Pelaja - I`m a 4th degree tearer, there doesn`t seem to be too many of us!!!! Anyway like you I had an epi for a forceps delivery but then also tore. I`ve had many problems with infection`s down in that area, it`s now 11 weeks post birth and is only just starting to feel like it might be coming right but I still get moments where I get sharp pains, more so if I`m doing more or carrying heavy items around. Many, many times I`ve felt like I`ll never be the same again but I`m very slowly getting there, it`s just taking it`s time as it`s a HUGE tear.
I`ve been having 3 salt baths a day for about 6 weeks, they are very soothing plus I was told by my SIL to blowdry the area after each bath.
At your check up they`ll take a look to see how well your healing and ask the same old question are you incontinent with your bowel movements
Have you been told any further births will have to be via c/s? I was told because of having a 4th degree tear all my babies will need to be born via c/s as women with 4th degree tearing will tear straight down there again.
hun a 4th degree tear is VERY severe, messy and will take a while to heal. I had a 3rd degree tear with my first and from memory it took about a month to heal. Your is worse so give it longer. If you think it's not right go to the doctor. You are supposed to have a 6 week check anyways so mention it then.
GL
Hi Pelaja & Frankie I'm a 4th degree tearer too! As Deejoy17 said, there aren't that many of us around thankfully.
It took some time to heal fully. After I stopped breastfeeding my first at 22 months I found it healed more. I saw a friend go through a similar experience and I then remembered how awkward and uncomfortable it was initially. I thankfully was stitched up well and suffered no major long term effects so at the follow up check my pelvic floor strength was checked and I was given good pointers on how to improve it as much as possible. I was also given an anal scan to check the muscle strength.
I did DTD at 6 weeks post baby and felt pain at the scar at the entrance to my vagina and that continued for some time. Wasn't painful enough to want to avoid sex but uncomfortable enough to stop me enjoying it properly even with extra lube iykwim?
When I was pregnant with my second my pelvic floor weakened a lot but the area was still tense so I used very soft internal massage to stretch the scar tissue. I didn't go down the CS route and with another anal scan to again check my sphincter muscle I was given the go ahead to birth vaginally again. I did a lot of work emotionally and with visualiation and breathing as well as the massage and confidentally birthed my second sustainng a small 2nd degree tear away from the scar and a slight graze, no episiotomy. I did my research and in the end opted for a homebirth rather than a hospital delivery.
I was very happy with that result. I've been very fortunate. I was advised that I would most likely suffer some form of incontinence after the birth of my second and I did trump for a while without being able to stop myself fully............But thankfully that's settled down now and I have full control over those things!
Best of luck with it all.
Feel free to PM me if you want to chat!
ETA: Scooby I was told that was the reason why the episiotomy tore the first time. The second time around my independent midwife remarked that I had a very short perineum after the birth. So I figure I really do have a short perineum and it wasn't some bull***** excuse used by the Ob to cover his back .
Last edited by Claire; December 8th, 2008 at 08:09 PM.
Sorry i hope im not hijacking the thread, i just found your story so compelling Claire and that is just awesome you went on to have a home birth. Its funny cause when i was researching i could not find anyone with first hand experience and of course there are lots of women who have torn and lots of studies on women who have torn, but none relating to short perineums, so i wasnt sure it was a viable excuse. I have to say though even with all my history, the ob was very happy for me to have a VB, until she examined me, which gave me a little more faith. Unfortuantely my final decision was based on family history, my mum and nana both suffer fecal incontinece which has been put down to the way in which they gave birth, and it is such a debilitating thing.
Your story is definatley one of hope though and i really appreciate you sharing that info with me. Thanks!
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