Damage from a vaginal labour

[Lilonetwo]

I really don't want this thread to scare anyone but I would like some honest and balanced answers from people with experience of a 'natural' vaginal birth. Because I feel like damage after birth isn't very often discussed. (People often think, oh straightforward birth, no lasting complications, woman goes back to normal life. Which I'm aware probably isn't always the case?)

What damage (long or short term) did a vaginal birth do to you?

After both straightforward birth or a difficult birth

If you had a straightforward vaginal birth or a traumatic birth, did you have any problems; short term after birth, long term, with having sex, tears, incontinence, prolapse recovery time etc.

(I don't want to make this a VBAC Vs ELECC debate but for context this is the reason for my question.)

Quick labour, fully dilated in a couple of hours but 3 hours + pushing. DD got stuck, legs behind head to get her out, 4th degree tear. Could not control my bowels for a few weeks afterwards. Very embarrassing to not know if you're going to fart with no control to stop it. Thankfully stopped pooing myself after a week. Had physio to strengthen pelvic floor but 1 year on after several cancelled appointments and machinery not working (only to be told on arrival at hospital) I discharged myself and seem to be coping ok now.

I'm opting for a csection next time!!

Normal pregnancy and vaginal birth. Had second degree year which I didn't feel at all, one continuous stitch. I must have had some nerve damage and scarring which made sex feel weird at first (resumed at four weeks post delivery) but improved over time and no issues at all by 6 months. DH doesn't notice any difference or is too polite to say.

In frank conversations with my two friends who have each had one vaginal birth and one caesarean, both said they have more problems with the caesarean, particularly as they got older (scar tissue, overhang etc.), while the vaginal birth had no long term problems at all.

3 vaginal births

First baby born 7lbs 8oz birthed with gas and air but required episiotomy. Healed quickly with no complications and no effects to pelvic floor or continence issues.

Second baby born 8lbs 9oz water birth with gas and air. Lovely calm and short labour. I did tear and require stitches. Again healed well with no complications but definitely felt a difference in my pelvic floor. Pelvic floor exercise and time helped but certainly didn’t feel the same as pre baby.

Baby number 3 8lbs induced at 38 weeks. My most painful and intense labour by far. 2nd degree tear required stitches. Stitches healed well with no complications. After a 3rd birth I wasn’t taking any chances with my pelvic floor and have recently invested in a kegal 8 pelvic floor excerciser, doing well so far and can sneeze without fear, still can’t hold in a fart though which embaresses me terribly. Hopefully gets better with time.

what is the kegel exerciser? do you have a link

First was an EMCS after 4 days of induction.

Second was a rather quick VBAC (amazing experience!) - with just gas & air.

Pain was massive, but forgotten about within seconds of baby arriving.

2nd degree tear - stitching that up was more painful than labour!!! First few days, I found my tear pain worse than my c section pain if I’m honest, but midwife put that down to a stitch in an awkward position...

Now 14 weeks post partum; no pain, no leaking, and normal relations resumed! We tried having sex about 7 weeks PP, but it was too sore to do much so took it slow. Finally had proper sex at 10 weeks, took it steady, and I was sore for a couple of days. Currently sore for about 24 hours after but it’s getting better.

Things are tighter down there, but it’s totally fine and I’m used to it now 😊

2 normal labours, first episiotomy and stitches, second labour in total about 30mins but no tears, grazes etc. No problems whatsoever, can still happily trampoline!

I've had one vaginal birth. DS was born with aid of a ventouse/episiotomy. I think the dr said I had about seven or eight stitches. From waters breaking/contractions starting to baby being born was almost exactly seven hours.

I had no pain from the episiotomy.

About a fortnight after the birth I developed some sort of horrendous pelvic inflammation which left me unable to walk for about a month. On one of my better days I managed to get to the dr and was prescribed heavy duty drugs which sorted it out but I genuinely thought I was fucked. It was agony.

I have some urinary stress incontinence now but it doesn't bother me much. When I have a cold I wear a sanitary towel. Exercise was bad at first but seems to have improved. I avoid skipping

Mentally, childbirth terrified me and I was really upset and anxious for a while afterwards. I'm still really scared of ever having to do it again.

Oh, and sex was extremely painful for about ten months and even now, 17 months on, things feel a bit weird down below.

First labour- 36 hours, gas and air, back to back. Baby started to get distressed so talk of ventouse but found a last surge of energy and pushed her out before they could do it. Small tear, 4 stitches. Up and about very quickly, went on a long walk and pub lunch with the baby at 48 hours old. Healed very quickly, no short or long term effects.

2nd labour much quicker and easier. Baby born in 3 pushes 2 hours after getting to hospital. Again, gas and air only. 8lbs 8oz baby, no tearing. No short or long term effects, no incontinence etc.

Oh and sex resumed at around 6 weeks both times with no issues.

Wow a variety of experiences. It does seem though that VB comes with a lot of issues afterwards that aren't discussed.

Baby was 5 days late. Actually had a MW appt scheduled for the day for 9am in case I went over. As I was getting in the car I had said I thought contractions had started, slight cramping so MW did a stretch and sweep (was already 2cm). Planned homebirth, but when I started pushing and waters finally went baby had passed meconium so had emergency transfer to hospital (not fun trying to push a baby out whilst holding on for dear life in the back of an ambulance, that's for sure). Was pushing for a while (don't know how long because I was fairly out of it from exhaustion) - struggling to get him past the bend but eventually managed. Baby's HR dropped and wasn't coming back up quick enough while I was crowning so MW said we needed to expedite the delivery and episiotomy was performed, managed to get him out after that but he was a compound delivery (born with hand on face). No idea how many stitches were done. Labour was about 20 hours. Couldn't walk straight for about 3 weeks after. Six months on, have attempted sex 3 times. Agonisingly painful during and for some time after - had to abort last attempt. Zero sex drive anyway from BFing (the way I feel atm, I wouldn't care if I never had it again). Thankfully no lasting issues with urinary incontinence.

At risk of TMI, wanted to say that further to my post above, things are improving at six months pp with much more sensation and things beginning to feel like it did before. Pelvic floor exercises must be paying off and gradual healing over time.

Dc2 12 hour labour with 0 progression (was induced) then suddenly went from dilation to 10cm. Baby born 7 minutes later. No tearing or lasting damage.

Dc2 ELCS, surgery went fine, catheter out after about 18 hours and was walking. Went home about 36 hours after surgery. Scar is still slightly numb a year later but I can cope with that.

*from 0cm dilation to 10cm

Oh and I had a dose of pethadin with the labour.

Two big babies. First birth extremely traumatic and dangerous forceps delivery

Second quick birth on an understaffed ward

Fourth degree tears with both. Both urinary and faecal continence affected

I should have insisted on CS a day or two into my first labour and I don’t believe women are given the information they need to make good choices. I do actually think the NCT which I did should take more responsibility for this