Calling all Raggedies - the THIRD Ragged Bits thread. Childbirth injuries, sphincter problems, fistulae... all welcome.

[Jacksmania]

First thread here, May 2008 to June 2009.

Second thread here, June 2009 to Oct 2012.

Welcome everyone with ragged bits due to childbirth. We're sorry you had to find us, but we promise to hold your hand and listen.

There is no TMI here and nothing is too gross, too embarrassing or too horrible.

All welcome.

thanks for the replies and encouragement last week. I think after 9 months of assuming healing was just around the corner I expected people to tell me to be patient, it might sound ridiculous but just seeing it written down that I ought to go see a Dr gave me enough of a nudge. thanks

I had to cancel. DH is on nights so can't have the kids, only told me this morning after agreeing before. Which is fair enough as if the appt ran over at all (last time I saw the rheum I didnt even go in til over an hour late!) he would get nowhere near enough sleep, but just wish he'd said sooner!

Remade for 4/10. DH will be off!

Hi beyond - yes I do indeed have hypermobility. And multiple birth injuries. Bit pissed at the moment as it's my birthday and I've had the odd or 3, but will post tomorrow .

abigboy - I also have the Neurotrac. It's FAB and has done wonders for my pelvic floor. Just make sure you use it as directed by your physio - if you have any sort of nerve damage you could end up hurting yourself and not realising it. Any questions - please just ask!

Right. back to .

Hey, where's my wine?? Someone drank it all!!

Thanks cardamomginger. Is the neurotrac continence one I bought as physio uses that. She has written a programme for me but I've not had a moment peace to try it

Abigboy - yup Neurotrac Continence is the one I have. Take it easy. Depending on what she wants you to do and how bad your problem is, don't be surprised if it feels quite intense to start with. If so, take it gently and build up slowly. It is amazing. It got me from a pelvic floor strength of 0/5 to 3/5. It gets things kick started, so you can then start to engage the muscles yourself. Good luck, and please do PM me if you have any questions .

Hi Beyond. Am sober now . Yes, hypermobility is associated with increased risk of prolapse and bad tearing during childbirth. As I understand it, this is due to a combination of some 'too strong' muscles that go into spasm during childbirth and other tissues that are 'too weak' and that can't hold it together as they should. Prolapse is on the diagnostic list for hypermobility.

However, this seems to be poorly researched and most of the 'evidence' is anecdotal. Therefore, whether an individual obstetrician or gynaecologist is aware of the link and/or takes it seriously will depend on what they've seen and which colleagues they have talked to. My surgeon says that it is only really now that the sort of mutlidisciplinary teams that include e.g. gynae, rheumatology, immunology, neurovascular, gastric are starting to be established and that until recently everything was very piecemeal with no on really drawing the links between the different symptoms and conditions that those with hypermobility have.
So, yes, mention it.
How did your sister get on? Wow. Hard. Don't know what I would have done. I tell everyone I meet who has hypermobility to seriously consider the pros of an ELCS if they have kids. But that's a bit different from your situation!

Just checking in to see how everyone is getting on?

No news from my sister yet, induction booked for later in the week... ...

Feeling generally more positive since airing my issues here and I'm thinking of trying Pilates in the hope of boosting my pelvic floor strength. has anyone tried this/does it help/am I hoping in vain?

oops nc fail

Fingers crossed for your sister Beyond

Good to hear Prunella Sorry I've not tried pilates but what harm could it do?

I'm hoping to take up pilates too (fitness teacher friend of mine is moving back to the area soon), its supposed to be good for my arthritis and possible hypermobility (gp said its already on my notes anyway btw so to speak to my rheum next time im there) too

I've done Pilates, but it was before I had DS so can't comment on whether it would be good for your pelvic floor. I can't see any what in which it could do harm, though, so I'd say go for it.

And if there was a name-change fail, I still don't know who you are so don't worry [dim]:)

Pilates can be brilliant for a weak pelvic floor. But you may need to go easy on other abdominal exercises, including the 'good' deep abdominals, as too much exertion here can 'push' things out and down if your pelvic floor isn't strong enough to contain things. You may also find that your pelvis isn't as stable as it otherwise would be, especially if you have actual pelvic floor damage, and you may need to go easy on exercises that involve movement in the pelvis (e.g. knee drops, even knee floats). If you have real weakness to the extent that it is e.g. contributing to incontinence, gynae/women's health physio is a good idea.

As for pilates and hypermobility, it's so tempting to enjoy the wide range of movement that you naturally have, taking wide leg positions, exaggerated turn out, etc. What you really need to do is keep those movements very small and concentrated, trying to bring everything to the centre and strengthen the core as much as possible.

