Having a natural delivery after 3rd degree tear...

[Unmumsymum94]

Hi fellow mumsnetters.
I am currently 10 weeks with baba number 2 and midwife has put me under consultant care after 3b tear with ds1. Although I healed quite well and quickly, I do experience some incontinence when sneezing, being sick, coughing ect. I am scared of doing more damage with another VB but I am also terrified of having to have an epidural for a c section. No win situation here.
So I am just wandering if any of you have gone on to have a natural delivery after having such a bad tear? And if so how did you find it? Thanks in advance!

I had a 3b, took a long time to heal. 3y later I had s natural delivery again, 2nd deg tear which was fine :)

I know this isn’t what you asked- but I had a section after 4 degree tear which was considerably less traumatic. Took less time to heal and left with nothing but a small scar

Thank you for your replies, I think the biggest fear for me is having to have that bloody spinal jab again or an epidural. Think i might take my Chances with a natural delivery because of that.

That is an unusual fear for someone worrying about 2nd birth after a 3rd degree tear! There is no birth that can guarantee avoiding a spinal as you know, but a csection guarantees it. Why are they of such concern?

I had a csection after a 4th degree tear. Right choice for me, but I was also relieved when told by consultant that it was what they recommended. The recovery from csection was easy compared to the other version. I had some complications from a spinal anaesthetic first time round, but still thought that the implications for lifelong continence of another natural birth with uncertainty vs csection were worth it, and so far (8 years) it was the right choice for me. Good luck!