Natural delivery after 3rd degree tear...

Hi,

I gave birth 5 months ago to our beautiful dd Mackenzie and had a 3rd degree (almost 4th) tear. The last of my stitches have nly just dissolved and it can still be a tiny bit tender during sex (tmi).

My question is, has anyone ever had a tear like this and then given birth naturally? If so ws there any further damage? We are TTC at the moment and just starting to get a bit nervous about the whole delivery thing... When I saw the OB for my check up she said that more than likely I would havea ceaser next time unless I really wanted and pushed to have a natural birth.

Thanks

Hi,

I'd be really interested in replies to this question as well. Like you I had 3rd (almost passed for 4th) degree tears. I've been working on hypnobirthing techniques and am really hoping for a natural, drug free birth. My ob suggested an elective c section but I said no as I really believe I can do this.
I guess I'll find out soon smile

xx

I had a 3rd degree tear with my DS. I asked my Ob whether that meant I should have a c/s next time and he said every labour and birth is different. He said a bad tear is not an indication for a c/s and we won't know until the day about what will happen next time. He said the most important thing is to listen to the instructions they give when the baby is crowning and breath through that rather than push.
I'm still waiting to find out what will happen too.

Thanks for the replies ladies. If you don't mind I would be very interested to hear what happens with your deliveries. All the best for a safe, natural delivery.

hi there

i had a 3rd degree tear and have had physical and emotional issues with it and it happened over 3 years ago. im now pregnant with my second child and it was planned after lots of chats and discussions. i have been told that i can have a c section if i want one. however if i dont want to go through a c section i can have a water birth to help with the stretching of my perineum and scar tissue. i am about 23 weeks along and i am trying to think positive for the water birth.

I had a 3rd degree tear (almost 4th) when i had DS, i had to go down to surgery to get stitched up and all. When i was preg with DD i was told to do alot of perinial (sorry cant spell the word, but that bit of skin that actually tears) massage (was quite painful to do so i stopped). I had a natural delivery with DD but required an episiotomy. I am now 34wks along and prepared to get another episiotomy if i need one - i was luck that i heal really quickly.

Hi
i had a 4th degree tear with my first. The baby came out with its hand on its face - hence the tear. I was very hesitant about a second natural delivery, i didnt want to tear again. C section was an option but i am totally against these unless it is a necesscity. i opted to go ahead with the natural delivery, the OB was there the whole time during delivery to ensure it was controlled, she performed an episotomy which prevented me from tearing again. I have had no long term problems which the OB is surprised about. I am now pregnant with my 3rd (35weeks) and feel very confident in a natural delivery.

hello,

I had the same tearing as you 2 years ago. I feel for anyone that has had to go through this; as the road to recovery is long and painful! theres not enough support in the medical field to help ladies that have suffered from these tears! Is hard as theres not enough info out there (nor studies that are conclusive!) to show the best mode for future deliveries after such a nasty tear.

Im having my 2nd bub in 3 and a half weeks by caeser, as with my tearing I have very painful scar tissue, incontinence issues and wasnt stitched property. In my case im going to have further recorrective surgery to help fix my bits (and hopefully get rid of scar tissue!)

Id suggest that if you have faecal incontinence to have an elective caeser as you dont want to further damamge those muscles! Lots of women that have had 3rd degree tears go on to have more bubs naturally without any further problems, with a good ob and a managed delivery I dont see why you cant go on to have a natural birth.

I didnt know before I conceived, that ob/gynos can test your bits after 3rd and fourth degree tears to see how well its all healed, and to check for faecal incontinence and deep scar tissue. They insert a small probe into back passage (sorry graphic deatails!) to see how well its all functioning etc. Generally its done when baby has finished breastfeeding due to hormones and your bits going back to a semi normal state.

Id go armed with all the info you have, but you have had a 2nd delivery with no probs so I think youll be fine!

best of luck!
Kristen

I had a third degree tear with DD. When I was pregnant with DS, I had to have an appointment with the doctors at the hospital and they just went through asking if i'd had any problems after DD and the tear. I hadn't so i was told I wouldn't need a c-sec I could deliver naturally.
I had a drug free birth with DS and a 2nd degree tear, but it's healed fine.
Good luck

Hmmm, I was hoping to hear of some stories where people hadn't torn the second time... I'm really scared of tearing again but I'm also weary of a c-section

hiya
i tore with 2nd and tore to same degree down the exact scar with 3rd, but the recovery from that was still easier (for me) than the recovery from the c-sec I ahd with the first.
Good luck with your birth and knwo that whatever decision you make, it's the best one for you.
"You're the mum, so you're always right".
jj

Hi there ladies,

I had a 3rd degree tear with my first DS (nearly 4th) it took them over 1 and half hours to stitch me up... sorry if tmi... to make matters worse I tore up and back and had a tear near the (sorry again tmi) the clitorous (had to have a needle in it .... ouch). I took a while to heal and was scared about my second pregnancy.

With DS2 I had no drugs no syntoncin and they didn't even break my waters. My tear was only 1-2nd degree and hardly any stiches. My DS2 had a larger head (by 5cm) and was born in a complete sack. I am now pregnant with number three and haven't even thought about the risk of tearing and I won't either.

The best thing you can do is listen to instructions and if they tell you to slow down or hold off do everything in your power to do it.

Goodluck.