{"id":87186,"date":"2023-10-31T14:11:20","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T14:11:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebritytidings.com\/?p=87186"},"modified":"2023-10-31T14:11:20","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T14:11:20","slug":"i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-after-horrific-tear-while-giving-birth-i-have-accidents-twice-a-week-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebritytidings.com\/lifestyle\/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-after-horrific-tear-while-giving-birth-i-have-accidents-twice-a-week-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"I thought I was going to die after horrific tear while giving birth – I have accidents twice a week | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
A MUM left with horrific life-changing injuries after childbirth has spoken out to raise awareness around 'birth trauma'. <\/p>\n
Leonnie Downes, 31, was excited to raise a baby with wife Emma Downes, 34.<\/p>\n
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But a traumatic birth, which left the Lancashire based mum with a tear which extends to the muscle that controls the anus, has ruined her life.<\/p>\n
Leonnie now struggles with severe bowel incontinence and urgency.<\/p>\n
This means she can't be away from a toilet for long and has to plan anything involving her leaving the house.<\/p>\n
She said: "I have accidents twice a week, my whole life has changed.<\/p>\n
"It's been incredibly embarrassing because it's not talked about."<\/p>\n It comes as ministers announced a new NHS plan earlier this month to tackle birth injuries and trauma that rob the 'joy of pregnancy' from tens and thousands of British women. <\/p>\n During the birth of her son George on February 2, 2017, Leonnie fell ill with sepsis, a severe condition in which the body overreacts to an infection.<\/p>\n While this was happening, her unborn son's heart rate shot up, meaning he needed to be delivered quickly using forceps.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n After the birth, Leonnie felt so unwell she said to her wife, "I don't know if I'm going to make it".<\/p>\n But she was quickly put on antibiotics, which cleared up the infection.<\/p>\n In the hours that followed, the new mum began to struggle with incontinence and bowel urgency – but dismissed it as "normal".<\/p>\n Leonnie found herself always near a toilet and was scared to leave the house for fear of an accident happening.<\/p>\n "I have got a bag of my clothes with me when I go out, everything is planned," she explained.<\/p>\n The mum even attempted to take her life in 2019 and has now been left with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the birth.<\/p>\n She said: "I don't leave the house a lot because of my severe anxiety. "I've lost myself; this will never go away."<\/p>\n She eventually went to see a doctor 18 months after the birth but was told there was nothing wrong.<\/p>\n After going again, she was diagnosed with a third-degree tear in June 2020 but had to wait until January 2023 for surgery to help repair the tear – because of delays due to Covid.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, the doctors could not repair the tear and are looking into further treatment for Leonnie – such as rectal nerve stem stimulation or a stoma bag.<\/p>\n Leonnie said the birth injury also impacted her relationship with Emma.<\/p>\n "My wife has gone from my wife to carer, which nearly ruined my marriage," she explained.<\/p>\n "She's been incredible – I couldn't ask for a better wife," she added.<\/p>\n MP Theo Clarke spoke out about her birth trauma as part of a parliamentary debate and called for the government to add it to the women's health strategy.<\/p>\n<\/picture>LABOUR PAINS <\/span><\/p>\n
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