For ladies who suffered with hemorrhoid or anal fissure after 1st birth

[blueberry71]

After I had my dd I suffered with huge amounts of pain and blood after bowel movements which I was told was caused by an anal fissure. Anyway since then I've managed to control it by either taking movicol or being very careful with my diet.
However now I'm pregnant with my second baby and the pain has come back. I'm going to start taking movicol again as it always helps but is this something I should mention to my midwife? Has anyone else had this and what did you do when pregnant with your second?

Is movicol safe in pregnancy? Definitely tell your midwife. I had this in my first pregnancy. I had to take lactulose and had a special cream as well.

I had terrible piles and a fissure as a result of pushing DS1 out for 2 hours, as well as an episiotomy. The piles lasted for months and were controls by suppositories and cream. I felt them coming again towards the end of my second pregnancy but had a water birth and the baby slid out much easier being a second baby and by being upright and not on my back. So a small pile was there for only a few days. Do tell your midwife your concerns.

Yes movicol is safe during pregnancy. I checked with my doctor. It's mostly ok but obviously with pregnancy constipation it's come back! Nightmare!

@BigusBumus thanks! That's reassured me a bit. I had a similar birth. Forceps and episiotomy on my back which is probably what led to the issues. Next time I'll take note of your birth to avoid further issues.

You poor thing. I can sympathise.
I have an anal fissure caused from years of constipation.
I’m 31 weeks and it flared up last week. Was so painful I could barely sit down. There isn’t anything to actually treat a fissure unfortunately. All you can do is keep bowel movements soft.
Mine became the size of a grape but after a week it’s gone straight back to how it was and isnt painful at all.

I’m also seeing my midwife this morning and I’ll mention it to her and let you know if she says anything x

@MagicalCreatures thank you! Yes it it'll be interesting to see what she says! It's horrible isn't it! The ironic part is I didn't suffer with any problems previous to the birth of my daughter. Hopefully your midwife might have some good advice. X

I had the same with my first. I will never forget the pain when using the loo. It was like trying to pass glass. With my second the piles came back but I didn’t have any fissures, forceps or episiotomy this time round. The birth was so much easier. I do still have piles though.

At my 8 week post birth check my doctor could see how much pain I was in as I could barely sit down. He put me on a course of steroids and the fissure cleared up within days.

@LegoPiecesEverywhere yes it's absolutely awful isn't it! Some times I would be sweating and crying because of the pain! Definitely don't want that to ever return! Fingers crossed my second birth is a bit easier like yours too! X

Hi
Back from the midwife. Well that was awkward. Hello miss midwife. Please talk to me about anal fissures.
I know they must hear it all the time but it doesn’t make it any less cringe 😂

So she said that after the birth I can go visit a specialist if it continues to be bad to have it removed (which I knew anyway) but obviously is there any point if I want more children as it could just come back.
Or that if I tear badly (yikes) then as they are sewing me back together, they might very well be able to fix it as part of the job.
Never thought I’d be saying I want to tear from my foof to my butt before. Oh the glamorous side of pregancy !!!!!
😂😂

@MagicalCreatures agh thanks so much for asking! Yeah it seems there's little point getting surgery to fix it when you might end up having to through it all again after your second birth! I can't believe they can sort it out if you tear! That's amazing! Obviously no one wants to tear, but on the plus side! X