Did your vagina go back to normal after caesarian/vaginal birth?

[yellowbuttercup]

I know you can tear during VB which can cause terrible problems. But I have seen some threads where even women who had relatively straightforward births with no tears said that their bits were ‘not quite the same’ afterwards. Also I have heard of doctors saying, ‘you’ve had a baby, you can’t expect your sex life to go back to how it was’ and ‘it’s normal for all women to have a mild prolapse after VB’. I am wondering what is reasonable to expect. OK I realise there must be stretching and pain initially, but if you do your pelvic floor exercises and give it some time is it possible to eventually have your normal vagina back? And if not, in what way is it ‘not the same’? What about if you had a CS instead of VB? I have heard people saying that it is pregnancy rather than birth that causes the problems down below so there is no advantage to having a caesarian, but I am not sure if this is true or not! I know there are other reasons to choose between VB and CS but at the moment I am just considering the lasting physical damage that I am likely to have down below and the possibility of returning to normal after either of them.

[MissCardew]

VB a few years ago, had an episiotomy and internal tear. No issues with pelvic floor or incontinence but the scar tissue meant sex and tampon use was very painful. I struggled along for about 18 months thinking this was now 'normal' but on the advice of a friend I went to the GP who referred me over to a gynae. One minor surgical procedure later and all is very much back to how it was before. I'm so pleased I was advised to seek help

[Proudmummytodc2]

2 Vb here

One was with 9lb 5ounce baby had episiotomy but went back to normal

2nd 8lb 11ounce although tiny baby for weight it's still a vb and went back to normal again

But I did do my pelvic floors ect all through my pregnancies and after also extra exercise as had physio therapist for SPF which weakens your muscles I can go on trampolines sneeze with clenching ect no boasting btw just my experience I would do your exercises and it will be fine xx

[yellowbuttercup]

Uff, first time hearing about varicose veins in the vagina! God, something new to worry about! All this does terrify me a bit. But I'm guessing it can't have been that bad, otherwise you all wouldn't have gone on to have your second and thirds.

It's definitely something that isn't discussed. I have learned more on mumsnet than I have in real life about all this.

I really don't care what it looks like afterwards but I am worried about pain, loss of sensation during sex, incontinence etc. But it sounds like yoga, pelvic floor exercises, and no running are the way to go - seems to have worked for some. Fingers crossed.

[kalidasa]

DS is 13 months - normal and straightforward birth but two second degree tears (he was in the 'superman' position with his arm extended forward past his head and apparently that is pretty much a guaranteed tear). They healed well. It does feel a little bit bigger and DH says it feels slightly different, but overall we are actually pleased - I was really a bit too small/tight before and sex is actually better and easier now. So I think it's realistic to expect some minor alteration but it's not necessarily a bad thing.

[TheRealCarrieBradshaw]

Sorry, what's Sex ?

[FruitbatAuntie]

2 c-sections here, and all seems exactly as it was beforehand. I did (and do) my pelvic floor exercises regularly though.

First time I had sex after each section, things did feel somewhat 'different' down there. I felt tighter if anything (not good, I was too small before anyway which made sex sore sometimes) , and like everything had moved around a bit? I suspect this was due to the hormones when BF and also suddenly not having the weight of a huge baby there? Got back to normal pretty quickly with the aid of lubricant.

[fanjobiscuits]

EMCS, fanjo good as new. Stomach not.

[Ummofumbridge]

Is it just me who's sitting doing my pelvic floor exercises whilst reading?
I'm not sure, I'd only had sex a few times before I got pregnant (was v young). I now have 5 dc, all straightforward VB's and I think I'm in pretty good nick down there! I only tore with my second and it just needed a couple of stitches.
I can do jumping jacks fine although trampolining is only ok if I pop to the loo beforehand! Sneezing is fine too.

[betty10k]

Yes this thread has made me do my pelvic floor exercises. I had a VB, slight tear but no stitches. All totally back to normal within a month or so if i remember rightly, but it's just luck of the draw i guess!

[lilyaldrin]

DS1 - had him aged 26, didn't bother with pelvic floor exercises, no varicose veins or piles, 8lb 6oz vaginal birth with episiotomy and forceps delivery. Stitches healed within a week or so I think, it felt different down there for about 6 months (eg. sometimes when doing aerobics it felt a bit odd) but after that entirely back to normal - no incontinence at all, sex all normal etc.

DS2 - 34 weeks pregnant now, aged 30, still not doing pelvic floor but I do have to brace myself when I sneeze now! Will have to wait and see how I fare after the birth...

[TimeIsAnIllusion]

I had 4DC first was forceps, second came out "superman style", 3rd "normal" (water birth) and last c section (all babies were back to back - I must have an odd pelvis).
I'm very surprised I've been fortunate not to have any incontinence or prolapse issues at all - I can happily trampoline or run or anything - no probs whatsoever.
I've never done keigels or whatever they're called.
I've always walked everywhere as I have no car and had to "hold on" for the loo for extended times if needing the loo due to the big distances between toilets on my walking routes! Maybe this has helped "tone" the relevant muscles!?
Anyway - not meaning to brag and obv sympathetic to anyone who is suffering the "usual" post childbirth issues - but I do feel a bit offended that people (twice had comments from friends husbands!) assume as I've had 4DC I must have issues. No I don't. (Apart from my saggy tum - now those muscles really are shot to pieces!).