A good and experienced instructor should know all of this.

NB: Am not a pilates instructor, but have been doing it for over 10 years and have both hypermobility and serious pelvic floor damage.

Dsis has finally had her baby boy this afternoon, 15 days overdue :)

A rather quick labour once it got going, like my two. Her DH only got there 15mins before! Am crossing my fingers she doesnt end up on this thread too

Well done DSIS! God, yes, fingers crossed.

Congratulations to your DSIS, and yep lets hope she doesnt need this thread!

Congratulations, AuntieBeyond :)

How are we all?

AF here, so... ouchy, cranky, exhausted, weepy, and convinced the sky is going to fall any minute and DH is going to wash his hands of me and find someone sane. Brilliant.

Oh Jacks I feel like that every day at the moment - bloody hormones.

I am after some advice/reassurance from anyone...... I'm now 22 weeks pregnant with DC2 and so far all is going really well with baby but I feel like I'm starting to fall apart. Nausea has returned, every part of me aches but the worst thing now by far is what is the start of faecal incontinence . I can hold on until I get to a loo so in that sense things are ok, but afterwards I just cant seem to stay clean. Every trip to the loo for the next 8 hours or so (and there's a lot of loo trips now baby likes to jump on my bladder) there is poo residue.

I doubt there's anything that can be done at the moment but if anyone can let me know that I'm not a freak or has any suggestions of anything I could try that would be great.

Hello,

I posted this in childbirth section but I will just copy paste just to make things easier.

Can you guys help me?

I had 2nd degree tear to perineum after my first birth to my daughter who was slightly over 7 pounds. The stitches were not done well and I suspect mainly came off. In addition to that I found a labia tear that noone informed me about. This somewhat affected my interest in sex and how I feel about myself. For that reason before the birth of my second I had several conversations with MW about my fear of more damage as my vaginal area already looks wide open and not normal. I also had a meeting with consultant who did not look at anything but did write in my notes that my delivery should be guided by senior midwife. In my birth notes I wrote that if I end up with anything greater than 1 degree tear it to be reviewed by the consultant and stitched to be done by the consultant as well.
Time for delivery of my son came and we were in the MLU. He was over 9 lb, big boy, came out with arm first and got stack for very short time. I ended up with second degree tear but MW said to leave it alone and not stitch at all. I had another MW to take a look and she said the same thing that she agrees with another widwife. OK so we left, I thought may be I am being a bit too much and just left it to heal. One visiting MW took a look and said it was healing fine but there is something that is not quite a bladder prolapse yet but could be in the future so pelvic floor exercise is must. At the end she said GP can write you a referral which I am not sure why she would say that since it all supposedly looks fine down below. Now it is all healed and it does not feel or look right, along scar it feels like there a holes into lower tissue if I run finger along it and just something weird at the opening not sure what it is. My perineum looks shorter as well. Sorry for graphic explanation.
I have 6 week check coming up, I want to bring it up and ask for a consultant referral but afraid GP will just brush me off again and say something to regard that this is part of having babies because it all seemed to be functioning ok down there but it is probably more psychological and cosmetical. I am afraid how it will affect my sex life in the future because I already had issues because of it after my first child and the way I feel about it will be even more horrible now.
I do not plan to have any more children and need to have repairs done in that area. I will even consider going privately even though I do not have extra cash just laying around.
Sorry this is long... but could you help me formulate my thoughts up before my appointment and help me come up with the list of things to say so my GP takes me seriously and makes the referrals to the right consultant. Also does it sound like I can be considered for a repair surgery? My research showed that NHS often re-stiches if things were put back together to tight, I have an appositive issue here, it was not put back together at all.

Hi babynelly, welcome to the thread! I'm in a different time zone, will be back later today to read your post more carefully and see if I can come up with anything. Just didn't want your post to go unanswered for long.

Thanks jacks. Look forward to your response.

Hi, ladies I feel your pain. My back story: third degree tear after forceps and episiotomy (sp?) and year of physio (my ds is now 2 and forceps damaged his eyelid so still visiting eye hospital). As embarrassing as still occasionally wetting myself is, thought the following story might amuse some of you. I had to go for a colonoscopy - bad enough showing off my now substantial rear end, let alone having a tube and camera stuck up it. So I'm sat there, in sexy hospital gown, having tube inserted, when the nurse next to me says "oh you teach my son!". The other nurse then tells me to "relax" as I've tensed up so much, I've inadvertently sucked up some of the tube. And no, I couldn't meet her eyes at parents evening later in the year...

*inadvertedly