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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Is there a postnatal thread for women with 3rd degree tears?

7 replies

rollerbaby · 31/12/2010 19:38

Does anyone know?

Thanks!

OP posts:
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first1 · 01/01/2011 09:05

Not sure. I had a grade 3a tearin may requiring a restitch in august. Has/is yours healing well?

whyohwhywhy · 01/01/2011 10:34

There have been lots of threads on this in the past, it is unfortunately more common than people think. I had a third degree tear when my first baby was born and it took me a long long time to recover. I seem to remember there was a birth trauma thread around which I found a lot of support on.

The thing with tears this serious is the decision about what to do if you have another baby, whether to go natural or have a c-section. I spent ages agonising over this when I was pregnant again.

How are you recovering honeymoo?

rollerbaby · 01/01/2011 13:06

It would be great to find a birth trauma thread and see what's normal recovery wise. My stitches front/middle/back IYSWIM have healed well by all accounts but am struggling with ongoing feelings of swelling around my vulva, although doc says cannot see any and it could be thrush (I don't think it is). After several days of pessaries it feels exactly the same. I've also had a bit of spotting which is weird since my lochia went about a month ago (I;m 7 weeks PP).

Need to get a bit better at the old pelvic floor exercises though - did you find your leaking got better after a while or did you have to work hard at this?

I wish I just felt more normal down there - but I guess it takes time! I'd prefer to have a vaginal delivery in the future I think - despite the horror after the birth (lost 2 ltrs of blood and 2 hour stitch up) but obviously concerned about incontinence. I do think the back has healed more or less normally though so hopefully a good sign. What did you decide whyohwhywhy?

Did you find it more tiring caring for your first having had 3rd degree ?

OP posts:
HeroShrew · 01/01/2011 13:18

There is a thread for women who have had injuries resulting from childbirth [http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/777985-Continued-support-for-SPHINCTER-INJURIES-FISTULAE-and-other-CHILDBIRTH-INJURIES?pg=21 here]] - a while ago and in another guise I got some wonderful support on there. Marvellous bunch of ladies.

HeroShrew · 01/01/2011 13:19

well that was a poor attempt at a link Grin

trying again

whyohwhywhy · 01/01/2011 14:28

I decided to go for a vaginal birth honeymoo. I thought I was very unlucky to have a third degree tear first time round, didn't have an instrumental delivery or epidural, all of which I've heard make it more likely to tear. Instead dd had her arm up by her face and was also back to back.

I had second degree tears with second baby and I recovered very quickly. However, I actually think I was better stitched after the third degree tear than I was this time round. Spent ages trying to work out where scar line was when I was stitched up after third degree and couldnt see a thing. Was wonderfully repaired in theatre. However this time round I can clearly see where I was stitched and cosmetically it's not as good. I also feel a bit looser as well.

Have had no problems at all with either tears. I worried a lot about incontinence after third degree tear but had absolutely none. No leaking and my pelvic floor is fine. Could all be a different story a few years down the line but who knows... Smile

I remember feeling bruised and swollen down there for ages so give yourself more time, you're only a couple of months post partum it took me about 6 months to feel completely normal and everyone recovers differently. I know some people who recovered after a third degree tear in days Shock and were back having a sex within months!

Wishing you a speed recovery.

choccybar · 22/01/2011 20:30

hi

honeymoo

what queries do you have ?
perhaps I can help you as had a tear myself and have answered a few of the other threads about this

looking at replies it does take a while to recover I did have revision of perineum after tear which was 3 months pp and then healed much better
please ask if you have any queries no matter how tmi they may be as I researched this a lot first time round and then again in second pg

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