I Could Really Use Advice/imput on This One !

C-sections have really come a long way and I had one and I healed better then with my VBAC. I would get things fixed and go for a c-section.

Both my kids, were born over 8 pounds and 21" long at least.
And they were born 1 week early and the other 2 weeks early.

I had c-sections with both.
One being an emergency and the other planned.
It was fine and recovery was fine.

I don't know what a 'rectocele' is.

I'd go with the C-section. I had 3 of them. I was pretty scared for the 1st one -even though it was my choice- my 1st child was born vaginally and it was a very rough delivery. He was 8.5 pounds, and I'm also very petite- 5'4" and 100 lbs soaking wet. He was way too big for my body. Anyway, I wasn't scared for the 2nd or 3rd C-sections. I also found it to be a plus having a scheduled C-section in that we could arrange ahead of time for my MIL to take care of my child(ren). Yes, recovery was not fun- but neither was the recovery from my vaginal birth.
Very best wishes! :)

Sounds painful and most importantly interfering with your everyday. I would get it fixed and opt for that c-section! Good luck

I had two c-sections because when I was in labor with my son, I dilated to 8 and he got stuck. I ended up having a c-section. Easy peasy! My idea of natural childbirth is no makeup! Ha! Seriously. No offense to moms that choose the natural childbirth route, but choosing a c-section is a great alternative option. My son is healthy and smart and having a c-section did not hurt him whatsoever. I had a scheduled c-section with my daughter and it was even better. My water broke at 3:30am and I had her by 6am! She is a healthy, happy and smart 2 year old now.
Your condition sounds very painful. I would take care of it now and opt for the c-section. It is such a routine procedure that complications are very rare. it really comes down to personal preference. Good luck!
A.

What a difficult situation.

If it were me, I might just go ahead and have the surgery, even if I was considering a second child. I think this would be a difficult quality of life issue for me, personally. And as committed as I was to having an unmedicated, vaginal birth the first time around, I think I would not want to do anything to exacerbate the situation. That's just my opinion, however.

Well M. L, I don't know anything about rectocele issues, but I can tell you that I had a c-section and NOTHING about my c-section hurt as bad as that one contraction when I asked for the epidural. None of my healing was a bad as labor and I can't even imagine having tearing of my va-jay-jay that some women have.
I had 22 hours of labor that eventually included pitocin, then an epidural, then a c-section. The c-section was the best part (well, after the epidural, of course.... I'd have one of those every day if I could....lol).

If it were me (and take it with a grain of salt... some women will call me the devil). I would go on ahead and fix your lady stuff. Then have a c-section.

That's just my $0.02!

If you are in pain and want another baby, go for the C section. It will be safer for you, making it better in the long run. Sure, C sections are not ideal to anyone, but when it comes down to it, it will be better for you and your body.

surgery then have a c section.

I am 44 years old and have had 3 children since I ripped to the 4th degree with my first daughter. I have uterine prolapse and chronic constipation from the issues surrounding this. I never had a name put to it like you did here. So I looked it up and I do have all the symptoms. My case is rather severe. But I have chosen not to have surgery. 24 years ago when they first talked about surgery for me they said it would take 6 weeks of recovery and that it would be a 25,000 dollar surgery. All these years later it's probably double the cost even though it's only a 2 week recovery according to what one doctor told me. BUT, it's not worth it to me. I deal with the symptoms, change my diet, use laxatives when needed (rarely), eat a high fiber diet, and the bladder symptoms suck. But I deal.

I was told to have my kids first too and that I would lose my bladder control someday. But I never did.

Relax, do your kegals, eat healthy, and don't let them do surgery unless you simply can not live with it anymore. Surgery is dangerous.

As for making it worse with vaginal deliveries...doubtful. Like I said... I had 3 more babies after they told me I'd need surgery and I've never lost my bladder control.

I am a proponent of medication-free, vaginal births. However, having some idea what you are dealing with, I would definitely have the rectocele repaired and opt for a C Section.

Other women your size could deliver a baby that size without problems...it just wasn't right set of conditions for your body. I know big women who have had major tearing with smaller babies.

Good luck. I hope they are able to get you back to some sense of normal.

