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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Natural delivery after a 3rd degree tear

42 replies

Dragonhart · 10/07/2006 19:22

Had my ds a year ago and am due next jan with a second. Last time I had a quick delivery and had a third degree tear. I have had afew problems since (but not too serious)and my doctor and the midwife when I went to my booking in appt, told me that they would advise a c section and the midwife even said that the consultant would be 'barbaric' if he made me give birth naturally. I accepted this but recently I read in another thread about bad childbirth experiences about a number of women who had had natural births after 3rd degree tears. Can anyone share their experiences good or bad as I am not sure what I would rather do and what would be best for me and the baby.

OP posts:

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pucca · 28/08/2006 20:38

DH...I had my section on 6th Aug, after going into labour ( section was booked for 11th Aug) the section was fab, very straight forward, no probs at all and 3 weeks on i have healed really well

I do feel a little sad that i didn't have him naturally, but to go through what i did last time (or worse) just wasn't worth the risk to me. Of course there are risks with a section but i just didn't want to end up like last time (unable to have sex for 18mth and having ongoing probs with toilet issues).

The section itself was very calm, and i would say i was sore for a couple of days (getting up out of bed for first time is not nice) but now i feel brilliant and i am glad i went down this path, especially was at the weight of baby as he was 9lb 6oz @ 38 weeks so i do think i would have ended up with a nasty tear again.

Anything else you want to know just ask

wrinklytum · 28/08/2006 21:15

dh dunno if this helps but I tore badly with no 1.20+ stitches.I had a vb with no 2 with just 2 stitches and she was bigger by 1lb.(9lb 3oz) bearing in mind Im 5ft 3" and size 10!No one ever mentioned c section to me

Original poster

Dragonhart · 11/09/2006 20:04

Thanks Pucca for getting back to me! Glad all wen twell for you and congrats xxx

Can I ask - were you tempted when you went into labour to just go for it? I keeps swinging either way as so worried about having the section then having to look after DS1 after. Mind you, if the same happened then it would take easily as long to heal i suppose.

Are you breastfeeding? Breast fed DS1 and would love to do it again but worried that section will affect it. Cant find anyone who has BD after section.

Was it really scary when they were cutting you and you were awake. That really worries me.

I feel really selfish for wanting a section. If it was for the baby then I would do it in a second but because it is for me then it makes me hesitate. I didnt have as much problems as you after - so it makes me feel even more like a wuss!
No problems with control but they have said that I will need an op after due to recurent fissures which involves cutting the muscle and if there were more damage to it then it might lead to control probs. They said that there was a 5% chance that I would tear as badly/worse again. Seems like such a small percentage. Gosh it is a hard decision!!

OP posts:

3andnomore · 11/09/2006 20:29

Dragonheart:

"Are you breastfeeding? Breast fed DS1 and would love to do it again but worried that section will affect it. Cant find anyone who has BD after section. "

Did you mean BF as in breastfeeding not BD?
If so...my last ds was an Emergency C-section and I did succesfully breastfed him, exclusively for 6 month and then alongside solids till 13+month!
It took longer for the milk to come in, then it had with my previous 2 that were naturally Births, but I just put him on all the time and eventually the milk came in!
I never had a big tear or cut...so can't talk from experience there!
A friend of mine though had a very bad tear with her first dd and even had to have them reopen and restitch it...she had, a few month ago, another dd and just made sure she was slowing down on the pushing, i.e. trying to breath through the urge to push a bit and not "actively" push, but just let the body do as it would and even though she had a tear it was minor and she never regretting going for a natural Birth.

largeginandtonic · 11/09/2006 21:09

Evenin dragonheart and 3andnomore. Ive had such a varied experince with birth that i have come to think anything is possibe! Ihad twins by emergency section at 29 weeks They r ok tho 8 next month, I had dd age 6 almost at home but she got stuck and had 2 transfre to hosp, she had huge head and left me with a third degree tear. Very . Then i had ds 4 at home 6 stitches no pain relief and he was 8lb6. Then, yes i know another, ds 18mts at home no pain relief and 3 stitches and he was 9lb with huge shoulders!! Have just found out 2day am pregnant with #6, who knows this time. The hospital jumped up and down about me having dd at home after a section as you can rupture scar but i stuck to my guns and dont regret my decision even tho i had to go in to hosp. I also bf all of mine, ds #3 till he was 16mths! Go with whatever you feel you can handle

Original poster

Dragonhart · 12/09/2006 19:14

cheers you two, reasuring about the Breastfeeding as I was really worried about that.

Keep hearing about people having sucessful natural deliveries after 3 degree tears and it makes me feel even more guilty. Am I just being pathetic?

