able to help her today by passing baby to her and helping her latch baby on but im no expert, she said she was asking in the night for the mw to pass her the baby but the mw was pretending not to hear herand looking at lastminute dot com on the internet on the ward ! why the hell do they have the internet on the ward?
the mw have given the baby some formula and ive explained this will not help, ive asked if i could donate some of my breastmilk to her instead of formula, i had a 6 month old and they hav said certainly not.
are they able to not allow me to donate milk to my friends baby? my friend would prefer her to have that than formula, but we realise bf from friend would be best for both of them
thankyou for the print out kiskidee
they said no feeding baby in the bed as its too small and baby could fall off.
i spoke to the ward sister but she dismissd all of my claims saying whats happening is normal and there is no problem
poor friend when i left she was in tears
anything else i can try?
should i try the ntc ?could they help?

OP posts:
AhhChewww · 05/12/2007 16:46

bump for you...

this is heart breaking

wheresthehamster · 05/12/2007 16:47

Is there a NCT breastfeeding counsellor you could contact?

StarlightMcKenzie · 05/12/2007 16:51

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