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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Anyone NOT had a tear following a natural delivery?

102 replies

Pinkpumpkins · 01/07/2013 16:34

First pregnancy and the big day is fast approaching. I'm low risk so the plan is for me to have a natural delivery, but I have heard so many awful stories from friends who have had or know of someone who have had bad tears following the birth of their first child. I dread the thought of having a 4th degree tear. Obviously you cannot plan what happens during childbirth and at the end of the day I do feel like it'll be a case of what will be, will be......

However I would like to have some hope at the back of my mind! Any first time mums out there have a positive story of a natural delivery? I'm not too squeamish at the thought of an episiotomy, but a clitoral tear & a 4th degree tear? Ouch! No thank you!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

gussiegrips · 02/07/2013 12:17

3 giant headed babies, all OP, all long pushing stages, all over 9lbs- and, brace yourself... the bed collapsed during the birth of the last one so he came flying out as I fell...

..minor grazes each time.

I have been complimented on my "stretchy tissue" by a midwife more than once.

Lucky me.

Don't fret. It'll be what it'll be, there's bog all you can do about it - apart from do what your midwife tells you to do. Some of us get lucky, some of us don't some of us fall off beds and get away with it

Branleuse · 02/07/2013 12:19

I have had 3 wth no tears, including a 10 pounder

#chuff of steel

libertine73 · 02/07/2013 12:29

I had no tears, but she was little

CheungFun · 02/07/2013 12:31

Just to reassure you if you do tear it's not always as bad as it sounds...I had a 3rd degree tear and I didn't realise until I was sat in bed with a cup of tea and toast and the mw said she should do my stitches soon!

My friend described the baby coming out as a bit like a Chinese burn on your bits and I think that's the closest description I can think of!

The stitches took a while, but I had a local anaesthetic and gas and air so it didn't hurt while the mw was doing them.

Aftercare if required, have a wash each time after you've used the toilet, a quick spray with the shower is fine or a jug of water and 'air' your bits a few times a day as the area needs to be kept as clean and dry as possible to heal up. Because there's a lot of blood flow any damage to the area heals very fast!

Good luck!

CheungFun · 02/07/2013 12:32

Just to add DS was 9lb 1oz and I had just 2 paracetomol at home and gas and air in hospital. I'd do it again tomorrow!

happy2bhomely · 02/07/2013 12:34

I've delivered 5 babies naturally with no tears or grazes. Two were very quick, and one was delivered without a single push! Biggest baby was 11lbs with a 39.5 cm head.

I think I'm just stretchy, because I don't have any stretch marks either, and my tummy is pretty flat considering I has dc5 6 weeks ago. Everything seems to have bounced back OK!

bigkidsdidit · 02/07/2013 12:38

I've had two second degree tears. One last week was a big second, after a 9-10 baby back to back. I need to push on my back, tried all fours and just can't do it that way!

But really, it's fine. I'm having tea tree baths and doing my pelvic floors and I've had no pain from it. After my six week check I'll start Pilates to help even more.

So even if you do tear, it will probably be completely fine.

RoooneyMara · 02/07/2013 12:41

I had an episiotomy with ds1, a 2nd degree tear as well I think - and a 2nd degree with ds2 who was a short labour.

Only a graze with ds3. I think I had one stitch. He was born very quickly too (a couple of hours)

I did have a friend who tore badly with her first child and had awful problems that had to be fixed with surgery. She had her second by ELCS and is fine now.

RoooneyMara · 02/07/2013 12:42

Bran I think I love you

OnTheNingNangNong · 02/07/2013 12:46

My large second baby was a natural (well g&a!) and I had a slight graze. He was born in under 2 hours fron first contraction to birth.
With my first I tore badly, BUT I was told to push at the wrong time and I think that didn't help.

TallulahBetty · 02/07/2013 12:48

I just had a small graze. I did have 3 tint stitches 'just in case' but it wasn't particularly sore. I think you'll feel battered and bruised down there anyway even if you have no stitches.

