I've got a big scar from DD's delivery. What will happen to it with this baby?

[Funbags]

Large episiotomy scar that goes into arse cheek. Had nasty infection and took ages to heal. can anyone shed any light on what will happen to it this time? Feel free to give me the details (thanks god this is anon) - forwarned is forearmed in my book, so dont spare me if its bad (hopefully not too bad). Scar will be just over 2.5 years old by the time I deliver.

I have a similar problem (no infection though, thank goodness). I have been to a gynae to get an opinion on whether the scar will hold up (the same gynae who has been dealing with the scar anyway) - she thinks that I'm best off going for a vaginal delivery in the hope that it will stretch the scar and make it more comfortable. The big caveat is that I have had no problems with continence since DD1's delivery - if I had then I would be having a CS no question.

I was offered an elective CS anyway if I wanted one by the MW due to the scarring and trauma. I was very scared when I became pregnant, and realised that I was going to have to deliver, but knowing that I could have a CS if I wanted helped a lot. I will probably tear a little this time around due to a skin bridge over the vagina and a lot of tender fragile skin. Hopefully it will remain a first degree tear.

I'm due to deliver in October, so watch this space to see how the scar stands up to the delivery. I have the MWs on side to protect my perineum as much as possible, and I'm already booked for a 6 week check up with the gynae to make sure that things don't get left to fester this time and get sorted out properly (if things don't go well).

funbags, I had a second degree tear with ds1, so, not as bad as yours, but a tear nonetheless.

approx 2.5 yrs later I gave birth to ds2. Bigger baby, bigger head. no tear.

why did you have the episiotomy last time??

good luck mrstitlemouse hope it goes well!

thisisyesterday - ventouse then shoulder dystocia - dd pulled out by her arm in the end (so had DD stuck in fanjo and consultants hand up there rooting about at the same time) I'm 5'3" size 10 and dd was 9lb9oz so pelvis a bit small for a big 'un.

Good point from thisisyesterday - it's really useful to find out what went wrong with your previous delivery and whether things can be different this time to avoid a repeat performance.

I would suspect that your chances of another shoulder dystocia (and of ventouse) are much less this time around, just because your body has been through the experience of birth. In my case, I know that the fact that DD was my first and that she was OP were the major things that worked against me. She never descended at all, even with 2 hours of really pushing in lots of different positions (i.e. working with gravity and trying to open up my pelvis). It's a lot more likely that this time around DB2 will turn during labour as my uterus has been stretched by DD1. Even so, I have DH well primed with my wishes, and I will only have another instrumental delivery if DB2 is well descended down the birth canal and is in distress. Otherwise I want a natural delivery, or a CS.

Have you seen your midwife yet? Is she supportive and willing to listen to you and help you with your (understandable) concerns? That has been a big factor that has helped me make informed decisions, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that you have a good midwife.