Tearing questions

[ttbren]

I'm going to be induced on Friday at 37 weeks with my first baby and I am DEATHLY scared of tearing. At 35 weeks he was measuring at 4lbs8oz so I'm not sure if a small baby makes me less likely to tear? I have a few questions regarding tearing with first babies.

• How big was your baby
• How severe was your tear?
• How painful/uncomfortable was it afterwards and for how long?
• Did you require intervention during your birth?
• How long did it take for you to fully recover?

Thank you!

3rd degree tear with DS1, he was 6lb7oz. He turned at the last minute DS2 was 7lb15oz and no tearing (he was a water birth although I only got in to push).

It's just luck, I'm afraid.

7lb 2oz baby. Water birth with no assistance and a second degree tear. Baby came fairly quickly and has broad shoulders! Didn’t even feel the tear happen nor was I aware of it post birth while I cuddled my baby and ate toast. Stitched an hour post delivery by my midwife under local anaesthetic and with gas and air. I found the gas and air really helpful in taking the edge of the stitching discomfort and in between puffs I was able to have natter with the midwives. The worst of it was having the injections for the local anaesthetic. Quite a few of my stitches were internal on my virginal wall as well as some on my perineum. Afterwards, the stitches and wound bothered me very little actually - I was really pleasantly surprised. Beyond the first day or so I didn’t have much discomfort and that I did feel was combated with paracetamol. I’m 4 weeks post birth and it looks and feels pretty fine down there (not tested it out sex wise yet, but not scared to do so in a few weeks time after my 6 week check). Was a bit scared for the first few poos but my midwife told me to hold a pad against my perineum to make it feel supported which helped loads. In reality, tearing and stitches were nowhere near as bad as I thought they’d be.

DS1 was 6lb 3, fast labour (under 2hrs), came out with hand by his head which I think caused my 2nd degree tears. I had to go to theatre for stitches as they went quite deep. Sore to sit properly for a few days and I think felt ok after a week or so. No pain on first poo or sex (about 3.5mths pp).

DS2 was 5lb 15, 18min labour and only 1st degree tear with 2 stitches. Felt ok the day after (so about 12hrs later) and I was back to running round after DS1.

Tearing was my main fear before DS1 but tbh my fav bit of giving birth was the spinal I got in theatre as I'd only been allowed gas and air during labour due to the speed of it all and it meant I was pain free down there for the first day.

8lb4, natural birth no intervention. 2nd degree tear. No pain when it happened, didn't even notice! Was tender for 3 days, a couple of days of being really tender and needed ibuprofen then it was fine. You really have no idea it's happened and it's not sore enough after to really affect you.

Although I do remember popping to Mothercare in day 4 and walking around and realising I'd done a bit much! It's just got uncomfortable to walk but settled as soon as I sat down and rested!

First baby 5lb 7oz, induced at 37 weeks, no tears. Stopped bleeding by day 8 back to normal sex life day 10.

Second baby 5lb 4oz, spontaneous labour at 34 weeks, no tears. Stopped bleeding by day 15 and back to normal sex life about day 19.

However, I did have horrendous horrific pregnancies in and out of hospital for weeks and couldn't bear DH near me so i s
Was keen to get so relationship back once I felt better.

1st baby - 7lbs 13oz.
1st degree tear - no stitches. Didn't feel the tear happen at all, and I don't remember it feeling sore too much except it was v tender for quite some time which made sex an issue. All fine now though.

As PP said - the piles were literally THE WORST! If I ever labour again its the piles i'm most concerned about and would take tearing over piles!

Twins, started to tear so had an episiotomy and forcep delivery, think I must have had some grazes too. Took about 6/7 weeks to heal up and I still have pain some days randomly 2 years on. Sex was a good while, again because of the episiotomy but also I was shit scared it was going to hurt!! Maybe...3 months or so before we properly tried.

I did perineal massage every day from 34 weeks. 1st baby 7lb 15, 2nd 7lb 9, third 8lb 9...no tears with any of them.

Hope it went ok.
Ds1 - 6lb15. 2nd degree tear and episiotomy. He was b2b. Took 8 months to heal.
Dd1 - small tear. Never bothered me.
Dd2 - 3rd degree. She was b2b. Healed really well.
For what it's worth, my friend is a gynae and said it's better to tear than have a stretchy, baggy vagina (she used the term 'wizard's sleeve').

Hope it went ok.
Ds1 - 6lb15. 2nd degree tear and episiotomy. He was b2b. Took 8 months to heal.
Dd1 - 6lb04. small tear. Never bothered me.
Dd2 - 7lb09. 3rd degree. She was b2b. Healed really well.
For what it's worth, my friend is a gynae and said it's better to tear than have a stretchy, baggy vagina (she used the term 'wizard's sleeve').

Two babys, both 8lb, two 2nd deg tears.
Both times I was fine within 10 days.

I think 70% of women have a tear during labour. It is, unfortunstely, a natural part of the process.

DS was 2 weeks late, and 8lb 9oz. I had a second degree tear.

If you get torn, when you pee, lift your knees up. It changes your angle and stops the wee from going on your stitches, and prevents a burning sensation.

I had a lot of intervention due to the nature of an expected difficult birth with cuts and tearing but it healed very quickly. Don't be scared the body is ready for it and fears are often worse than the event.

I had a 6lb8 wee boy
I got an episiotomy as I was starting to tear when he was coming out
Couldn't feel it the first 2 days as I think the local anesthetic was still in effect then it was sore ( not painful) for a week. Bit stingy to pee but I covered my stitches with a pad and that helped, now on week 2 and can barely feel it and had sex and it was really good!
I didn't need any intervention in the end. Was meant to get forceps but I bet the Dr to it,
I don't feel "fully" recovered but no pain just can still feel that it's not 100%

I should probably say I was terrified of tearing and begged them not to cut me but it really wasn't that bad!

9lb15, quick natural birth, no epidural or episiotomy. 2nd degree tear, midwife stitched it, healed fine. Listen to your midwife, when she tells you to push and more importantly, when she tells you to stop or cough (this makes you push a tiny amount). Can't remember when it healed but I'm 8m pp and it's been normal for ages.

I had my baby 17 days ago and ended up having an episiotomy! No pain now.