vaginal birth after 3rd degree tear

[timestwo]

I had a third degree tear after my first baby, Ouch! However, I feel things have healed really well and I was quite happy with all the after card I recieved. There is still a bit of numbness and I leak a bit when I start jogging (so I try not to jog too often )
I'm really trying hard to get my Pelvic floor back into shape, but is there anything else I can do to prepare for another vaginal birth without the tear this time?

I would love to hear from others who have had bad tears but gone onto have vaginal births, how did it all turn out? How long did you wait to have your next baby after your tear?
Thanks

[hanabi]

I have never endured a tear from any of my four births but I was fortunate to be in the care of midwives and I was encouraged to follow my body's cues for labour and birth positions - an essential childbirth right if you are to have the best chance of avoiding damage to the pelvic floor and perineum.

My advice would be to birth on your own terms, in water if possible, but essentially in the position that feels right to you in the moment. This is generally most accessible as a "Childbirth Choice" when you birth with a midwife.

I did a search for you and found a few links of significance. I'm sure other members will be along shortly to share their first hand experiences.

http://www.midwifery.org.uk/thirddeg.htm

A huge list of research articles - take or leave them according to the model of care the women received. An obstetrically managed birth is more likely to result in tearing.
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi....1998.770707.x
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retri...20729298002070
(you might need to subscribe to access this article but it asks the very same question you did)

And this compilation of the literature is by our hero Henci Goer:
http://www.efn.org/~djz/birth/obmyth/episabst2.html
There is a lot of jargon to process so feel free to come back and ask for clarification if you can't make sense of these.

All the best,

[Ang]

I had a 3rd degree tear, which healed wonderfully, then 23 months later went on to birth my second, tore again, my own fault entirely, i push way too hard to get bub out! I would birth in water next time, support my perenium, and breathe my baby out.

All the best

[kristamumof3]

My recommendation is yoga and lots of it. I would talk to the teacher about specific pelvic floor exercises.

I had a 3rd degree tear after my 2nd baby (1st VBAC). It was entirely my fault because I pushed way too hard just because I had had enough. My gp told me I would have trouble with my pelvic floor after such a bad tear. I didn't. I did heaps of yoga to build up my pf muscles and then continued yoga (with lots of focus on pf) throughout my 3rd pregnancy. I went on to have a 2nd VBAC and another tear (pushed too hard again). Although this tear wasn't as bad. I continued with yoga again to build my pf up again and now I can jump on the trampoline without any leakage - I am pretty proud of this!!!

[timestwo]

Thanks so much Jodie. Some really interesting & informative articles there. My aim is to have a homebirth next time round so I will be on the look out for a midwife who can really support me and my perineum in delivery.
I'm also looking out for info regarding nutrition to increase skin elasticity & maybe an oil to use directly on my peri to make it stronger but still stretchy (hehehe)

[hanabi]

I ate an omega oil supplement - name I no longer recall but even just check out your local healthfood store for what they have in the fridge. Cod liver oil comes in burpless capsules now, or there is also flaxseed oil or combinations of vegetable and seed oils that can be purchased almost anywhere. Do check they are in dark/opaque bottles and refrigerated to prevent them going prematurely rancid. There are supposedly treated oils that have a longer shelf-life but if you are looking for omega oils, you cannot - repeat CANNOT - let them near light or heat so I am suspicious of those 'on the shelf' oil supplements that purport to contain long chain fatty acids. They simply are too fragile for that kind of treatment.

Plain old olive oil and heat on the perineum is all that is required for the birth.

Thanks for the suggestion to 'breate baby out' Ang. I forgot about that one - and obviously yoga will help you gain the physical control and calm to do that.

[la]

Have you seen a womens physio about the persistent leak? If you tell us what city you are nearest hopefully a member can recommend one, i know here in perth there is a physio who has worked with a few np mamas with birth recovery.

I only had a 2nd degree tear the first time, a 1st degree the second. Neither time did i breath the baby out, lol, hopefully the penny has dropped now! There is a great peri spray for healing made in perth if you do tear.

[timestwo]

I have seen a physio about the leak, they think the problem has more to do with the fact that I was pushing hard for a long time plus the fact buba was larger (4.2kgs) I have been really trying hard with my PF exercises, but I think starting Yoga would really help.
It would be great if you could PM me the details of the physio here in Perth, and I'll pay her a visit if things don't improve.
Thinking back on things now I think I started pushing too hard too soon. I was having an urge to push but not for as long at each contraction (if that makes sense) I think this why I tired so quickly as well.
Thanks again everyone

[meitaimama]

I just read the first article.... Whooah, 3rd degree tears are scary stuff! I thought I had it bad with an episiotomy for dd. I will definitely be focussing on not pushing hard this time around!