Anyone have any positive stories of recovery after forceps delivery and epistiotomy?

[midnight1983]

Hi all, I am looking for some light at the end of the tunnel and so I wonder if anyone has experience of the same?

I had my son 11 weeks ago and after a very difficult pushing stage I ended up having a forceps delivery and a large cut, as baby was 8lb
11oz. A few days after the birth, the pain in the cut was intensifying and it turned out I had an infection which cleared up with antibiotics. However, I had comments from both the nurse and doctor along the lines of 'oh dear that's been stitched up in a funny way' which scared me. At my postnatal check it was deemed to healed and the cut feels healed, it's just that I still feel quite numb in the area both inside and out and find it difficult to feel if I am doing my pelvic floor exercises properly. I also had one case if bowel incontinence on the third day after birth and since since then some leakage before weeing and pooing becomes very urgent very quickly! My husband and I have yet to have sex, due to new parenthood

Basically, I would like to know if anyone else has experienced similar and did you end up feeling somewhat normal again? The nurse I saw just said that it will take time and i feel quite anxious that I'll never be the same again.

Poor you midnight, that sounds terrible. I had a tear and an episiotomy followed by infection too, but worse were haemorrhoids the size of strawberries which made the other pains pale into insignificance. The whole area took almost 6 weeks to heal, carrying a super-duper rubber ring around. So I'm with you there in terms of pain.

I think you should go back to your doctor and insist on seeing a gyne-surgeon. If you're not happy and experiencing incontinence of any kind and sensation-loss, they're excellent reasons to get a second opinion. I went and saw one several years later, she put my problems into context and helped me to understand what the op would entail. I decided not to get anything done in the end as the difficulties I was experiencing did not weigh-up well against recuperation vs possible benefits in my case. But each individual case may make an operation necessary. I'd go and get the reassurance you need from an expert. Numbness can take years to go away and sometimes does not, and incontinence has got be dealt as it can get worse, so do get it sorted in the way that's best for you, and good luck.

With my first birth I had episiotomy and forceps which healed absolutely fine, it was after my second delivery which caused a tear that I didn't do so well.
Nothing like as bad as you, but I suffered a painful scar afterwards which I put up with for 2 years. I eventually saw my doctor, who referred me to the gyne and I had a fentons procedure which involves cutting out the scar tissue and re-stitching. It has its risks, but has worked beautifully for me. I went on to give birth again afterwards naturally, and only suffered a very small tear which didn't need stitching.

Go and get it checked out, there are options that could help you.

Hi OP, i also had forceps and episiotomy and luckily, healed up without any complications.

I also had a but of incontinence and when I needed the loo, I absolutely could not wait. It was horrid.

I got the nurse to check me out at a smear test some time later and she sadly we'll never be exactly the same following childbirth! But assuming you don't need any kind if corrective surgery, it does settle down and you do get used to it.

Don't panic about not having had sex yet, there really is no hurry, and you don't want to aggravate the area.

It's taken me two years to heal.

I'll PM you in another couple and let you know how I'm getting on!

Don't be shy of banging in your gp's door and getting referrals left right and centre to help you get back to as normal as possible, don't let them fob you off.

And congratulations on your lo

I had forceps and lots of stitches from inside out. Healed up fine but my second labour was then very very fast (1 hour total with a 15min pushing phase) just something to chat about with the midwife should you have any more.

After the second although I only had a small graze I found myself with loss of sensation and I would regularly pee on my hand thinking I had finished and going to wipe but I was still seeing, I just couldn't feel a thing.

I had physio and now after birth number three have no problems at all, I pee quite frequently but never have accidents and can use the trampoline.

I is always worth talking to your doctor if your not happy.

Thanks all for these thoughtful responses. I think my birth left me feeling a bit traumatised (waters broke followed by 52 hour wait in hospital for induction, horrendous pushing stage with passing out) and I didn't want to deal with how I was left physically changed. But seeing that others have dealt with these issues positively I think I will try to see the go as soon my baby boy gives me a minute

