i am similar but only 3 months post birth, going to docs tomor - eek!!

Yeah, it's just remembering to do the blasted things now!! LOL x

That's great carrie, at least you know now that it's nothing a couple of thousand PFE won't cure!

M x

Just thought I'd follow up just incase it helps anyone else....I saw a lovely female gp on Monday for a gynae appointment (lasts 20 mins as opposed to the normal quick appts) and after giving me a full examination and asking lots of questions she said I'm totally normal! She said things have gone a bit saggy (LOL) but no more than would be expected for a woman having had 2 vaginal births at my age. I asked her about the gadgets you can get for toning your pelvic floor and she said she hadn't heard much about them, but suspected PFEs would be just as good. So I'm on a mission to remember!

Hope that's of use to someone, She really didn't make me feel embarrassed, she really put me at my ease x

LOL @ your hot doctor!!!!! Wish I had one of those!!!

Thanks for replying...I will have a read of that thread. Your consultant sounds awful - probably very embarrassed about the botched job too I'd imagine...the 3am excuse is horrendous!! Anyway, I'm glad that things are getting sorted for you.

I'm hoping that surgery won't be needed as I've read that you can't have a normal birth afterwards and, although I have 2 kids and am recently single, I could never say I wouldn't want another baby if I met the right person one day. And I'd never want a C-section if I could possibly avoid it. It's not like I can't live with how things are - I know people go through a LOT worse, but I don't want it to get progressively worse, iyswim.

Will let you know what the gp says on Monday...

x

Hi Carrie

If you read the thread "third degree tears" then my experience is the first one. Not very pleasant mind! Anyway, to answer your question I have found my GP very helpful and understanding (and he's a bloke!) (and extremely good looking I might add). As for my consultant, different story altogether, couldn't be more disinterested or more dismissive. It was him who botched the repair (and subsequent repairs). He kept saying "well it WAS 3am in the morning" as if that should explain his incompetence.

The other ladys idea of writin everything down is fab. I forgot to do this the first time and missed loads of things Iwanted to say. The next time I wrote the list and even drew a picture of "downstairs" to pinpoint exacly where the pain was.

I'm on nerve ending pain killers now and physiotherapy appointment coming up soon. Let's all keep this thread coming with our updates and support eh?

M x

That's a really good idea, thanks! x

Also just wondering if anyone else has been to the docs with similar probs and if so what they said? I'm interested to know how seriously they take this kind of complaint and how much they care about helping you to sort it...

It might help to write down all the things you have noticed as a list, so that you don't chicken out of saying it all.  The doctor needs to know even if it is cringingly embarrasing to talk about.

Hope it all goes alright, please let us know how you get on xx

Hiya - thanks for your reply. I'm not sure about smears...I think I'm due one next Spring as isn't it every 3 years? I've booked in with a lady doctor for next week, have decided to bite the bullet. You're right, it's so much better to get it sorted if there's anything to sort

x

You wouldn't be wasting the doctors time hun. It's best to get it checked out either way. Are you up to date on your smears? I had third degree tear also and a botched repair so know how you feel!

M x 

Hi all

Ds2 is 11 months and I still don't feel quite "right" down below. I know there are bound to be changes in your body after 2 natural births, but I'm worried it's more than that. I had an episiotomy and a 3rd degree tear as the birth was a bit of an emergency and very quick. I'm not incontinent, but I do leak ever so slightly when my bladder's under pressure. I do pilates so my pelvic floor should be ok but it feels nowhere near as strong as it used to.

I suppose I need to just go and see my doctor, but was just wondering if anyone had any advice on how I'd know if there was a problem, or whether it's normal and will improve with time? I can't comment on sex as I only had it once 3 months after he was born and it was so painful that I didn't really notice whether it felt looser or not, and I'm now single. I do feel that it's all quite a bit looser though. I just don't feel 'secure', iyswim. I also noticed a strange sensation when inserting a tampon a couple of weeks ago that I'd never felt before, almost like it was touching my back passage. I don't want to feel like I'm wasting the doctor's time and to be told that it's just what happens after having kids.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated

x