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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Argh stretch & sweep torn old episiotomy!!!

19 replies

BoyMeetsWorld · 05/12/2013 14:34

Aaaaargh feel like I'm having a run of bad luck :(

Was desperate to start labour. Am 41 weeks, had no signs at all and terrified of hospitals so really want to go to MLU. Accepted stretch & sweep today as a last resort.

But the mw has ripped my old scar from a 2nd degree tear wide open - ive literally been pouring red blood since 9am this morning with no sign of stopping, sitting down is agony & really can't go to toilet :(

Now annoyed I can't use the birth ball etc & scared about going into full labour when I'm torn to begin with!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Janek · 05/12/2013 14:49

Surely you need to go back to the mlu, don't you? If only to tell them what they've done, but i don't blame you, i'd be scared too. Nothing helpful to say, so sorry this has happened to you!

Janek · 05/12/2013 14:50

Ah, sorry, misread, contact your midwife. You def need advice on what to do i think. Even if that advice is 'don't worry, it'll be fine'.

tweetytwat · 05/12/2013 14:51

It's only supposed to stretch your cervix, not your perineum. Have you told her what's happened? I think you should.

HarderToKidnap · 05/12/2013 14:52

??? I've done a million stretch and sweeps, never heard of this!! It's definitely not right and you need to get it seen now.

Original poster

BoyMeetsWorld · 05/12/2013 14:54

She's booked me for a second one tomorrow so i guess il tell her then. Just tried to poop (sorry tmi!) and was crying my eyes out - it feels like I remember feeling after the birth of ds1 ...can't believe I feel like this before. My whole perineum is split :( how the heck am I going to be able to push now? Feel like she's doomed me to a c section

OP posts:

HarderToKidnap · 05/12/2013 14:54

I'm not sure it's even possible to tear muscle with two fingers. Are you sure the bleeding is coming from that and not from your uterus/vagina?

HarderToKidnap · 05/12/2013 14:55

Don't wait until tomorrow, call the unit and go in to be seen now.

MrsBungleScare · 05/12/2013 14:56

I think you need to phone a midwife or maybe even go to a and e. This doesn't sound right at all. I pushed an 8lb 5 baby out and my old episiotomy/tear scars didn't split. It doesn't sound right that a sweep could do that.

MinesAPintOfTea · 05/12/2013 14:58

You do need to get checked today I think. Grim though it is its better to be checked before you go into labour.

Shaky · 05/12/2013 14:59

This definitely should not have happened. You should not have perineal damage from a vaginal examination.

I think you ought to go to your maternity to get it checked. Also consider making an official complaint.

Good luck OP

MrsCakesPremonition · 05/12/2013 15:00

Please get checked out.
You need reassurance and a plan on the way forward.

Original poster

BoyMeetsWorld · 05/12/2013 15:43

Harder - it's not just her... There was a pre existing issue with my perineum which is the whole reason I'm terrified of hospitals and wanted to go to MLU - my first DS at Stafford Hospital, they absolutely massacred me with forceps then an unsupervised student stitched me up without any pain relief at all - I was thrashing about everywhere in pain & the stitches were a total mess. 5 years later, it opens up pretty much everytime I have sex, go horseriding, strain too hard on the loo etc. stupidly I always thought it was just something I had to put up with - its only this mw who told me i should've reported it & got it fixed. Which is why I'm so surprised she wasn't a bit more careful :( I guess maybe she forgot...

OP posts:

MinesAPintOfTea · 05/12/2013 16:33

That's pretty bad, and I see why you don't feel the need to sell urgent medical attention. But do point it out to her tomorrow and make sure its prominently on your notes/birth plan that you havedamage there.

Good luck

herethereandeverywhere · 05/12/2013 20:45

If you haven't given birth yet at it's an open wound they may also want to consider risk of infection and treat appropriately for that.

Sorry that you've had such a bad time after a traumatic time first time round. I have had a CS and it's not that bad, really not a situation of 'doom' at all, especially when you have a damaged perenium to think of!

Sounds like you need to speak to someone, quite urgently, about your birth fears too, which are completely understandable after your previous experience but it sounds as though you would benefit from some reassurance and advice as your next birth is so close.

Shellywelly1973 · 06/12/2013 16:55

Did you go back?

You poor love. That's absolutely shocking...I really feel for you.

Update your thread- really hope everything works out well for you. X

raggedmum · 18/12/2013 00:04

If it opens up every time you strain for the loo or have sex then it's no wonder it opened up when she gave you a sweep

NeedlesCuties · 18/12/2013 09:04

What happened OP? I'm assuming you've had your baby now?

Fairylea · 18/12/2013 09:09

That sounds awful. Poor you :(

I had similar problems after having my dd. I actually opted to have an elective section with my ds 10 years later rather than risk going through all that again, and at least with the c section I knew I was guaranteed pain relief during and after the whole experience.

I hope things work out for you but I just wanted to let you know that if you do end up having a section it is really ok - it was a much better experience for me than my first birth and I found the recovery easier too - at least I could actually sit down!

Please go to a and E and get checked out. Anything "pouring blood" probably needs a stitch.

Fairylea · 18/12/2013 09:10

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