TallulahBetty · 02/07/2013 12:48

tiny* not tint

BeCool · 02/07/2013 12:53

2 natural deliveries & no tears.

I used a hypnobirthing CD in prep of the big day - it was very good at keeping me calm and not fearful (fear = tense = pain, being the argument).

There is a part on the CD where she says the baby "travels down your putty like birth canal" and I visualised this over and over. I don't know if it was because of the CD or not, but once the babies were ready to come out they just flowed out through my putty like birth canal . DD1 zero pushes, DD2 2 pushes! No tears!

RantyMcRantpants · 02/07/2013 13:19

Three babies, three gas and air pain relief, three very quick labours ( 2 and 3/4 down to 1/2 hour). The 1/2 hour one was back to back much to the midwifed surprise. One graze, I was on my back on the bed and two nothing, I was crouching and leaning on the bed. That's a bit more tricky for the midwife but was perfect for me.

Keep moving round and listen to your body and the midwife.

Mapal · 02/07/2013 17:50

Just remember in the vast majority of cases a tear will heal more quickly and less painfully than a c-section wound - just think of the difference between the severity of the two! Massive difference. Why anyone would think that a c-section would be preferable is beyond me.

I wouldn't have had a tear but my DS was born with his hand under his chin. I don't remember it being an ordeal at all, it's the least of the things I remember about the birth.

Mapal · 02/07/2013 17:56

Sorry OP could have sworn you had mentioned considering c-sec as an alternative but can't see it now? Apologies if my post above is OT.

MrFranklyShankly · 03/07/2013 14:11

None here, 2 dds and not one stitch or tear.....put it down to massaging with oil (of which I can't remember the name!) haven't used it this time so will see what happens....good luck OP

PavlovtheCat · 03/07/2013 14:14

1st - no.
2nd - graze/1st degree tear? Not sure what the medical grading was, no stitches required, so not very big, didn't hurt as it tore. Smarted a little for a short time after when taking a pee, but nothing significant in the grand scheme of things.

FennCara · 03/07/2013 23:26

Me, two so far and no tears. Second had a huge head as well. I did the perineal massage, may be anecdotal but it's worth a try.

Trust the midwives as well. Do all you can to stop pushing when they tell you to.

No.3 due soon so fingers crossed...

jbakedbean · 04/07/2013 10:04

2 natural deliveries, one normal and one waterbirth which was magical and although painful involved no drugs. No tears in either.

My friends who did tear or had an epistomy all said they didn't even notice when it happened and actually the after effects weren't too bad at all, although weeing whilst in the shower definitely helps.

Good luck, I'm on my third and think this one will be significantly bigger than my previous 2 so have similar fears and will make sure to remind myself that what will be will be and there will be a start and a finish, pain in the middle but a baby at the end.

nellyjelly · 04/07/2013 10:07

Out of interest, what used to happen in the olden days when women tore? Sterile needles etc are a fairly new invention so how did it all work? Just curious?

duchesse · 04/07/2013 10:13

1st- 2 stitch tear despite sub-optimal position for both of us and his massive head.
2nd and 3rd- no tears.

gussiegrips · 06/07/2013 20:32

Nelly - sadly, they were often left with horrific injuries which either caused them problems for life, or, got infected and killed them.

Still happens - have a look at how lucky we are to live with the NHS putting our bits back together

Suddenly, my prolapse doesn't seem so bad any more...

HokeyCokeyPigInAPokey · 06/07/2013 20:34

Me, two babies, no tears and no stitches. my friend likes to call me bucket crutch due to this fact

crazykat · 06/07/2013 20:47

4 DCs and no tears.

DD1 was 6lb 8oz and had a graze which stung a bit for a couple of days.

DS1 8lb, DD2 8lb 9oz, and DS2 8lb 5oz and had his hand by his face were born with not so much as a scratch.

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