Hi there, I am 36 weeks pregnant with my second baby but my first birth sounds very similar to yours and I was also very traumatised by the whole thing ( suprised I've actually gone for another baby but must admit I'm scared about this birth now it getting close). I'm only a small girl and my DS was 8 pounds 3. I too was pushing for a good two and a half hours and resulted in episiotomy and dreaded forceps. I was in a lot of pain and discomfort after the birth but it wasn't until a week after the birth that I found out my stitches had all come out and I too had an infection which needed antibiotics! I still felt strange and numb down belle for a while and unlike your cut that you say healed up, mind was left open to heal itself which took 8 weeks. My bladder ended up being affected as I permanently felt I needed to wee. Luckily with work I have private health so I managed to make an appointment myself to see a gyno who was wonderful and she booked me in for private physio sessions . These sessions along with regular pelvic floor exercises improved me down below and my bladder etc and I feel totally normal again. I had my baby in December 2011 and by beginning of June I felt back to normal. You could ask your gp to refer you to a gyno or depending where you are I would be happy to give you the details of the gyno I saw and she is happy for patients to contact her.

Had forceps delivery and three layers of stitching six months ago. Have done the pelvic floor exercises religiously. The stitches healed fine. Had terrible urge and stress incontinence and when I needed to poo I had to rush as I didn't quite feel I had control.
It's only really the last month where things have felt much better (maybe the slight reduction in breastfeeding had something to do with it). Still can't stop urine mid-flow but no longer have any pain other than some muscular pain near my coccyx if I've been on my feet for a long time.
Managed my first run today and leakage was minimal so I'm hoping that in another month it will be none.

11 weeks is really early. I know that six weeks seems to mentioned a lot (for post-natal checks) but IME six months is more realistic for full healing. Are you doing the pf exercises sat/lying down? because I found this much easier than standing up. Gussiegrips had a really good thread about pelvic floor which would be really helpful for you. Sorry, Don't know how to link.

Hope you feel better soon.

Yes go back to see gynae and also get a referral for physio. I had forceps and epi and ended up doubly incontinent. However I was given physio and gynae apps plus counselling.
5 months on I'm nearly normal. Still doing pelvic floor exes hopefully by 9 months I'll be back to normal. Thought I'd have to have bum surgery for a while!

Oh my god glad this isn't just me... On my third day I had bowel incontinence , in hospital, I was mortified, I had stitches too.. I do feel quiet numb aswell still and I had my baby 3 weeks ago, I have had sex since and it felt just like normal ... I'm finding it easier doing pelvic floor exercise... It'll just take time I suppose

I had an episiotomy, failed ventouse, forceps and a 3rd degree tear. It was pretty traumatic but I healed fairly quickly from the stitches (though I felt like I'd been hit by a bus the first few weeks).

I will be honest though and say that my pelvic floor was pretty damaged. Luckily I didn't leak (apart from when doing vigorous exercise) and had no problems with doing no. 2's. But things like passing wind I wasn't very good at controlling. I also felt I had a heavy, dragging sensation down there which I thought was a prolapse but the dr said it was not.

I was referred to a physio who thought my main issue was nerve damage from the forceps, but she gave me pelvic floor exercises to do. It has been a slow process but DD is now over 2 and I feel completely back to normal - all previous issues have died down and I can even go running again without discomfort.

So, what I'm trying to say is that recovery can be slow, but the outcome can still be positive.

I had an episiotomy and forceps, and my scar became infected. My baby was also 8lb11.

I had some minor incontinence issues which improved a lot with physio. Occasionally leak a drop or two if my bladder is full. No ongoing concerns other than I think I might have rectocele making bowel movements difficult at times. But nothing which really impacts on my day to day life or sex life

I think it's fair to say that you won't ever be 'normal' again, as in back to normal. You will be different. In time, not bad, just different. You've had quite a lot of trauma to a very complex, sensitive area and 11 weeks really isn't that long for it all to heal. It should still improve with time.
Urge incontinence, urinary, faecal and random farting is common and should settle. Pelvic floor exercises are a must but see your gp if you don't think you're getting any continual (albeit slow) improvement. But don't expect to be back to how you were cos you almost certainly won't be. You have a baby instead of the body and bits of a 20 year old (she tells herself looking woefully at her tummy :-(. )

Hi, I had exactly the same, forceps and episiotomy, I was numb down there for weeks, feacally incontinent and my episiotomy opened up and became infected. On the bad side I now have a bladder and bowel prolapse (awaiting surgery) on the positive side after a couple of months I could feel the pelvic floor muscles and the incontinence stopped. Ask to see a physio I saw one for a year but for me it didn't help. Hopefully it will for you.