Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Childbirth

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

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

2nd pregnancy following a 3rd degree tear with 1st...

66 replies

pucca · 07/01/2006 23:57

Was just wondering if anyone on here had a 3rd degree tear, and what happened with subsequent pregnancies?

Did you get a chance to talk about it with a consultant? and what was advised?

I am pg with no 2, and i am starting to fret a little about giving birth again, i am not concerned about the pain of tearing again (wasn't really that painful!) it is just i did have a few "bathroom" problems for a few weeks afterwards(i am ok now though), and i am scared of being left with a permanent problem if i tore as bad or worse with this one iykwim.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

TuttiFrutti · 11/01/2006 09:47

Pucca and Verso, I second Jabberwocky's comments about C-sections - they are fine, honestly! I actually enjoyed mine. You get to see your little baby being pulled out in a calm, pain-free environment. The recovery is longer than for most natural births, but it's really not that bad and compared to the nightmarish natural births described on this thread where people are still having physio 9 months later, I know which option I'd choose!

CaptainDippy · 11/01/2006 10:21

Hi pucca!! I had a horrid third degree tear with DD1 and was absolutely terrified of delivering DD2 - With DD1 I had to be stiched up in theatre and I have had quite a few little "problems" since (still a little tender!!)

However, I gave birth to DD2 in May last year - and I felt much more in control cos I had already had a baby and knew roughly what to do and what to expect - as a consequnce I delivered in three pushes (as opposed to the five hours of pushing DD1 took!) and had no tear and no stiches - wonderful - I felt pretty much "back to normal down there" within days of having her -

I have to admit though - DD1 was 8lb and DD2 5lb, so that might have had something to do with it - but I do not think it is necessarily the size of the baby, but the force at which they shoot out!!

sniff · 13/01/2006 18:52

I had a horrid 3 rd degree tear with first and had to have an op under general after wards I have had my second since and had an episiotomy and am now pregnant with my third

everything was fine second time but I must admit when it came to pushing I paniced a bit because of what had happened and I had a spinal this time so that if it did happen I wouldnt have to have a general but most of the problem was me panicking

I dont have any incontinence problems but sometimes I get desperate to go!!!!(TMI)

I spoke to my consultant and he says I can have an elective section if I wanted but he wouldnt reccommend it as all susequent births are monitered alot more after a 3rd degree tear so it is unlikley to happen again

I see my consultant in 2 weeks to discuss the options for this birth

spub · 18/01/2006 14:36

I saw my consultant yesterday and we discussed my 3rd degree tear last time in quite some detail.

It probably helped that he was the same guy who had to come to theatre at 3am and sew me up but after we chatted, he has suggested that I should go and see a couple of his colleagues and have my sphincter function assessed (this apparently involves a sonograph which I had heard of and putting a balloon up my bum which I hadn't!!)

I am not incontinent and haven't been since about 6 weeks post delivery BUT I also sometimes get the urge to go and couldn't hold on for a million quid. Thankfully, it's never happened when I haven't been able to get to a loo quickly.

On that basis, they want to assess my "reserve strength" in the sphincter muscle. If it's dodgy then a section will be recommended.

All other things being equal, I'd far rather deliver vaginally but not at any price!

So, I see the bum doctors and then the consultant again at the start of May when I'm 30 weeks.

Re the retained placenta - apparently there's a 2% chance of anyone having this. Having had it, you then run a 10% chance of it happening again. In my case, the syntometerine made no difference. The placenta was stuck to my uterine wall so wasn't going to budge regardless!

I feel that the consultant was pretty good so will add any more info later if it seems relevant/helpful.

The balloon up the bum is going to be a great dinner party piece for AGES

Original poster

pucca · 18/01/2006 16:17

Spub...Thankyou so much for remembering to tell us about your appointment, the balloon thing sounds interesting lol, i am really hoping that i can have a vaginal birth as i really don't want a section.

At least the consultant put your mind at ease, and they will investigate fully before saying what they reccommend.

Good luck, hope all goes well for you.

OP posts:

spub · 18/01/2006 19:04

You too, Pucca. when are you due?

Original poster

pucca · 18/01/2006 19:05

Not till August, and i am fretting already lol, when are you due?

OP posts:

spub · 18/01/2006 19:45

Start of July! I've been fretting since I got a positive pg test!!!

