Third degree tear

[kipplin]

Hello, I had my gorgeous baby boy 5weeks ago. Unfortunately, after having a great start to labour his body got stuck. Tried pushing for 3hours in every position possible before admitting defeat and heading to theatre for a spinal and forceps delivery. I was given an episiotomy but also sustained a 3rd degree tear involving my anal sphincter. I know it's still early days but I am suffering a bit with holding my bowel movements. Luckily I have not had any incontinence as such, but when I need to go I really only have a few minutes to get to the loo!!!

I just wondered what other people's experiences of third degree tears were. My little girl was born by emcs and I am now wishing I had opted for an emcs instead of a vac :(

Hi kipplin,
I had a 3b tear and for the first few weeks also had 'urgency' issues. Things are a lot better now and I just keep doing lots of pelvic floor exercises as I think this has helped a lot. In my area you get a call from the physio around 6 weeks and can request to see someone about any continued symptoms and advice on exercises etc - I'm assuming there's a similar system for you?

Congratulations on your new baby kipplin. I had DS2 nine weeks ago and sustained a third degree tear (3a). I had similar issues to begin with. Are you still taking laxatives? I found that when I cut down/stopped taking them, things improved enormously and I haven't had any issues now for several weeks. Things feel pretty much completely healed now, I had a check up at the hospital at 8 weeks and I have started exercising again without any issues at all. As Piggy says, pelvic floor exercises help too both with healing and strength so do them like mad (if you're not sure what you're doing, get to physio). Have you been referred to a follow up clinic at the hospital?

I also had a VBAC this time following an EMCS with DS1 and there have been times when I have wished I could turn back time. But honestly, give it a bit more time and you'll be okay .

I had a third degree tear a year ago, and definitely had urgency issues at six weeks. I saw a Physio regularly and was fine by 6 months, maybe before, I can't remember. 6 weeks is still very early for ripped muscles to have healed and retoned.

Me too. I had a third degree tear (whichever is the worse kind....is that 3b). It was a year ago now and I can report that everything went back to being quite comfy and normal in the bowel area after a couple of months. Hold on in there, you'll be fine.

That's all reassuring thank you. Will speak to gp about a physio referral as I am finding it difficult to isolate my pelvic floor muscle, I can only really feel a squeeze in my bottom when I try. Thanks for replies. Xx

I had a 4th degree tear (and two first degree tears at the same time) and definitely had some urgency at 6 weeks. You really need to work on pelvic floor exercises - you're meant to build up to doing 10 short squuezes, 10 longer ones (building up to 10 seconds) for your whole pelvic floor and the same again concentrating only on your sphincter muscles. It did take me a while to be able to feel my pelvic floor muscles It really helped me seeing a physio and she had a machine she could use to check that I was squeezing, even when I couldn't feel it. Try to get a referral.