scared sh*tless - broken tailbone

[Klara]

Ok, this might sound a bit odd but I'm terrified of giving birth - and this will be the second time.

Sorry to scare anyone who hasn't done it the first time, but I had the worst delivery and ended up with a broken tailbone and about 10 stitches and unable to walk for a week. The tailbone breaking still hurts me and I'm terrified it will happen again.

has anyone else who suffered a broken tailbone gone on to have a perfdectly normal next time delivery. I just don't think I can cope with this kind of delivery again - but at the same time don't want a c section as am too afraid of operations!

klara

Nothing really to add but couldn't ignore your post. For what it's worth I had a horrendous first birth and a wonderful second.
Have you discussed your fears with your midwife/doctor?

Hi Klara - you poor thing, I don't blame you for being terrified. Is a caesarean an option for you?

Did you deliver on your back? IIRC, this stops the tail bone flexing properly so maybe try on all fours next time? My second delivery was much better than my first.

Rather bizarrely, giving birth sorted out the problems I had with my tailbone after I damaged it sitting down on a wooden bed frame rather than the matress.

I take it you mean your cocxy (sp??) bone. I fell off my bike when I was 10 and broken mine. When I was pregnant it gave me jib all the time, but I did manage two natural deliverlies.

Hi Klara,

all I can say is many women have pretty horrendous first births one way or another, and go on to have straightforward second births. It's usually much easier the second time around. However a broken tailbone does sound pretty extreme! Did they explain to you why it broke? What position did you give birth in the first time? A different position would probably mean less pressure on your tailbone. I had a long labour first time and gave birth with an epidural on my back, I suffered back ache for ages afterwards because of the position I gave birth in. Second time around I was in a supported kneeling position and it was much easier and quicker. I definately think you should discuss it with your MW - does she know about your previous experience?

Not sure I actually broke mine giving birth to ds (ventouse, on back etc) but it was certainly very painful for a long while and would flare up easily months later. With dd's delivery I was also on my back at that point and she slid backwards as I tried to push her past the coccyx so the OB Gyn had to help her through. Not sure if that was the same as the original problem or result of but had very little trouble with it afterwards. Up to then I'd been pretty mobile in labour, using a ball, which helped. tbh I think the risks of such complicatison are less than for a CS, especially if you have a sympathetic midwife or dr to help you.

Have discussed it with midwife - put it this way - if i wanted a c section I could have one, but that scares me even more. It's not so much the pain at the time, more the total loss of control.

DS has a very wide head - not particularly large, just very very wide across the temples (It's that Slavic blood 6 generations back coming to the fore again). They have told me that if I want to they can do a 32 week scan and measure the head width and also my pelvic canal and see wqhat they think. AT least that would offer some idea of what to expect.

I am just begining to realise how lucky I am that in Holland I pay a fortune in health insurance every month (100 quid anyone?) because at least i can get what i want - up to a point.

klara

rosie posie

without wishing to be too horrific in the details, while I was told it broke because "these things happen sometime and ds has a wide head". I am convinced it was because the plonker of a gynae who did the forceps delivery didn't wait for me to push before he started pulling. I felts a huge crack at the time, but then was so obsessed with my becutiful baby, that I didn't kind of make teh commenction until i woke up in bed at 3 am when the painkillers had worn off and reaslied that I couldn't move!

ouch!

klara

I broke mine about 10 years ago falling down the stairs and went through 2 pregnancies and births with some discomfort at times but it didn't impinge on the births themselves.

Horris thing to happen though - poor you

It does sound horrific, Klara. Was this in the UK or Holland? I would definately wait until you've had a growth scan at 32 weeks to make any firm decision, and discuss with your MW if you can, having a more active birth/birthing in a more upright position. Most second and subsequent births are much easier than first births.