I had two c-sections. I can't imagine going through all that stuff in the nether region. I healed great from the c-section and had no complications and sex didn't hurt and I could pee immediately! I still had a nice looking nether region and no stretching. I say fix the lady part and do the c-section.

well I would definately not opt for a C-section much worse then healing from vaginal. I had three, first had an epesiotomy hard to heal from, second big boy riped me so back I had well over 75 stitches and over year and a half of healing and really do NOT look the same down there, Third I didn't not even tear. Each pregnancy and delivery is different. my second and third were the same size. I personally would wait and get the surgery after having another. Especially if you are thinking close together in age. But I amnot dealing with your exact issue. My goal here is just to let you know that a second delivery might not be too bad and a c-section is an even bigger healing process.

I would get it fixed... then use a midwife (stand alone birthing center or home births - not at the hospitals) for my next births. The reason you probably had all those issues is due to laying on your back where gravity works against your amazing body that is built to give birth - even to larger babies!!

If you have a good fix of it, and have a NORMAL vaginal birth where you can walk, squat, be on hands and knees, etc with a supportive woman who understand the body's natural movements of child birth - I don't think you will have a re-occurrence.

I'm a Nurse who's going for my Nurse Practitioner and Midwifery Masters in the next 5 years... I'm having my own VBAC home birth with a Midwife in July.

I say improve your quality of life get the rectocele fixed. When you are feeling better then you will be in a better frame of mind to even consider having a second baby. Knowing what you do now from your first delivery should help your OB plan for the birth of your second. Just think of the prize you get from having a C-section, what other surgery do you get such an awesome going home from the hospital present with? I had two c-sections, everyone heals differently, my emergency c-section healed slower than my planned one. I really do think your best bet is to get yourself fixed as best you can now, if there is no chance of it reoccuring if you have a c-section.

I'm 63 and have lived with a rectocele since giving birth at age 24. My health insurance has such a high deductible that I've never really been able to consider corrective surgery, since I live on a very small income in order to do the work that seems most worthwhile to me.

You're right, the rectocele is likely to become progressively worse. When I was younger, the damage was uncomfortable and inconvenient (I always had to press my hand against my perineum. hard, in order to poop). Since perimenopause and full menopause, the tissues have become ever thinner and less elastic (and I've been having to remove stool with a finger, at least twice a day, for many years. I'm virtually always in discomfort, and bowel movements can be desperately painful. There are very few bathrooms that allow me to pretzel myself into the necessary posture, so the places I can visit have become more and more restricted. Yet life goes on, and I consider myself a happy person.

I understand your dilemma. It seems almost unimaginally wonderful, to me, that you can look forward to getting your rectocele repaired sometime within the next few years. My point is, we live with what we must live with, until we don't have to any longer. This is true for people with all sorts of physical and emotional conditions.

(By the way, for those who care about such things, I'll be on Medicare in another year and a half, and will be able to purchase full-coverage health insurance for thie first time in my life, for less than what I pay now for a ridiculously limited private, for-profit policy. I am desperately hoping I'll be approved for corrective surgery.)

I had 2 c-sections and had no trouble healing up with either.

I'm not familiar with what you have but I had 2 babies that were 11 pounds and had c sections for both. I would think if you wanted another, your doctor would not put you thru a vaginal birth again with the history you've had. Good luck with what you decide to do!

Never heard it called that. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of women here had that. I had my first at 20 and yeah, quite a large episiotomy. I never had to have another with any of my other three kids. Actually not true I think they did a nip with my third to correct a lot of the issues.

That is what is strange about your doctors advice. Hypothetically you could have an episiotomy with all your kids, why the fear of cutting and fixing it, why the c-section threat?

I would opt to not have a c-section. I have had 2 and I believe it is really bad for your body to be cut open like that. I had some pretty bad problems with the second one and it took 3 months to heal. yuck. I have a really good friend who had the same problems you are having and had her 2nd vaginally. Then she had 2 corrective surgeries later. She said she is doing great now down there. I will try to remember to ask her more about it and get back to you. I like the suggestion that you try using a good midwife. You can do this at your hospital too if you are nervous about it. If you can squat or use other positions or even sit in a birthing tub it might really help. Does your hospital have birthing tubs? (Ours does and it is a very nice option) If not perhaps there is a birth center near the hospital? This is a hard question I think. It kind of depends how long you are going to wait to have a 2nd child. If you have to live with the rectocele for a long time this would really be uncomfortable. I think I would seek the advice of a couple other doctors. Can you have surgery to fix it, have yoru 2nd child eventually, and then have surgery to fix it again? That would give you the highest quality of life.

Hold off until you are done having children. A C-section is the most over done unnecessary operation that doctors do. In the 1940's about 2% were C-sections. Today it has climbed to 40%. It's the money the gyn can collect that motivates him/her not your health.
A C-Section is a much harder recovery than a vaginal birth.
I was 20 weighed much less than you at the time I delivered by first. I am shorter and had a good size baby. Your doctor was incompetent. Find another doctor. He botched your episiotomy.

