I'm embarrased to be typing this but need some advice...

Sorry if this is all tmi but....

My lo is 7 1/2 mths now and sex is still painful with dh... I had a third degree tear which seems to heeled ok but ever since having lo anything that involves my bits hurts; using tampons, sex etc and even when I had a smear before christmas, it was excruciating (i know they aren't the most pleasant of things anyway but this was major OUCH!)... Becasue of the pain admittedley we haven't done the deed that much in the last few months, luckily my dh has been great throughout!

The pain is not a deep pain and often once we've kind of got into it it is fine, do you think it is in my head and thats whats making me tense and make it worse or should I see someone... i really don't want to as obviously its a rather embarrasing thing to talk about and my fear is that any doc I see will want to have a poke around themsleves and that makes me feel even worse!

Sorry to ramble... would appreiate your views, or would like to know if I'm the ony one in this boat!

Thanks guys

Amy x

hiya

i had this problem with my 1st baby...
i found that it wore off as the 1st year went on...
i def don't think its in your head! i went to see my gp who said that the epistiotimy scar can be a deep cut that takes longer to heal on the inside (she did not examine me)

after 12 months mine was all back to normal.
hope this helps - check with your gp though too !
love
bunt
x

Hi

Are you using lubricant, after a non complicated birth many women find vaginal dryness so it might help?

I think it is worth speaking to someone as a friend of mine was referred back to the hospital and now all is ok

xxDBxx

I found sex very painful after number 4, I was told at my 8 week check I was still swollen inside and not to have my smear test as I was due for a while. It took my body about 9 months to recover and I found once my periods had returned around the same time (9 months) as I was breastfeeding all seemed to go back to normal. At 6 months I went for my smear and advised the nurse I found it very painful she advised that I looked fine down below but if it hadn't got any better I needed to see the doctor for an internal. Try not too worry about being imbarrased doctors deal with these sorts of things on a daily basis, good luck hope you get it resolved asap.

I had the same problem after my birth. My GP said that i had some scar tissue at the entrance. Gave me a hydrocortasone cream to apply. After one month of doing that the pain stopped during sex.
Know its not nice, but think you need your DR to have a look!
xxx

I had the same problem after the birth of my daughter. I went to my gp 3 times about it, a midwife and a health visitor but nobody even examined me. By the time my daughter was 9months old i thought sex would never get any better, and got really down about it. My h/v talked me into seeing my gp again and asking to be reffered. At hospital they examined me, and were really gentle and understanding. They said that everything was healing fine but that internal scar tissue sometimes takes longer, but that it will eventually get better. They were right. Things started to improve greatly 12-14 months later, and now at 17months things are great. No pain at all. If you're concerned then i would ask to be reffered to put your mind at ease. Otherwise just have patience, im sure things will start to get easier soon. Good luck.

Thanks for you all your replies...

I went to see a lady gp yesterday and she did examine me but was really nice and put me at ease... She said she could see extensive scar tissue and has referred me to the consultant obstetricien (sp?) I was under in hostpital so will wait and see what they say.

She was also a bit annoyed that I have never had my tear followed up (other than a phonecall 16 weeks after)...

I've done lots of research on third degree tears and aftercare/recovery etc since posting this and it seems more the norm to follow up such severe tears with check ups/phsio etc... I've had nothing!

As weird as it sounds I'm glad to know there is a poss physical reason to the pain as I think if it was all in my head it would be harder to sort!

Amy x

Hiya. my son is 6.5 months now and I went to the gp 1 month ago and was refered to the gynea unit at the hospital and the scar tissue had not healed as it should so had to have surgery (reconstruction of the perinium). it was just day surgery and done under local anesthetic and they just cut a section of the scar tissue and stiched it out of the way so it wasnt catchin when I have sex or use a tampon. I have to wait 2 more weeks until I can try having sex but used a tampon yesterday and wasnt in any pain at all.

Hope this helps.

Tasha