Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

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

Original poster

Another stats thread: Did you tear or have been cut?

107 replies

Rochwen · 30/08/2007 14:50

Something I didn't know before I got pregant (dd1 now 2 years old) was just how common it is for women to tear during childbirth. The ante-natal classes never really mentioned it apart from the need for an episiotomy for forceps deliveries. Now, talking to friends and fellow ante-natal group mums it seems as if almost everyone tears somehow.

What is your experience? Did you tear and/or were cut or did you manage to give birth and still have an intact perenium?

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 30/08/2007 16:25

DS1 - cut
DD - tore
DS2 - tore (slightly)

ledodgy · 30/08/2007 16:32

DD - episiotomy and a second degree tear lots of stitches hurt like hell for weeks.

DS - second degree tear stitches again but not as many I don't think, didn't hurt at all afterwards.

TOD · 30/08/2007 21:34

DS: Tore and stiches..sore for ages afterwards!
DC2: due sept 15th.....fingers crossed no tear

Jas · 30/08/2007 21:37

DD1 tear. Not too bad, but stitches were more painful than the birth.
DD2 CS
DS Episiotomy, ventouse, infected wound after 3 days. Not great but still better than another cs for me.

ChristmasPud · 30/08/2007 21:40

DS - cut it was ventouse. Therefore 'rubbing with oil' a complete waste of time - as with so many things.

BigBearistheBigBear · 30/08/2007 21:58

2nd degree tear both times, ventouse delivery, stitches.
Didn't find the tear particularly traumatic or painful 2nd time round.

Princesspowersparkle · 30/08/2007 22:48

I was cut. Had been in labour 3 days and had an epidural. Baby was only 6lb 7 so I dread to think what would have happened if she'd been bigger!! Was only a small cut- 10 stitches

sweetkitty · 30/08/2007 22:53

DD1 second degree tear, load of stitches hurt like hell being stitched up and took ages, was partly due to her hand being by her face and her shooting out 6lbs 3ozs

DD2 slight graze 9lbs 3ozs

walrus · 30/08/2007 22:54

dd episiotomy for forceps. Bloody painful.
ds tore badly but didn't have any real pain.

funnypeculiar · 30/08/2007 22:58

ds - second degree tear (5lb4oz )
dd - second degree tear (6lb 11oz)

I was most unipressed that I tore with dd as I felt I'd done everything 'right' iykwim - birthed the head really slowly/in control. Asked the mw & she said some women are just always going to tear - there's not always anything you can do to stop it (although obviously there's stuff you can do to make things easier

MrsTittleMouse · 31/08/2007 09:14

Cut without my permission.

Lucyand2 · 31/08/2007 09:19

I was cut and then i tore anyway. What fun

lulumama · 31/08/2007 09:37

first delivery was em c.s

second was VB. intact perineum, no tears, one small labial graze, about 2 stitches i think

Jojay · 31/08/2007 09:40

Cut for forceps delivery

corblimeymadam · 31/08/2007 09:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

fawkeoff · 31/08/2007 09:42

i didnt tear

mymama · 31/08/2007 09:44

Requested tear over cut with all three. There was no way I was going to let them cut me. sil who had dc before me was cut each time and had endless amount of infection with her cuts. She had to be restitched with one of them .

Difers · 31/08/2007 13:20

I had 2 degree tear but have 2 friends who had no tears.

Piccalilli2 · 31/08/2007 13:23

Cut. Ventouse and forceps delivery. Not painful at the time as I was fully epiduraled but hurt like hell afterwards. Healed OK though.

vole3 · 31/08/2007 17:49

First timer, 3rd degree tear but 2nd stage was only 15 mins. Delivered kneeling up facing the back of the bed.

cheritongirl · 31/08/2007 20:06

i had a 2nd degree tear - but was in a birthing pool so not much choice there!

MrsSpoon · 31/08/2007 20:09

DS1 - Episiotomy

DS2 - 2nd degree tear

Thought the tear was preferrable to the episiotomy.

leo1978 · 31/08/2007 20:10

Was cut and then tore. Nice.

CatIsSleepy · 31/08/2007 20:10

no tear

probably because it took so blooming long...

jellycat · 31/08/2007 20:12

ds1 - was cut for ventouse delivery. ds2 I tore along the line of the episiotomy and a bit further, was very close to being a 3rd degree tear. Episiotomy was actually much more uncomfortable than tear afterwards.