C-section for next child after third degree tear?

[Lulu_Laroo]

I wasn't sure where to post this, but here goes.

Poppy will be 3 months old on saturday, I had a third degree tear when having her and I am STILL sore. I'm nowhere near being able to have sex yet, and it's especially sore if I've been walking a lot. I spent the first month after she was born in agony, and the first two weeks unable to physically go for a wee without first running myself a bath (Yes, I had to go in the water) and even then it was still extremely painful. I had to sit on a rubber ring for weeks, and even walking to the kitchen to make a cuppa was painful. I felt unable to look after my newborn properly, which seriously upset me. Thank god Luke had two weeks off work.

All of this has made me so fearful of recovery when I have another baby. So, do you think I can have an elective c-section next time? I know it is ideal to have a natural birth, that a c-section is major surgery with a long healing process, but i seriously don't think I'll be able to go through all this again, it's horrendous.

 

[tinkerbell86]

i got told by the hospital sometimes it is offered to mums who have had 3rd degree tears but sorry i dont know how true this actually is!! i had a 3rd degree tear too and it does take a long time!! but it does eventually go!!

 

[Laura_C]

My friend has been told it could be an option for her if she has another child as she had a bad 3rd degree tear. She is seriously considering c section if she has anymore. I would say though think about how many children you want, I've just had my 3rd c section and been advised to have no more babies due to my womb being so thin now. If I had laboured I could have bled to death and lost Sophia. Apparently I had no muscle holding her in place at all, it was as bad as it gets really. They repaired my womb and it could recover well after a good few years but I've been warned of the risks now. I would say if you want a few more kids I would go as natural as you can if possible. Unfortunately I never had that choice but I'm definitely done have babies now. We lost our 2nd child and I had to have a c section to give him a fighting chance and never really considered the future and other pregnancies. Just something to consider...

I have to say though, having a section is painful and sore but in ways easier to deal with than a severe tear. Ive been fine otherwise after all 3 of mine and after 2 weeks I'm relatively pain free. Not taken any pain relief for days and even then it wasn't totally necessary. I was discharged in 48 hours and have been for all of my sections. Apparently they are soon moving to 24 hour discharge on c sections, which I do feel is a little soon but after 48 hours I was ready for home - up and about able to use the loo and look after baby. Xxx

 

[littlemiss83]

Sorry to hear your still in so much pain. I was about 6 weeks of agony with my 1st, but only had 1st degree tear, I couldn't move either - and also had to run the bath to pee. 3 months seems a bit long though, have you spoken to your doctor, if you keep hassling your doc's it might make a better case for you getting a section??

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

I've booked myself in at the doctor on monday, I'm just seriously fed up with it now I'm really hoping it's all okay down there, I'm dreading them saying I'll need to be re-stitched.

 

[tinkerbell86]

I felt like that too didn't want to go through more surgery! Have you true takig lactulose you can buy it in boots? Also I took st johns wort and arnica as they promote inside healing and I think it worked!quite expensive but I was willing to try anything!

 

[Lulu_Laroo]

I was given lactulose and to be honest it made me far too regular! I was running up to the loo about 8 times a day! I have actually got some arnica tablets from when she was first born, so I might start taking them again. Thanks x

 

[hopefulmummy]

You poor thing. Hope the doc goes well
And can Give you some Answers. I had an episiotomy and was in a lot
Of
Pain for a
Couple of weeks xx

 

[Dragonfly Fi]

My friend has had real trouble after her third degree tear, she is having to be re-stitched as they have left a sort of knot in there where its been stiched wrong

it has caused her anus to leak and she is unable to have sex

I hope that its okay for you but i would get checked out right away missis xx

 

[inky]

I had a 3rd degree tear and an episiotomy, and was in a lot of pain for a long while afterwards. Going to the toilet reduced me to tears every time, and it was a good 6 months before I felt ready to even attempt sex and even now it still feels tight to begin with, although the pain itself has now gone. I would still rather go through all of that again than have a section though, in fact I would do it 100 times over if it meant I didn't have to have a caesarean. The thought of major surgery and the healing process afterwards petrifies me!

 

[titch]

it's especially sore if I've been walking a lot. I spent the first month after she was born in agony, and the first two weeks unable to physically go for a wee without first running myself a bath (Yes, I had to go in the water) and even then it was still extremely painful. I had to sit on a rubber ring for weeks, and even walking to the kitchen to make a cuppa was painful. I felt unable to look after my newborn properly, which seriously upset me. Thank god Luke had two weeks off work.

.

to be honest a lot of what you describe applies to section recovery too. when I go for a long walk with the pram my scar aches, and i started yoga but I got a lot of pain so Ive stopped now. Going to the loo is a nightmare cos standing up and sitting down use the musces which are cut in a section. In hospital I got the hang of it and they had those bars either side of the loo so I had to use my arms and lower myself really slowly.

