Worried about previous episiotomy scarring and 2nd labour...

[bigbloomerz]

SO I had a forceps delivery with my first they stitched me up badly, it caused a lot of scarring and they offered me a Fentons procedure to re-open and re-stitch the area, but said if I planned on having more children best to wait until after i'd finished having them (this didnt make much sense to me as having anything go up there was incredibly painful! so how was I going to even get pregnant again!?)

Anyway 4 years later and we can now manage to "do" stuff, it's still painful and sore afterwards but a bottle of two or wine and i'm ok hehe.

What i'm worried about is the birth, having a natural birth through a vagina that is medically stitched up too tight. I had to have a cervix examination on friday and just putting a speculum up there made me scream out in pain (I can usually handle pain pretty well, i'm no pain drama queen!) so now I am fretting about the labour/birth. I do not want an epidural again, due to the problems I had at the time and also afterwards with my back because of it. I just wondered if anyone else was in the same boat or had been with the scarring and then having a natural birth?

 

[Kazzini]

Congratulations on being pregnant again! I had my first baby last April, had forceps, episiotomy, stitches split and now have scarring. The consultant said I could have a 're-fashion' but, like you were told, he said to wait until I have finished having children. He said there was no reason for me not to give birth vaginally again. I hope to get pregnant again in the future but giving birth vaginally again is something that worries me and I plan to ask to see the consultant again to talk through it. It may be a good idea for you to ask to see the consultant again and discuss your worries and any options? At least they could examine you and confirm whether they think giving birth vaginally is a good idea and, if so, maybe you could ask for a local anaesthetic in that area (that's what I had when they gave me the episiotomy).

 

[bigbloomerz]

Congratulations on being pregnant again! I had my first baby last April, had forceps, episiotomy, stitches split and now have scarring. The consultant said I could have a 're-fashion' but, like you were told, he said to wait until I have finished having children. He said there was no reason for me not to give birth vaginally again. I hope to get pregnant again in the future but giving birth vaginally again is something that worries me and I plan to ask to see the consultant again to talk through it. It may be a good idea for you to ask to see the consultant again and discuss your worries and any options? At least they could examine you and confirm whether they think giving birth vaginally is a good idea and, if so, maybe you could ask for a local anaesthetic in that area (that's what I had when they gave me the episiotomy).

Thanks Kazzini, I spoke to my consultant quite early on about it, but they said "cross that bridge when we come to it" which didnt exactly reassure me! but I dont have another appointment with him until 36 weeks, so I may have to speak to my Midwife in the meantime and hope she can help somehow.