Recovered after fourth degree tear and blood loss after birth?

[Matthew54]

I want to start by saying I am alive and my baby is fine, for which I’m grateful. I had precipitous labor at home with a 4.4kg baby, which resulted in a fourth degree tear and significant blood loss. This was five days ago.

I had surgery, but I’m struggling to identify any women who have also had this experience and gone back to physical activity. I see a lot of people online saying they’re perpetually incontinent and ruined, which isn’t helpful to me right now.

can anyone who recovered talk to me? Just looking for some support. ❤️. I’m heartened at the minute that I have control of my urine and bowels, but worried about what the future will bring.

First of all big congratulations and well done. Glad to hear baby is fine.

Didn't happen to me but my cousin. She had a fourth degree tear too. Like yourself ATM there was no incontinence and never was. I do know she was under gynea team for a while but all was sorted and no lasting issues that she has mentioned.

Unfortunately I don't know too much about her situation but didn't want to read and run. All I know is she isn't ruined and there is no incontinence.

Hope you are ok.

Thank you so much. I was fine until everyone started freaking me out. I’m aware I had major surgery but I was approaching it from a perspective of “it’s like any massive sports injury, you have to sort it out”. I can’t change what happened so let’s get on with it. But it’s like the surgical team and everyone expected me to be more upset?

I think that's a great attitude for you to have!!

Sometimes these surgical teams don't have the best people skills!

Reading online can be so scary, but it's natural for us to try to find similar stories. I did the same when I had my little one. Tried to get reassurance but everyone was scaring me haha.

Keep up the positivity and wishing you all the best

Hi,

Congratulations on your new baby!

I had a similar experience with my first child - 4th degree tear, blood transfusions and as a result I felt like death for about 3 weeks and then slowly recovered whilst taking it very easy (also during a heatwave!).

I'm happy to report no long lasting effects from the whole experience. I do have a scar, of course, but I am not at all aware of it and it doesn't cause any problems with sex, continence or give me any discomfort at all. I've kept myself very fit and strong which probably helps. The only real consequence of the injuries was that I had a c-section for subsequent babies - recovering from those was hard work too!

For now please try not to worry - enjoy your baby and allow yourself to rest and recover.

I had a 4th degree tear and significant blood loss in 2011. My 8lb 10oz baby came out with his arm up by his head…

Whilst I am fully recovered, I do have some urinary incontinence these days, but it only started a few years ago. I don’t know if it’s from the birth damage. But it’s certainly not enough to cause major problems for me.

I hope you recover as well as I did. Please remember that often only the worst cases are talked about online simply because people don’t go online for advice when everything was fine.

Enjoy your new baby!

My best friend had one yes, in her first labour. Recovery was sore and slow, I can’t give you the intimate details but I know it wasn’t straightforward with some fecal incontinence. But she went on to have a perfect second birth vaginally 2 years later in the water. She now rides horses and plays competitive netball, and does long distance running.

To add - pelvic floor exercises are crucial for recovery. I wish I’d focused more on it if I’m honest. I was also told if I had any more children, I would have to have a c-section. Luckily he was my third and last!

I don’t know anyone who has had a fourth degree tear, but I have friends who have had thirds with no lasting effects. Remember that you tend to only get the bad stories online! You’re actually in the enviable position of likely having had a senior obstetrician (consultant or senior reg) do the repair, so it may in fact be much better than the repair of some ‘lesser’ tears by less experienced staff!

That’s true. The hospital policy was the senior consultant had to be there with the senior reg.

Hi OP,
Congratulations. I remember feeling the exact same as you after my 3C tear …I briefly joined a support group but left due to the same experience as you. I was petrified that this would be my future.
I don’t want to out myself, but I have recorded a podcast about this exact topic, if you PM me I will share the details :)