As far as going to the loo, I was on lactulose for the first 2 weeks. I seriously thought everytime I had a poo that my guts were just gonna fall out of my scar. Thats what it felt like

It does make it really difficult looking after a newborn cos you take about 5 mins to sit down onthe sofa then the baby cries and you think "f**k now i have to get up again"

 

[misscrazycooki]

My friend has been told it could be an option for her if she has another child as she had a bad 3rd degree tear. She is seriously considering c section if she has anymore. I would say though think about how many children you want, I've just had my 3rd c section and been advised to have no more babies due to my womb being so thin now. If I had laboured I could have bled to death and lost Sophia. Apparently I had no muscle holding her in place at all, it was as bad as it gets really. They repaired my womb and it could recover well after a good few years but I've been warned of the risks now. I would say if you want a few more kids I would go as natural as you can if possible. Unfortunately I never had that choice but I'm definitely done have babies now. We lost our 2nd child and I had to have a c section to give him a fighting chance and never really considered the future and other pregnancies. Just something to consider...

I have to say though, having a section is painful and sore but in ways easier to deal with than a severe tear. Ive been fine otherwise after all 3 of mine and after 2 weeks I'm relatively pain free. Not taken any pain relief for days and even then it wasn't totally necessary. I was discharged in 48 hours and have been for all of my sections. Apparently they are soon moving to 24 hour discharge on c sections, which I do feel is a little soon but after 48 hours I was ready for home - up and about able to use the loo and look after baby. Xxx

Sorry to hear you are unable tohave any more. My mum had four sections but I guess everyone is different. Only think with her her last two babies me and my sister were early. I was 2 months and sister was 3 months early. As she reptured with little sister. There are so many risks attached to a section hun you must read them up. I had my son by one and one of the risks was a hysterectomy. In case anything was unrepairable.

 

[Laura_C]

My friend has been told it could be an option for her if she has another child as she had a bad 3rd degree tear. She is seriously considering c section if she has anymore. I would say though think about how many children you want, I've just had my 3rd c section and been advised to have no more babies due to my womb being so thin now. If I had laboured I could have bled to death and lost Sophia. Apparently I had no muscle holding her in place at all, it was as bad as it gets really. They repaired my womb and it could recover well after a good few years but I've been warned of the risks now. I would say if you want a few more kids I would go as natural as you can if possible. Unfortunately I never had that choice but I'm definitely done have babies now. We lost our 2nd child and I had to have a c section to give him a fighting chance and never really considered the future and other pregnancies. Just something to consider...

I have to say though, having a section is painful and sore but in ways easier to deal with than a severe tear. Ive been fine otherwise after all 3 of mine and after 2 weeks I'm relatively pain free. Not taken any pain relief for days and even then it wasn't totally necessary. I was discharged in 48 hours and have been for all of my sections. Apparently they are soon moving to 24 hour discharge on c sections, which I do feel is a little soon but after 48 hours I was ready for home - up and about able to use the loo and look after baby. Xxx

Sorry to hear you are unable tohave any more. My mum had four sections but I guess everyone is different. Only think with her her last two babies me and my sister were early. I was 2 months and sister was 3 months early. As she reptured with little sister. There are so many risks attached to a section hun you must read them up. I had my son by one and one of the risks was a hysterectomy. In case anything was unrepairable.

My 2nd pregnancy was problematic and I developed severe Polyhydramnios which made my womb expand ridiculously as my little boy had Hydrops, this caused serious amounts of excess fluid. They think this stretched my womb to capacity and then I fell pregnant only 2 and a half months after that c section with this last pregnancy. Luckily it was uncomplicated but towards the end I could hardly walk!

They have said it's not impossible for me to have another but it would be very risky and ideally I would have to wait approx 3 years to give my body a chance to recover fully. Just too many risk factors for me, I'd rather not risk it at all. I have two girls already and I need to be here for them, the thought of it all going wrong scares the hell out of me.

 

[pixiemouse]

It does get better, really!! I had a third degree tear with my first baby and it was painful to sit down, slow to move and restricted me in ways i had never thought of. I took lactilose, or whatever they call it and it made me far too regular - to the point of twice not making it to the loo in time! luckily i was in the house, but this horrified me and i was too scared to go out for a while in case caught short!

Now, three and half years on (and expecting my second in April), I still have to think about where and when i may need to go to the loo as have dreaded fear of accidents. It may be psychological now, but it does feel like some control is gone.

I have spoken to doctor about elective C-Section and she was very supportive. Basically said that 1 in 3 births is C Sec and surgery following 3rd degree is just as major as C sec surgery. If you elect to have it then it is planned, all calmer and you and doctors are prepared for what will happen. Am seriously considering it as the trauma following natural with tears was horrible - for me and Hubby and whilst am pleased i had a natural birth and feel it was a positive start to life for my adorable son, i got to spend little time with him after as was in surgery for so long.
Am going to talk to my consultant in a few weeks and do lots of research to make my mind up.
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[teal]

I was advised at my follow with a consultant I could have an elective section for any future babies because if you tear to that extent again they can't repair the damage as well.

It took over a year before I felt ok-ish again xx