Degrees of tears

[boredbuthappy]

Could someone explain to me the degrees of tears? I keep reading people saying "I had a second or third degree tear" etc...what is a first, second or thrid degree tear??

its how much muscle/tissue has torn during birth, ud prob be better googling it ....can be quite scary!!

Oh lordy...just looked it up. Doesn't sound like fun at all.

I was planning on trying perineal massage but I can't seems to do it on myself. Hubby is willing to do it, but I don't feel comfortable with that idea. I only ever want to associate his hands down there with nooky. Maybe I'm being stupid and should have him do it.

never tried it myself but think some people say it works... good luck with it anyway
Think theres maybe an old post on here if you search...

i totally freaked myself out googling 3rd&4th degree tears. i did perineal massage but still got 2nd degree tear. i was in water and had a fairly big baby. if you're not in water then midwives can monitor you better and help prevent tearing.

See recent thread on perineal massage here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/1149927-Perennial-massage-does-it-help

Please don't get panicked. It varies so much. I had a ventuse with DD, no episiotomy and only a 1st degree tear. Very skilled medical help, they were rushed off their feet and top consultant rushed out of a meeting to help us.

No tearing at all with DC2.

I couldn't manage to do perineal massage on myself either.

The most important thing is not actively pushing the head out IYSWIM, the body pushes it's self and we push with that. If you puff, puff, puff through crowing and the birth of the head then things have time to stretch out. Less risk of tearing without epidural. Also when not on your back.

1st degree is skin tear only

2nd degree is skin and muscle tear (ie prob need stitches)

3rd degree is right through (ie from vagina into the back passage)

I think 4th degree is a 3rd degree with tear continuing up the back passage.

I had never heard of any of them until AFTER I had DC1.

?1st-degree tears are where the fourchette and vaginal mucosa are damaged and the underlying muscles are exposed, but not torn.
?2nd-degree tears are to the posterior vaginal walls and perennial muscles, but the anal sphincter is intact.
?3rd-degree tears extend to the anal sphincter that is torn, but the rectal mucosa is intact.
?4th-degree tears are where the anal canal is opened, and the tear may spread to the rectum.

from here

I had a 2nd degree tear, got stitched up while in delivery room, and , this is the gross bt important information, I had a poo the next day and it was fine!!

when had 2nd dc I had tore again but didn't realise it, and the mw decided to let it heal without stitches as it was a 'nice straight clean' tear?

and dh did my perennial massage and loved doing it, i think dh / dps are so 'left out' by parts of pg (not in a bad way, just you're carrying the baby, you feel it move first, you're delivering the baby) that dh really appreciated being able to help out (and sex was getting less and less so it sort of counted a bit of grown up time)

I used the epi-no (no, not getting commission) which is basically a birth training device that you stick in your fanjo in the weeks before birth and inflate so as to stretch the skin and get used to the sensation. Worked for me- I delivered DD who was born face up/back to back with not even a graze. Midwife was astounded, said it was pretty much unheard of. You can use it afterwards to assist in strengthening the pelvic floor.

Hi

For 3rd degree there are
3A
3B
3C
i had 3 C with first and no tears with second baby