Will be good to hear about others' experieces on here if poss.

Will definitely post about the bum balloon....

SoupDragon · 18/01/2006 19:49

Don't forget to ask for pictures if you have an ultrasound scan! You can add them to one of your baby books

Original poster

pucca · 18/01/2006 22:24

Let us know how you get on with the tests, i think we should all post if we do have normal delivery if it happens again (3rd degree tear).

The balloon test sounds lovely, definately let me know how you get on

OP posts:

spub · 20/01/2006 08:13

Pucca and SD - will absolutely post and share all! SD - PMSL at the photo for the baby book!

SoupDragon · 20/01/2006 08:15

Have to say I wasn't offered any photos to take away Sonographer did insist on showing me them on the screen though "If you look just here you can see the scar line!" Didn't really need to know TBH!!

Meanoldmummy · 20/01/2006 08:32

I didn't get told what damage/repair had been done until four days after the birth, the day after my transfusion, when I collared a midwife and asked her. She drew me a little diagram with a biro. Maybe I should have kept that for my baby book

cathyspam · 20/01/2006 08:53

I also had a 3rd degree tear with DS1 despite having an episiotomy - took a long time in theatre to repair and a long time to heal, had to go to a special clinic a few months later to have my 'control' assessed which, thankfully, was fine and it was 6 months before sex was comfortable again. I was worried when I was pregnant with DS2 only 8 months after ds1 was born but went on to have a natural delivery with gas and air and a small tear which was repaired by the midwife very quickly. Apparently you are less likely to tear if you deliver in water so maybe that could be considered - I laboured in water with DS2 but that hospital does not allow delivery in the pool so I had to get out at 7cm. Good luck you guys and dont worry too much!

Verso · 20/01/2006 12:59

spub - the balloon up the bum is not to be recommended - lol. Make sure you think of something - ANYTHING - else at the time. It's really weird and uncomfortable, but compared to being incontinent and/or in pain it's fine. Also, my sonographer was really sweet and made a balloon dachshund for my DD out of a spare .

Are you having all the other tests as well? Mine took about an hour and a half. I took my cousin with me to look after DD as I was on maternity leave at the time and DH FORGOT TO BOOK THE DAY OFF. Still haven't forgiven him for that one .

Best of luck!!!

notasheep · 20/01/2006 13:44

dd born,then they took about an hour to sew me back together
ds 2 pound heavier and NOT a stitch!

Good luck to you all

spub · 20/01/2006 17:09

Verso - PMSL at the daschund.....
Think I may be having the other tests - er, what do they involve????
Did you end up with a section or not?

Verso · 21/01/2006 20:01

No I didn't have a section. DD was failed ventouse, followed by forceps, and it was the forceps that did the damage. Next time round (if I ever get brave enough!) would be a section, definitely. I sometimes read things where people have had perfectly successful vaginal deliveries after a tear, and I wish I was brave enough to try, because I would really prefer that deep down, but I just could not risk being permanently incontinent. I get flashbacks of the whole thing, too, and I know I couldn't go through it again.

The other tests... let me see if I can remember... one involved a metal probe and electric current. It didn't hurt or anything, just testing nerve function. Made me think (obviously in extremis I go a bit mad) of Cartman from South Park... Hmm. Then there was the balloon one, a 'normal' ultrasound, but done internally and a fourth one that I now can't remember.

It was all pretty revolting, really, but nothing nothing nothing like as bad as coping with the aftermath of the tear and incontinence. It scares me to think that years ago women used to go through all this and had no medical support afterwards at all. I suppose we're quite lucky, really!

spub · 23/01/2006 09:48

Cheers, Verso.
Know what you mean. Am beginning to think that an elective section might be a more guaranteed outcome though I am in under no illusions about it being major surgery. The thing is, I was in for 5 days last time anyway and then had 6-8 weeks of real pain and incontinence. The women on my ward (who I now see each week and am great mates with)both had sections and have said that they reckon I was in more pain and discomfort for longer than they were! The section would also ensure that my placenta came out this time!

Will go for the tests when I get the letter and then I will update here. Balloons up bums - who'd have thought that this is what can happen as a consequence of childbirth, eh?

