Being stitched up without gas and air - advice?

[Peelspeelspeels]

Sorry this is long but there’s a backstory to explain. I had my son 3 years ago - induced via pessary, first and second stage went really well, used tens machine and bath water for pain relief.
But I lost quite a lot of blood from bleeding tears and needed to be examined by 4 people (including a consultant) to determine if I had a 3rd or 2nd degree tear on my perineum. They decided it was a bad 2nd, along with clitoral and urethral tears, and to stitch me up there and then to stem the bleeding. However they made me use gas and air continually (about 60-80 min total) whilst being examined and stitched and, having not used any in labour, I felt very out of control on it and like time was going in circles and I couldn’t escape. I felt very traumatised by it, cried for days after, it contributed to PND and only resolved after counselling sessions about 9 months post partum.
I’m now pregnant again and whilst having contractions doesn’t phase me, pushing the baby out, and having to be repaired after does. I refuse to use gas and air again. I’ve got a consultant appointment coming up, due to the extent of previous tears but midwife suggested:
A) I could have an epidural so don’t feel the repair afterwards. But there’s no guarantees someone will be available to administer one and it might be a v quick labour going on my first one. Plus I know epidurals increase the risk of tearing and I don’t want worse tears either
B) I could go to theatre after to be repaired. But again, if they’re busy and it’s not a bad tear, I fear I might be fobbed off.

Of course other thing I could do is request a C section, which is a possibility, but I haven’t totally ruled out a vaginal birth again yet.

So: Has anyone had a vaginal birth, torn and been stitched up but not used gas and air at all for it? Can’t seem to find any other experiences like this, so would love to hear it’s possible! Thanks in advance.

My DD is 29 years old and reading this post makes me feel faint recalling her birth. I had a 2nd tear stitched without adequate anaesthesia. I was utterly traumatised. It is complete barbaric that this still happens. Totally failing women

Local does not always work. They told me it couldn't perfuse through the tissue because the bruising and swelling after 29 hrs of POP birth had caused so much swelling. I was in huge pain even without being stitched. The Dr was called Tamsin and the midwife Patsy (surnames withheld). 29 years on I still remember their actions towards me and wish to hold them to account

I've had second degree tears three times and only ever had local anaesthetic. I refuse gas and air too I tried it with my first and it turned me into a mad woman. Hated it. If you like you can try Clary Sage Oil, it has similar effects to gas and air without the horrible side effects. I pushed my second and third babies out (both 9lb) using only Clary Sage oil, few drops in a hanky and inhale when needed. Im a bit hippy though!

Don't use it before your due date though, it can bring on contractions.

I had a local for mine and it still bloody hurt. The stitches were worse than pushing out the baby!

This is barbaric.

I don't get along with gas and air. I just find it gives me a horrible feeling of being "out of it" but without helping the pain at all. This sounds a bit similar to what you've described. Noone can force you to have gas and air. If you become pregnant again, just make sure your birth plan includes that you don't want to be offered gas and air. In my 2nd labour I declined it and that was fine.

I don't think it's fair to do any kind of stitching without good local anaesthetic infiltration or a regional block / spinal. I'm not surprised you found it very hard to tolerate the stitching if you don't get a good analgesic effect from gas and air. I'm sorry you felt like you didn't get a say or the option to refuse, that's awful.

I had perineal suturing after both of my labours. The first under a spinal anaesthetic - due to which I felt absolutely nothing as expected. I didn't have an epidural, they put in the spinal only after I gave birth because local anaesthetic wouldn't have been enough for the examination and suturing I needed.

The repair after my 2nd labour was with local anaesthetic only (no gas and air) - the pain was very tolerable / much less bad than I expected. My midwife was very respectful and I felt confident she would have stopped if I asked, she also checked frequently whether I was finding it painful. This was despite the fact that she was senior and the shift was very busy.

I do hope you would have an experience more like either of mine the next time. I'm speculating but it sounds as though the pain relief you were given was inadequate and really it would have been better care to have performed a spinal first. It is challenging, as putting in a spinal anaesthetic for a repair does require the theatre to be available (if not available there might be significant delays) and also carries some additional risks. Other options might have been to give you a stronger pain killing medication such as pethidine.

You are much less likely to have extensive tears the 2nd time round and you may not need suturing at all. My first tear was a lot worse than the 2nd time (hence why I needed the spinal for the repair first time round but not the 2nd). In my experience (and those of the people I know) a good midwife will listen carefully to your previous traumatic experiences and will help you to make a birth plan you are happy with. Congratulations on your baby.

Seriously opt for a c section. It will be calm, you you will feel in control and there will be no further damage due to tearing . Please don't risk it. You don't need another traumatic birth and PND. Good luck xx

My second birth was vbac, birth great, had pethidine, needed stitches and felt every, single one. Was given local which didn't work and the midwife would not listen, moaned that i was in pain and eventually gave gas and air, I could still feel them, but it was like a bad dream. That was the thing I was most worried about when I had my third.

Tear and whatever it’s called when they shove a hand up and massage out blood clots. Local anestthtic, but tbh by that time you don’t feel anything ! Hypnotism worked unbelievable well.

@stayathomegardener

I had tens and gas and air only during labour which was fine. I still remember the stitches afterwards without any anaesthetic were horrific and that was 23 years ago.

I had exactly the same experience but mine was only a couple of years ago

OP, I don't have any advice, but I just wanted to say you're not alone.
I had gas and air (which hadn't worked during labour!) for my stitches after birth and honestly it was worse than actually giving birth. The gas and air obviously didn't work for me then either and I was so traumatised :(
If I have another baby, I will be asking for a c section. It was truly horrific and I don't trust I will be listened to.

I had just local anesthetic for the stitches after my second birth. It was a home birth and here they don't bring gas and air to home births, so there was none available. It was absolutely fine, I never felt I needed anything beyond the local.

I’m sorry to hear so many others have had bad experiences too - though it’s nice to not feel quite so alone as I had done. The more I think about it the more I think I will explore having a c section. I was lucky in that the doctor who repaired me did actually do an excellent job and everything healed very well, with no long term problems (well except mental ones!) - but I’m very wary of undoing his good work with another vaginal birth, and undoing my hard work mentally worrying about the what ifs that a vaginal birth naturally entails. I know a c section is no walk in the park and there are risks involved too though so need to weigh it all up. Thank you again!

I had 4/5 stitches....most of them I couldn't feel because they had given me a local anaesthetic jab to numb me because they thought I was going to need an episiotomy which I didn't (also didn't feel my labour really)....the one near my clit I bloody well could!!!! But maybe ask for a local anaesthetic?
I know I will be for baby 2!