Hoping for positive birth stories after previous 3rd degree tear

[Sgj91]

Hi Ladies, I’m wondering if anyone has any positive stories of having a second vaginal birth after a 3rd degree tear.
I had a 3b tear in 2022 and it didn’t heal well. It’s left me with pelvic floor issues and painful sex, I’ve done 10 months of physio and had steroid injections etc but haven’t had much improvement. I’m pregnant again (by home insemination due to sex being too painful) and my midwife has suggested that another vaginal birth could fix these issues for me. I know it could go either way but I don’t feel it could really get much worse anyway so I’m thinking I’ll give it a try.
Reluctant to have a c section as I had a huge PPH shortly after giving birth and I’ve been advised that my chances of a PPH are increased with a section. I know all circumstances are different but I lost my mum to a haemorrhage so I really don’t want to increase my chances of another PPH.

Hoping to hear some positive stories if anyone has any to try to ease my anxiety 🤞🏻 xx

I also had a 3B tear but my recovery was far far easier than yours with no complications. Is it just the midwife you've spoken to or consultant as well?

@ThatBloatIsBloating So far just the midwife, my pregnancy is consultant lead this time but been told I can’t see a consultant until closer to birth because I don’t need pregnancy monitoring, only birth advice xx

Ah OK. I got to see a consultant at 15 weeks with both my DC2 & 3 so assumed it was the same across all trusts. In what way did the midwife say another vaginal birth could fix your problems?! I've never heard of that but can see how it coukd be possible.

Sorry but as a midwife myself I really think your midwife suggesting a vaginal birth will 'fix' those problems was poor advice. You are actually at a small increased risk of having another 3rd or 4th degree tear. I would speak to a Consultant.

@ThatBloatIsBloating I was expecting to see the consultant sooner in all honesty. I’m thinking of going private for some better advice so I don’t have to wait until weeks before the birth and have this anxiety weighing over me. The midwife didn’t elaborate but I feel the community midwives in my area push for vaginal births. She told me not to book an elective section as there is no need. I feel very conflicted by her advice xx

I had a second degree tear with first and stitches and another second degree tear in exactly the same place with dd2 which has resulted in a very odd stitch job. It clearly was weaker at the site of the previous tear. Personally with your tear being much more severe I'd be thinking c section maybe

@USaYwHatNow Thanks for that information, I wasn’t aware the risk was increased after having one tear. I’ll see if there are any private consultants in my area for some advice as seeing and NHS one seems impossible!xx

@sarahc336 Thanks for sharing xxx Interesting that it tore in the same place so maybe it is more likely after one. Im clinging on to the hope that it would improve my issues but its sounding like that was incorrect advice xx

I had a 4th degree tear and a pph in my first pregnancy - nearly died. I had 2 c-sections after that with absolutely no issues. I'm surprised you were told a section increased the risk of a pph as I was never told that - and that was one of the reasons that I opted for a section. The other was that I reckoned I had dodged a bullet by surviving my first labour without being rendered incontinent and I was definitely not going to risk that.

I would honestly ask about a section if I were you.

sorry just saw that it was a midwife who advised you. For what you are dealing with you need to talk to a consultant. I changed ob/gyns after my first labour and the first consultation with my new one she said to me "to be honest you've already had a c section - just not in the right place and under the right conditions"

Planned section. 100%.

I'm a Midwife. I also had a 3A tear with DD1. Healing was incredibly poor with x2 colorectal surgeries in-between babies.
Had elective section booked with DD2, went in to spontaneous rapid labour and delivered (very hands on birth, lots of coaching and a well timed epidural) with a small second degree tear. This is just my experience and obviously with hindsight I'm glad I didn't have a section but aware how different it could have been. Some of the lingering issues from the T3 did improve following the second birth (it's still not perfect)
I'd be asking for an earlier consultant appointment and perhaps a debrief from last time? They are usually with experienced midwives who should give evidence based advice. Good luck

I'm not a midwife myself but I do have a medical background. I find that advice bizarre? Of course you are going to be at risk of tearing again, because that area will still be fragile. My first child I required just two stitches and healed well no problems. Even with just those two small areas, I had stitches in the same places with my second.