The pushing stage was really slow for DS, got to the point where they were wondering if I would need help so, although the first part went quick, he didnt come out quick IYSWIM! So not sure going slow would help. He had a pretty small head and pretty narrow shoulders so no reason there either!

OP posts:

3andnomore · 12/09/2006 19:34

Dragonhart...I think only you can decide which kind of Birth is the right one for you, just make sure you et all teh Info that you need...no Birth is without it's risk, but C-sections give different risks then vaginal Births, iykwim...if you do want to try and go for vaginal Birth it might be good to find out more about optimal Birthing positions...as for instance crouching is fab in the third worls, were women often work in that position anywya, therefore are used to it, whereas it could be a problem for us westernised women and can cause problems with bad tearing if not done correctly, etc...!
Also, there is such thing as perineal (sp? looks wrong, but can't think, lol) massage which is meant to "widen" or make the Vaginal opening more flexible or something or other...!
Got to say Birthwise I suppose I am probably in the lentilweaver corner, lol....and the section came as a shock to me and was my most horrific experience ever, but I think that was more down to the how and why's etc.... ratehr then the section itself!

ills · 12/09/2006 19:46

I had a 3rd degree tear with dd who as a forceps delivery. Dr advised sizing the baby at 34 weeks when with ds. He was a lot smaller and had a normal delivery.

SoupDragon · 12/09/2006 20:00

Dragonhart, since you've had problems with your tear I think I'd opt for a c-section if I were in your shoes and not feel the slightest bit guilty about it.

Toady · 12/09/2006 20:56

Please do not do anything just because you feel guilty.

Think to yourself if it was just you, a surgeon and a midwife and nobody else involved at all what would you do then!!

pucca · 13/09/2006 00:00

DH...Sorry for delay

Couldn't feel anything at all apart from tugging and pulling, the anethiatist (sp?) told me when they had started and didn't know anything about it the cutting part really worried me too, but honestly i didn't have a clue at all.

I have a dd who is 2.7YO and i got on fine afterwards, she was really helpful as i got her involved in helping me etc.

No i am not breastfeeding, so can't help with advice on that.

I was slightly tempted to carry on naturally especially as i had got to 3cm and didn't really know much about it, but glad i didn't because of the size of ds ( 2 week early and 9lb 6oz)think this would have made sure i tore again tbh.

HTH

Original poster

Dragonhart · 13/09/2006 21:58

Thanks for the advise. Still cant decide but I suppose I have afew months to research and mull it over. Seems as there was no reason for me tearing eg size of head/shoulders, large birth weight etc not sure what they could do to help. Might ask midwife about that.

OP posts:

Original poster

Dragonhart · 13/09/2006 22:01

Forgot to say DS will only be 17 1/2 months when the baby is born which is why I was worried about looking after him and a baby with a gret big scar across my tummy!!

OP posts:

mooshy · 13/09/2006 22:58

I had a 4 th degree tea following dd1 delivery.
Had 2 go back to theatre 3 times until i was finally able to get somewhat back to normal.
dd 2 was a lovely normal delivery, but was prepared for an elective episiotomy if required !
dd3 a lot more difficult so even though i didnt tear again i chose to have a natural birth and risk further surgery afterwards.I pushed however for 4 1/2 hours and undid all the surgeons handiwork ! Booked for surgery later this year. I would still choose a vaginal birth if i have another child. Would rather risk having myself sorted afterwards if nec. than go thro a c section and all the risks that can involve, esp with babe.
Read as much as you can and i hope you feel happy and confident with whatever you decide is right for you.

merrily · 13/09/2006 23:10

I ended up with an emergency section so can't help with regard to tearing, but just wanted to post and say that having a c-section needn't affect your ability to breastfeed, especially if you go into labour first. I had no problems establishing breastfeeding following my section.

Personally I would rather have another section than risk any severe tearing. I recovered quite quickly from the section - it was the labour that took a while to get over!

Best of luck, whatver happens!

Original poster

Dragonhart · 14/09/2006 13:12

Hadnt realised that not going into labour before section might affect breast feeding.

Anyone had an elective section and then breast fed?

OP posts:

Rochwen · 14/09/2006 15:43

I had an elective section due to dd being breech. She was 6 weeks premature when my waters broke. I never really went into labour. She breastfed beautifully from day one. I had no problems whatsoever.

The section itself was very peaceful and I remember it as a very special experience. I didn't feel a thing, not even tugging. My dd was born within 10 minutes and looked just beautiful. It then took them another 20 minutes to sew me back up while I cuddled dd. Afterwards I had a morphine pump and thus felt no pain. The next day I was already up and about. I drove again after two weeks. It really was no problem.

If you feel you would prefer a section go for it. You are not selfish !

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