[VikingLady]

I had a prolapse after emcs, but also had bad spd during pg - the physio said they may be linked in my case, and the relaxin produced in pg had over-relaxed things!

My bits were a state afterwards despite doing kegels as often as the physio recommended. Then GussieGrippers on here said to do more! I now do them whenever I brush my teeth for the full length of time I am brushing, and a full set at the start of every bf session. I did them even more when the prolapse was bad - I did them throughout every feed too! Very hard work but worth it. Also the only exercise I actually do

Completely fine now. I could probably open beer bottles with it!

[gamerchick]

Episiotomy and ventouse... being dragged out of me caused my vaginal walls to collapse in on themselves and cause a mild prolapse. I haven't felt much for 18 years despite no problems with waterworks and a good grip.

I REALLY wish I could go back in time and not have that epidural and maybe I could have pushed her out

[WeeTeaJenny]

No difference at all after ceaserean
Looks normal after VB but partner says he feels it's different ' inside' now when having sex ?
Not sure what I can do about that though ? Havnt had any pain and it feels exactly the same to me during sex as before

[MatildaWhispers]

Gave birth 3 times, all VB. I don't look quite the same down there, although I try not to look really. I had awful varicose veibs in second pregnancy but luckily just in my legs, nowhere more intimate. Sex felt the same as before, and had no complaints from partner. My third was born very quickly, and the midwife said she was surprised I hadn't torn badly, so I consider myself lucky. I haven't done pelvic floor exercises as much as I should have done. Have had no issues with incontinence, but I do feel uncomfortable on trampolines!

[vichill]

I had a back to back birth with 20 stitches after a 2nd degree tear. Baby 6.5 months and honestly it seems back to normal (albeit dry due to bfing). It's weird trying to do a pelvic floor in the days following birth and you think that's it, it's wizard's sleeve, but it did spring back with the odd set of kegels. Seems easier to orgasm now.

[HowBadCanThisGet]

1st baby was a ventouse with a cut, and that healed fine, no difference to trampolining etc. Child 2 was a very quick delivery, and I had a 'graze' which in effect was lots and lots of small tears, but they didn't stitch anything. Following DD2 I found sex painful for about 18 months, according to DH it feels different, and it definitely looks different too (the flaps are, um, flappier).

I am not incontinent, but find trampolines are challenging. I can do it if I go the toilet often.

[FairyTrain]

One word..... PILATES....amazing

[Meglet]

2 CS's and no problems. But as others have mentioned, I always did pelvic floors (years before I was even pregnant) and pilates. Running, jumping and sneezing are fine.

Just hearing the word 'gussie' sets me off clenching .

[ROARmeow]

2 vaginal births, decently sized babies, one of whom was back-to-back.

Vagina feels same tightness during sex (thank God!), but now my pee comes out at a funny angle and my farts do themselves.

Make of that what you will

[mayhew]

I had a client recently with stress incontinence after difficult forceps first time. As a mw i was concerned and referred her to consultant to discuss el CS this time. I also referred to physio.

Forward to 28 weeks. She saw cons and declined elCs because she has improved so much after proper coaching from physio.

i really didn't think she could improve so much while pregnant! Shows me...

[babynelly2010]

1st birth, normal delivery in water, student MW chatting away about her holiday during crowning stage, panicked and pushed too hard without contraction, 2nd degree tear all along perineum, poor stitching came off, they forgot to tell me about my complete labia tear, found it for myself later, thank you very much dear MW for the shock of my life. NO it did not feel the same but it was kind of alright.
2nd birth, very fast delivery, very big baby with a hand to his face and turned a bit funny, got stack for few moments but came out after all with out major intervention, just the hand needed adjusting. The result is devastating. Second degree tear, they lied said it was just small nick and no stitching needed then put it in my discharge notes, I have 2nd degree anterior prolapse, 1st degree posterior prolapse, no sensation on the side where the baby's hand was and my labia tear obviously did not grow back together after that. Perineum is very short, vagina is HUGE. I do want reconstructive surgery and will have it done even if NHS will not give agrees to. If i knew how it will be now I would of most definitely gone with c-section. Operation on abdominal wall is much easier and less complicated than on the pelvic floor and vagina. In fact I don't understand why people want to go with VBAC after section... I am sure people would give me many reasons on this one but why take chances with vaginal birth when you already had a section... besides the recovery time...

[Quintessentialmadonna]

I had back to back labour (ouch!) ventouse delivery with episiotomy. Felt different initially, but did pelvic floor exercises religiously and feels pretty normal now, sure still got some way to go (only 8 months on) my dd was big and 10 days overdue, so reckon she woulda been pulled out regardless if epidural i had! But next time I will aim for no epidural as really don't want an instrumental delivery again.

[Kelly1814]

I had an ELCS and my vajajay is completely intact and not changed in any way.

I did have a small baby (4 pounds) so maybe there was less pressure on it.