Looking for 4th degree tear thread

[Rubberplant]

Hello,

I've come over from the childbirth topic as someone said there was a 4th degree tear thread in the health section. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I had a 4th degree tear 3 1/2 weeks ago after a ventouse delivery with an episiotomy. All my worst fears about childbirth were realised. This wasn't helped by the fact that this was a VBAC.

I had an appointment with the consultant last week after a midwife and GP said I had an infection. The consultant disagreed and said I was still healing...

I feel emotionally raw from what's happened to me and I'm scared about what the future holds in terms of bowel control, bladder function etc, etc.

sorry, not very good at links but think this is what you're looking for.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/777985-Continued-support-for-SPHINCTER-INJURIES-FISTU LAE-and-other-CHILDBIRTH-INJURIES

Rubberplant - I had a third degree tear with DS1 which was bad enough - so you have all my sympathy - the ante natal classes completely gloss over how bad tears can be (probably to stop fretting but still the first I had heard of a 3rd degree tear was when I was told I had had one) and I didn't quite get the implications till people who did know what that meant looked a bit sorry for me. Agh.
All I can say is that my health visitor was great (went to get me incontinence pads which mercifully I didn't need), the stitch up seemed OK and, most important, had a really nice NHS physio who specialised in tears and really helped. And three years and another DS later I am, if not quite as I was, (TMI), am better than I feared. I went back to the consultant once and they were helpful. And also I now remember that I did feel a bit anxious and fretful about how it would all pan out. I also felt pretty alone as at first I didn't know anyone else who had had one.
Take all the help the NHS will give you, especially, if possible a physio, and don't be afraid to go back to the consultant. One of my midwife checkers said she wasn't right after her birth and left it a couple of years and regretted not seeing about it earlier.
Not sure if this helps but the feeling emotionally raw I can relate to and I hope that with time and hopefully as soon as possible you continue to heal.
My only advice would be to try and ensure that you have regular monitoring and a good physio so that at least one professional is specifically on your case down there as it were as it is so important.
Don't be put off going back again and again for a second opinion/advice on further surgery if necessary (hopefully it won't be) - I am sure any professional would be sympathetic to our anxieties about the future with these tears and any wish to do anything we can or know what help is available. www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk/maternity/pdfs/infoleaflettear.pdf

Sorry for going on and on but I have been there and I was very anxious. And I have been fine since.

Good luck! And enjoy your lovely baby. Things will get better.

missing I had a third degree tear with my DS. Did you have a normal delivery with your 2nd child? I was told after I had DS they will probably recommend a c section next time, which I am keen to avoid if possible.

Coldhands - briefly - yes. I was really anxious about tearing again and, frankly, making things worse. I was worried the stitching from last time would burst but, like you, didn't really want a section.
With hindsight a section isn't the end of the world and I am not sure how I would have felt if, having gone for a vaginal birth, things had gone wrong.
But...they were fine. My consultant was great and I was able to speak to her beforehand to say how anxious I was and she was reassuring about going for a vaginal birth.
I would suggest that you have a word with your consultant who will have your particular notes in front of her/him and can advise you.
My second birth was similar to my first (induced and about 6 hours) but second time round I "only" had an episiotomy and, despite having dreaded the thought of that first time round, that was fine.

I should probably do my exercises more than I do but, bluntly, things are fine down there and I don't regret having a second vaginal birth.

The one thing is that they took my gas and air away at the last moments as I wasn't pushing hard enough - due I am sure to fear of tearing. (No still bitter icons I see!).

But...they know that ( I had kept telling the poor midwives) so I would suggest that if you do go for a VB you still make sure you remind the midwives of your anxiety and I am sure they will be sensitive to that.

Really good luck and fingers crossed for a really good second experience.

I also have discovered another friend who had a 3rd degree tear and she was fine with her second birth too.

Hope all goes well.

That sounds good. I am not planning on ttc for another year yet, but obviously thinking about the tear etc has made me apprehensive.

Its nice to know that c section doesn't have to be my only option.

Glad it all went ok for you the second time.