is a 2nd degree tear par for the course?

[chloemack]

I am 30 weeks pregnant with my 3rd baby. I had 2nd degree tears with 1st & 2nd, I assumed this was a normal occurence but since talking about it I have found it to be less common than I thought. I am worried my 3rd with be a worse tear as the baby will likely be bigger, does anyone have experience of this and could a waterbirth help me not to tear?

[rubyslippers]

I think it depends on a lot of factors

I swear my water birth helped me not to tear with DD who was my second

DS was my first and i had a second degree tear with him

They were both back to back but DD turned during labour so was better positioned

[SummerRain]

I've had three births, all vaginal. One was back to back and came out that way and had an arm over his face, another was chaos due to complications and the mw manually stretched my cervix a bit and i was told to puch before i was fully dilated (she wasn't getting oxygen and as i'd not had an epi it might have been too late by the time they'd put me under GA for a caesarian) and the third was very fast and intense.

I had minor 1st degree tears with all three but was only stitched with one as the stitches with her were so uncomfortable i refused with the boys.

I think it's a combination of luck and good mw management (ie them shouting 'don't push!' if they see you starting to tear and gently easing your skin backwards as baby emerges)