@Imogensmith Thanks for the response. I’ve read a few stories similar to yourself, where other mums have had a small tear with their second which I think would be a better healing experience than a c section. I had a debrief which is when I was told about the increased risk of a section and PPH. I was also told that I tore both internal lateral walls as well as the perineal tear which may be why healing has been difficult but I’m not sure. I asked my community midwife for a sooner consultant appointment but she said it won’t be possible so I think I’ll look to go private for some more advice as it’s playing on my mind a lot. Thank you again and glad to hear your second was a more positive experience xxx

@Pallisers Oh gosh you had an awful experience! I went for counselling after the birth because it was so traumatic, definitely not the peaceful hypno birth I’d planned for! 🤦🏻‍♀️
That comment from your gynaecologist just sums it up! Glad your 2 following c sections went well, sounds like it’s something I need to consider xx

My friend had a third degree tear and went for the section the second time around. I had a second planned section after an emergency one and they said even after that there was an increased risk of a 3rd degree tear if I’d gone for a vbac. I would have thought the risk of a bleed would be less with a planned section as it’s controlled so I’m suprised about that.

I had a third degree tear with my first child and I didn’t heal that well - I had to have the wound reopened at 6 months and treated with something because the wound was not closing.

We still went on to have three more children, all having 2nd degree tears after this. My second child was born quite soon after my first (1y 4 months later), so I was relieved it was only a second degree tear.

Good luck.

I would definitely question why a planned c section would have you at increased risk of PPH? An emergency section maybe, but planned?

Also I’d throw the idea that a vaginal birth might magically fix your gynae issues straight in the bin. Having been in similar shoes myself (3b tear and all), if your body can’t manage to have sex without pain, how is it going to get a baby out without another bad tear?

You know what scar tissue doesn’t do? Stretch!

Hi @Sgj91 I have just given birth and it sounds very similar to your tear (bilateral vaginal tears, external labial tears and a 3B tear of my perineum). I also lost 1500ml blood.

Anyhow, I have had some urinary incontinence when I stand up and I'm so stressed out about it. I just wanted to ask if you experienced that in the early days and maybe I'm expecting too much to have bladder control at this stage? Catheter only came out 24hrs ago. It's really upsetting me.

I had a 3a tear back in 2018 and am currently pregnant with my second, due in August. I’m going for vaginal birth, following discussion with a consultant and will let you know how it goes!! It’s been agreed that I can be induced if I want to be at 39 weeks as I gave birth at 42 last time and baby was very big (over 4.5kg). When are you due? The decision to go for vaginal was based on long conversation with the consultant but centred around my previous tear healing well and me having no ongoing symptoms. If that hadn’t been the case, the consultant’s advice would definitely have been different and I think would have pushed towards csec.

My positive birth story was a lovely planned section after my third degree tear in which struggled with scar tissue/cording.

I had a 3a tear with my first. When I was pregnant with my second I had to have some kind of vaginal scan to check it was safe to give birth vaginally. It was and I had no further follow up and had a great delivery with my second and was only grazed. I must say I didn’t and haven’t had any issues since my previous repair. In your case I would definitely see what the consultant says.

@Honeycomb245 You poor thing! And congratulations!

I had a very similar birth injury 2 years ago. Not going to lie, full recovery took about a year BUT it absolutely improved significantly from the initial days after birth to around 6 weeks. I remember stressing that I'd be leaking urine and farting uncontrollably for ever.

If you can afford it, book yourself in for a private Mummy MOT at 6-8 weeks for a full physio check.

Thanks for the thread @Sgj91 ! I am in a similar position although your recovery sounds much harder than mine. I don't think the midwife advice that a second vaginal birth would 'fix things' sounds very plausible to me.

Good luck!

@Honeycomb245 Congratulations! Hope you and little one are doing well. Definitely too early to worry about at this stage, I had the same along with stool incontinence for the first 6 weeks and that improved massively. Take each day as it comes and try to get plenty of rest. Wishing you a speedy recovery xxxx