Tampons uncomfortable

[SpanielFace]

I had DS1 in 2012 by CS - I got to 5 cm dilated before they discovered he was footling breech. Afterwards, sex was painful for about 6 months and I had discomfort inserting tampons, and they had a tendency to "fold" on themselves during insertion. It gradually got better, which seemed to coincide with me stopping BF.

I've since had another pregnancy which ended with me losing the baby at 21 weeks. This was 7 weeks ago. I had a missed miscarriage and was induced, and delivered vaginally. No tears or stitches, he was tiny, he only measured 16 weeks.

My period has now arrived, and I'm having real issues with tampons. Inserting them is uncomfortable, it feels as if there is resistance. Once they are in I can feel them and they keep sliding downwards so they are partly poking out. (Sorry if TMI).

Can this be normal? I've now got it into my head that maybe I have actually cervical cancer and that's why I lost the baby (possibly ridiculous but these things do play on your mind, I seem to have spent the last 7 weeks looking for a reason ). I will go see the GP, and I'm due a smear test anyway (letter arrived last week), but has anyone else got experience of issues with tampons after birth?

Firstly I am so sorry for your loss. It's very early days for using tampons, I would suggest your body just isn't ready. Although you very sadly didn't give birth to a full term baby, you laboured and your body went through all the same traumas.

For sure have the smear test if it's not too soon ( do ask, I'm rusty on how long you need to leave) but cervical cancer is most unlikely.

Most importantly, do you have an appointment with your obstetrician to debrief and discuss what happened? It might be that your cervix is a little weakened and a stitch would be advised in another pregnancy.

Main thing is, forget tampons just now, take good care and write a list of points to discuss when you meet with the doctors.

Very best wishes.

Thanks for the reply.

No, no appointments for follow up. We are currently still waiting for post mortem results so I expect I will see my GP when they return, I'll ask them then.

Thanks for the reassurance, though. I honestly hadn't expected any problems because I didn't have any vaginal injuries, as you might expect during full term labour, but I forget that my cervix had to dilate in just the same way. So maybe it's just too soon. Because DS1 was a CS birth, I don't really know what "normal" is after a vaginal delivery, full term or otherwise.

I suggest you do see your GP for reassurance and a check up but you definitely do need to see your obstetrician for a follow up appointment. As you say the PM results do take some time but if you don't hear anything in another week or so give the secretary a call to check. It is important. Scrap my previous remark about the cervical stitch, though I misread your post. For a missed miscarriage it wouldn't be necessary.

Hope you have lots of support.

Ask your gp for a referral to a gynaecologist.