"douche surgery" is that a typo?

my first 2 babies did BIG damage, and I had a major repair "down there" and was told not to deliver vaginally again. Well I thought I was done having babies so I had the repair. The scarring from that hurt.. for a long time, and I couldnt wear tampons or even have sex without pain. I think they over tightened? it was extensive surgery, not what the dr explained to me. On top of that, I chose to have another baby, last year. I had to have a c section b/c of the surgery. I wish I'd waited. Grr, I REALLY wish I'd waited, the c section was so hard, painful beyond belief & now I have an ugly scar & a belly flap I could do without. I never got stretch marks from any of the kids & had a cute belly before the c section. All I can say is, WAIT till your done having babies, then get it fixed. Seriously.

Okay, I have to admit that I didn't know what rectocele was. So I looked it up and oh my word you poor thing! I haven't read other posts, but I will tell you that I had three c-sections and they were all super easy with no problems and I recovered fast. I can imagine what another vaginal delivery would do. :( A couple of questions...Are you looking to get pregnant soon? How many more kids do you think you may want? If you are not going to be pregnant soon, they I would get the surgery to fix it and then have a c-section. After seeing pictures of rectocele, I think you more than qualify to have a c-section. I don't know how long you have been living with the rectocele, but any amount of time is too long in my opinion! I would get it fixed now so you can feel better sooner! When I saw the pictures of rectocele I gasped and said "oh my, that poor thing!" Best of luck to you in whatever you decide and you are a trooper to have had rectocele for this long!

I have had 2 c-sections and the first was scary because it was an emergency c-section. The second was planned and was soooo much more positive! I would have a planned C-section--the environment is so relaxed and intimate and you heal pretty quickly as long as you are prepared for it. Its major abdominal surgery, but its so worth it for a healthy baby and healthy mommy. I would do this because of your previous issues. Why take the risk of having aditional problems?? Good luck with whatever you choose.

M

can you get a second opinion from another doctor to assess the situation and risks? I had a c-section and did not heal well because of scar tissue. Every body deals with surgery differently. Perhaps a second doctor can provide confirmation or a different viewpoint for you and the decision-making process.

Good luck with everything!

Take care of yourself and get the surgery I had both a vaginal and a csect. Delivery and both have their upsides and downsides. It doesn't really matter how the baby gets into the world...just so long as it gets there

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectocele

Have you tired any of the at home things to see if they help enough to keep the need for surgery on the back burner? I know mine is no longer really even an issue for me.

Hi M. :)

I am similar in size to you (5'2" and 123lbs). My first baby was 8lbs 14oz...I can sympathize with you! Since him I had one other natural delivery and my last was a c-section. It's really not that bad although recovery was a little longer. I would do a c-section again if I had to. If it means having your corrective surgery, I would say go for it.

One less surgery sounds best to me. I have had 3 c-sections. My 1st was an emergency(big baby didnt want to come out), 2nd & 3rd were planned. My 1st recovery was the worst since I was in labor for 20+ hours to begin with, 2nd went well, and 3rd was ok but had some small problems. Now I have a scar and some belly flab. Also my 1st was almost 9 lbs, 2nd was 7 lbs, and my 3rd baby was almost 10 lbs. Every baby is different so hopefully you wont have any more problems with your next. I personally would deal with your problem for now and try to have that baby soon. good luck

I had a c-section and don't want another. It took a while before I could get out of bed comfortably let alone hold an older child. Plus, my baby was so drowsy from the meds I was given, that he couldn't nurse efficiently. Another nice bonus was that my milk took longer than usual to come in.

There are natural ways to avoid an episiostomy - but your ob doesn't know them, because they are trained surgeons. Doulas and midwives are more well-versed in these methods - one, is a type of vaginal massage that gradually helps the woman open up - the other is a method where the woman is instructed to delay pushing when the baby's head crowns so that the head will naturally, slowly enlarge the opening - almond oil is also helpful with both of these methods.

Operation to enhance your everyday living and then c-section.

I had one and there were no problem whatsoever. The one thing I do know is that you have to have a hubby that is really helpful the first 2 weeks b/c you're not meant to walk up stairs, pick up anything over 5 lbs, etc. My friends husband is a total a-hole and when she went in for her 3rd c-section the Dr. found so much scar tissue from her having to move so much that he walked out and yelled at the husband. So keep that in mind.