Second vaginal birth after a 3C or 4th degree tear?

I opted for cs as when I asked about chances of incontinence, this was the only way to ensure no worsening. They would have absolutely supported vaginal delivery again if I was up for it, that was their default

I haven’t but my sister did, they gave her special massages to do to her perineum before she gave birth. She didn’t tear at all with her second (big age gap though, so not sure if that had anything to do with it).

Hers was 9 years

I had a second vaginal delivery after a 3rd degree tear with my first. I had a second degree tear the second time. The recovery was really straightfoward second time. I couldnt believe the difference as recovery feom my third degree tear was horrible and took ages.

Sorry this is a month old but my experience is what you're asking about so thought I'd share!

DS1 was a forceps delivery I had an episiotomy but also had a 3c tear elsewhere. Awful recovery. Months of incontinence and physio.

Somehow worked up the courage to have a second. I had a due date C section booked with instructions that if I went into labour beforehand I'd continue naturally but have a low threshold for C Section if things went wrong again.

DS2 came 3 days early, I went to bed with twinges and woke up at 5am not very comfortable at all. Waters broke at 6, got my DS1 to nursery as soon as they opened and was at the hospital before 9am. Baby was born just before 10. I had a minor tear that had to be classed as 2nd degree due to a tiny bit of muscle being affected but honestly no where near as bad. I could have picked my eldest up from nursery that day as was out with plenty of time but decided I'd earnt the day off!

I couldn't have guessed that my second experience could have been possible based off of my first. When you have a bad first experience its so hard to decide what is best!

Basically the same story with me!

We agreed we were ready for a second when my eldest turned 2... and there is 2 years 9 months between them 🙈

Yes my midwife was amazing, it was all happening so fast and all I managed to say to her that I was really petrified of a repeat of before and she said she'd read my notes and was prepared. I had perineum support with a warm compress, I was told when to breath baby out rather than actively push and she gave me a few options for pushing positions that could reduce tearing. (For info I was kneeling fairly upright on a bed that time whereas first time I was like the tv shows, pushing whilst laying on my back)

We started trying again when our son turned one as I was worried about it taking a long time like it did with him (I was right it took years and many miscarriages to conceive our little girl).

It was in my notes that I was meant to have a compress during pushing but it didn’t happen as no one believed I was in labour (just like the first time with my son 🙄) so by the time I was actually allowed into the room I was pushing and she came out in ten minutes.

I had a second degree tear and a graze. I got a few stitches and was home by lunch the next day 🥰

A fantastic experience compared to the previous births 3am surgery and three day hospital stay during Covid 🤦🏻‍♀️

I did, 3 years after the first birth which was after an episiotomy which then tore. I have no idea of the grade but it went through thr muscle and then spent quite a long time prodding and trying to work out if it had gone through the skin and into my anus so I expect pretty bad. Had no follow up from this, wasn't really mentioned in preparation for my next birth. Had a very fast labour second time, baby literally flew out without me actively pushing, my body was just pushing. I told the midwife I wanted to be on all fours, she argued with me but in the end I just moved. Did get a tiny tear on the side, not in the original location because I pushed when crowning but that was it. No problems after.