2nd degree, 3rd degree, fast labour. Csec next time?

[meandkb]

Hello, I have been reading threads on here for a while but this is my first post.

DD1 was a 9hr labour, no pain relief and was home that day although I had a 2nd degree tear and I was stiched up in the same bed I had given birth in.

DD2 was an unexpected home labour and delivery lasting in total 1hr, and DD was delivered by my mum on the kitchen floor, paramedics not arriving until 10mins after. This time I had a 3rd degree tear resulting in a trip and a nights stay in hospital after being stiched up in theatre.

I had suffered bad SPD throughout my whole pregnancy and as well as having the tear to deal with I had PND too that I was offered no help with!

God I sound like i'm just having a moan...sorry! Thing is, I would love another baby (DD2 is 4yrs) but i'm just so scared of going through a similar experience of DD2's birth. I was told when being stiched up in theatre that my next pregnancy would have to be a home birth. So they are telling me that i have to go through it all again? What if the paramedics don't arrive on time? What if i tear badly again? DD2 had the cord round her neck so all in all we were lucky things turned out as they did, Healthy baby etc..

Any advice on Csec's, tears, birth and labour after tearing etc would be so helpful!

Thank you (sorry i went on too much...)

I had my second DD earlier this year. First time round was two weeks late, induction, epidural, ventouse, third degree tear (which had to be re-repaired a year on). This time round, I was induced a week early (I had severe SPD), but it was faster so no time for an epidural though I did have a ventouse delivery again. No tear!

I was all set for a C-section after my first experience (which was awful), but came round to a natural delivery on purely practical grounds - my DH works long hours and I needed to be able to drive, particularly as the SPD meant I wasn't confident about my ability to walk very far immediately after delivery. And though labour was very painful (induction is not pleasant, and I had terrible pelvic pain in between contractions because of the SPD), I'm glad I went for a vaginal delivery.

I don't know if that helps. If you are really worried, you could push for a C-section and will probably get it (though not on the basis of the tear - I'm assuming all is well now?). Or you could ask to be induced early (say a week) in hospital to avoid a home birth.

Thank you for your reply.

Things are pretty much ok now, but sometimes I get some pain where I had my stiches (after sex, or time of AF), but I have IBS also so I don't really go to the toilet as most ppl do, sorry TMI!

I have thought about having an induction, but I have heard that you have more of a chance of needing to be cut which can result in tearing so I don't know if that'd be a good option?

SPD is a horrible thing to have without having other things to worry about.

It's nice to hear though that you have a positive vaginal delivery after a bad experiece first time and that you were pleased with your decision.

I think if things go very fast, there is an increased chance of tearing anyway - sounds like you'd be on for a fast labour this time, and you might feel safer in hospital in case you need stitching again (not to mention the pain relief!). So that's why I wondered if induction might work for you.

I was cut this time for the episiotomy necessary for the ventouse and didn't tear at all. I can still sometimes feel the stitches though - from both episiotomies and the tear, but only occasionally. I still have to be careful to not get constipated as well (TMI, sorry!).

My SIL has had increasingly fast labours with each of her DCs, and was induced last time so she could have a hospital birth - it was fine.

I think that induction would definately be an option for me, given my last birth i think i'd rather that than have a home birth and it's not as invasive as surgery which after all, a csec is.

Thanks for your advice, i'll definately read up on it!

The Nice guidance on induction is excellent - tells you what will happen and in what order. Find it on the website and read the quick reference guide to avoid being blinded by science!

Good luck.

If you did have a home birth it would be planned this time so they would have midwives with you and all the resus equipment and gas and air. They would also be able to stitch you up as long as it wasn't a 3rd degree and you'd have 2 experiencced midwives who could advise you on positions that slow down the 2nd stage to have a more managed delivery and reduce the chance of a tear, which they probably wouldn't provide in a hospital setting (the 2 midwives I mean, not the advice on positions)

It's worth reading up on as it wouldn't be like last time but don't feel pressured by the midwives if it's really not what you want, they should be able to provide an induction if you'd prefer.