'Graze' as opposed to 'tear', what does it mean?

[Mandraki]

Just that really, keep hearing about grazing during birth, what does that mean? I'm imagining a scratch inside the vagina, maybe made by the baby's nails, am I totally wrong? Or is it a very shallow tear?

[IfYouDontImagineNothingHappens]

Like I feel you've grazed your knee versus cutting your knee

[CatchingBabies]

I'm a midwife. A graze is basically a shallow, superficial tear that comes together on its own, isn't bleeding and dosnt need suturing. Vaginal and labial grazes are common.

[donajimena]

I'm still not sure and I had one! I remember the midwife saying (when I asked if I had torn) 'ooh no just a slight graze' it felt bloody awful. But I was very lucky because two of my poor friends had quite bad tears.

[donajimena]

catching thank you x

[Mandraki]

Thank you catching, that makes sense. I could only think of like PP said, a graze on my knee haha

[AdmiralSirArchibald]

I had a graze the first time and a tear the second and the graze hurt more afterwards when going for a wee etc!

[CatchingBabies]

Grazes tend to be labial so closer to the urethra hence they get weed on. Because they are open rather than sutured closed they can be stingy when weed on. Tears are usually further away from the urethra. That's probably why you found the graze more painful.

[AdmiralSirArchibald]

Ah I see, thanks catching

[Jess1404]

Okay so just had my first DD on monday and I didn't tear but I ended up with 2 second grade labia grazes.. they're not like a graze you would get on your knee (as much as people claim they are) personally my grazes are splits in the skin like a tear but split wide along the skin instead of deep into it (the difference) some grazes can be stitched if either requested or big enough that the healing would take longer without it. Going off all my other mammy friends tears are awful and take longer to heal but grazes hurt more and by god I can vouch for the pain! I can't touch down there and as for peeing... I ca honestly say it's the same level of pain I felt as I crowned and delivered my DD's head. It is horrible! I'm not one to sugar coat things, I feel the truth is better so other mams aren't blindsided. I needed a catheter placed hours after delivery and by god was it not more painful than childbirth itself and they were NOT gentle! I really hope you don't end up with grazes but if you do, pour warm water on yourself as you pee or pee in the bath/shower. Also put salt in your bath to help aid the healing! Vaseline/bepantham may help too. Good luck x

[m4rdybum]

I had a labial tear that didn't need stitching so I guess might be classed as a graze?

I second that its bloody awful when weeing and I found that it was fine if I drank plenty of water to make my wee less acidic.

[Laurencb]

I had a graze, absolute agony when weeing ! It took around 12 days for me to be able to wee properly

[CandyApple1995]

I had a graze when I gave birth to my first baby. I honestly wasn't expecting the pain, I almost fainted when I had my first wee. My pelvic floor muscles were so weak I couldn't stop the flow of urine. It was awful. My advice to anyone with a tear would be to drink loads of water so your urine is less acidic, and squirt yourself with a bottle of water while you go to the toilet.