3rd degree tear six week check - what happens

[Zimbah]

Ok this is probably a really stupid question but I've been booked for a hospital appointment at six weeks pp following a 3b tear, and I'm really anxious about what exactly the appointment will involve. Obviously I want to be sure that everything is alright, but I'm sick of taking my knickers off for strangers!! In my case everything is not 100% alright as I think I've got a vaginal prolapse (posted in another thread) but presumably as that's not specifically related to the tear it might not be part of the discussion. From the tear itself I don't seem to have any problems.

Could someone who's had a similar checkup tell me what it involved?

everyone has a 6 week check, but i expect as you've had a bad tear they may want to check it's healing ok

that said, if you have a prolapse then i am assuming you'll see a GP before then anyway?

I had my 6 week check at the hospital following a 3rd degree tear. The main purpose was to check that my sphincter was healing OK. This is probably not the information you're hoping for, but they basically put a small probe up my bum and got me to clench to see how the muscles were recovering.

It sounds a lot worse than it was I promise! It was a bit of a surprise to me as you might imagine, so it's probably as well to know that it's potentially going to happen rather than just have it, erm, thrust upon you

Dear god no! That was not the information I was hoping for. Bloody hell. Please tell me that it would be incredibly stupid and immature, not to mention potentially storing up long term problems, to miss the appointment much like a child skiving off school.

thisisyesterday I wasn't planning to make a GP appointment urgently (before the standard 6-8 week check) as I assumed that's what the appointment is four. I am of the "ignore it and hope it goes away" school of thought with medical issues.

It would be incredibly stupid and immature to miss the appointment

Honestly, it was not that bad. I only mentioned it because a) I am a bit drunk and b) it was rather a surprise and I think I would have prefered to have been a bit more prepared!

It is definitely better to know if there is any muscle weakness. There are various things that can be done if there's a problem, but not if you don't know about it. And the potential consequences are far more embarassing than a couple of minutes of medical buttock clenching!

I had a 4th degree tear. At my six week GP appointment the GP didn't even look at the tear - she was more interested in my mental state of mind!

I had an 8 week appointment at the hospital and at that appointment the consultant did do a physical examination front and back but without a probe! I know it's awful but if there is a problem it needs to be seen so help can be provided.

I had a 3rd degree tear and at my 6 week check they examined my pelvic floor by inserting a finger in both middle and back passages and asking me to clench. It wasn't my most glamourous moment! I wasn't expecting such a thorough examination.
The other thing was they had my complete pregnancy and labour notes and were willing to answer any questions I had about the whole experience, particularly wrt the tear. This wasn't something I was expecting either and hadn't really thought about the whole experience (even 6 weeks later was too soon for me to think about the labour again) so I didn't ask any questions. I wish now I had. They could maybe have explained why I tore, and whether it would happen again in subsequent labours.
However you have to go to it, ignoring any problems now is just storing it up for later, and if your pelvic floor is poor (with a prolapse it almost certainly is) then they can refer you for physio to help.

I was glad that they did such a thorough check. I'd rather they spot any problems early (luckily there was none). The only thing i regret about the appointment was that i did not ask any more questions about the birth and the tear in particular, it was such a good opprtunity! But i remember that i really wanted to go back to my baby instead!

At my check up the consultant looked at the scar vaginally and said it was healing well, and then with no warning stuck his finger up my arse!
"Good. That seems fine" was all he said and that was that! I just wish he had warned me!