And you are so right - imagine our lives if we'd had this happen years ago!

spub · 23/01/2006 09:49

ps - Cartman!!!!
You KNOW that I'm going to be hearing his voice in my head whent he balloon goes in

Verso · 24/01/2006 20:39

I agree that compared to what you went through (by the sound of it) it is unlikely that you would find recovery from a c-section any worse. FWIW, I've got friends who had emergency c-sections who had better recoveries than I did. At least with a scheduled c-section you can at least attempt to prepare beforehand and it's less of a shock. (And more importantly, your bottom should still function relatively normally, constipation and trapped wind aside.)

(Oh the delights of childbirth!! )

Still, probably best to get the results of the tests first and then make an objective decision.

chuckles< at thought of you with Cartman's voice in your head. My work here is done! >evil grin emoticon

Azure · 24/01/2006 20:50

Just wanted to add that I chose to have an elective c-section for DS2 after a 3rd-degree tear with DS1. I was in hospital for the same length of time (2 nights) and after the initial couple of days felt the recovery was just as quick - I was driving after 2.5 weeks. A straight-forward vaginal delivery is by far the best way to give birth, but I couldn't bear the risk. Sorry if that sounds cowardly.

spub · 25/01/2006 09:01

Azure - don't be daft. Cowardly?
I'm of the "live and let live" school of childbirth. We all do our best and make our choices and ultimately, those choices are what we are "happy" with. You had an "unexpected outome" with your first vaginal delivery just as I and others here did. I think having had that experience you are more than entitled to explore alternatives and to go with those if you want to for any future births.
Having my dd via a "standard" birth is the thing that I'm most proud of. The pain was doable and the experience of birth itself was pretty good BUT the consequences were not. I'm going to weight up the risks for next time but may well opt for the elective section to minimise certain risks.
I do understand that some women are genuinely scared of childbirth and see a section as a more manageable method of birth. I'm really glad to have had the chance to deliver vaginally (at least the once so far!).
It's easy to judge other people but we don't like it much when it happens to us, eh?

Tonker · 25/01/2006 16:37

Hi,

I had a 3rd degree tear with my 1st , I think it was pretty bad, right around the sphincter. They forgot me for my 6 week check, so I went at 13 weeks when I requested and I still had a small tear that hadn't healed so they gave me some cream. But since then I've had no problems and haven't been offered any checkups. My 2nd baby was born 16 months later. I didn't have any idea that the 3rd degree tear would be a problem until a consultant told me at my 20 week appointment that I would need a c-section, but he wouldn't discuss it or tell me why! I researched on-line, and couldn't find a reason so saw another consultant for a 2nd opinion who couldn't understand why I was told I'd need a c-section. I went with a natural birth, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of tearing, I have a note collection on my research I took with me. The midwife was really good and helpful and understood ( the midwife for my first baby gave me no help at all which I think is why I tore, she told me it was time for pushing so I started pushing really hard with no contractions!) My 2nd baby was born no problem and I actually enjoyed the birth. He was 9lb 8oz (13 days overdue, only had reflexology for inducing)compared to my 1st baby which was 8lb. I just had 1hour of gas and air for pain relief. I got a small 2nd degree tear. I'm now pg with no.3 due in May and will have an 18 month gap, so 2 years 10 months since my first and the 3rd degree tear. This time I'm planning a homebirth. I had a fantastic lady consultant who said that would be fine. She said that the latest research on 3rd degree tears from the top doc (Sultan or something?)is that its fine for natural childbirth. There are very few cases where a c-section is needed. If the tear has healed ok, then its fine, if the tear has healed badly, then you're better to have a natural birth and get it repaired properly when you're finished having children. She said the only time they'd recommend a c-section is if you think you've healed well, but the scans show that its not, in which case you're better not to risk making it worse. I have no idea how mine actually is. If I need the loo I can't hold it but thats because I have tummy problems from before I was pg, and I get terrible tummy pain so when I have to go, I have to go. If you google 3rd degree tear, I got loads of info. from there, and from asking some independent midwives for advice. I'm looking forward to this birth as I've always wanted a homebirth. Hope you get the birth that you want.

spub · 10/04/2006 11:06

Guys,
Resurrecting this thread as today I see the general surgeon to assess my sphincter function with a view to discussing my best delivery options!(EDD July 4th)
Am slightly apprehensive and NOT looking forward to the no knickers part of the exam but I will let you all know how it goes and if there's any wisdom forthcoming!!
Have a good one!

Flip

1 2 3