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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Any midwives or Mumsnet users have wisdom - OASI, perineal tearing...

17 replies

Newhere9 · 18/10/2025 16:20

I've posted before about OASI perineal tearing - mainly looking for reassurance to have another vaginal birth again.

I had an OASI, 3b tear, which as I understand it is not as common as general perineal tearing. I've had a birth debrief but basically there was no reason I had the tear... I had a completely unmedicated labour/birth, no intervention (e.g. forceps etc), I'm of a normal BMI, I did perineal massage for a week prior to birth (started at 36 weeks as advised) went into labour at 37+4... My baby was a normal weight (7lb 1oz) and head circumference was normal/not on the large side. I just wonder does anyone have any wisdom as to what could have caused the tearing and if I could prevent it in future... From what I can gather my only risk factor was being a first time mum...

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TheBirdintheCave · 18/10/2025 16:25

I had a 6lb 9oz baby and did perineal massage for ages and still ended up with an episiotomy and a 3B tear. I was told my skin just isn’t naturally stretchy along with my son’s head coming out at a funny angle and it was nothing I had or hadn’t done, just bad luck!

I’ve since had a second child and only had a minor 2nd degree tear and a graze which I was really happy with! In terms of difference, I gave birth to my second standing up (was on my side with my first as they thought it might help).

Original poster
Newhere9 · 18/10/2025 16:32

TheBirdintheCave · 18/10/2025 16:25

I had a 6lb 9oz baby and did perineal massage for ages and still ended up with an episiotomy and a 3B tear. I was told my skin just isn’t naturally stretchy along with my son’s head coming out at a funny angle and it was nothing I had or hadn’t done, just bad luck!

I’ve since had a second child and only had a minor 2nd degree tear and a graze which I was really happy with! In terms of difference, I gave birth to my second standing up (was on my side with my first as they thought it might help).

Thanks so much for your reply. Isn't it such a bloody bummer that despite doing everything text book it can still happen :(... Congratulations on both your babies though and great to hear the 2nd birth didn't leave you with any worse perineal trauma/OASI!... I did have a physio mention this to me re: skin just not being very stretchy! Hmm I wonder if supplementing/eating extra collagen rich foods during pregnancy would help (random thought from this)...

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Craftysue · 18/10/2025 16:53

I had a 3B tear with my first baby - normal pregnancy, no forceps. No obvious reason why although baby was 8lb 3

Just to reassure you I had 2 subsequently and didn't have any further tears with either of them and both were over 9lb.
I just think maybe first baby stretched everything but I did have a five year gap between baby 1 and 2. I wasn't in a hurry to go through that again!

Original poster
Newhere9 · 18/10/2025 17:11

Craftysue · 18/10/2025 16:53

I had a 3B tear with my first baby - normal pregnancy, no forceps. No obvious reason why although baby was 8lb 3

Just to reassure you I had 2 subsequently and didn't have any further tears with either of them and both were over 9lb.
I just think maybe first baby stretched everything but I did have a five year gap between baby 1 and 2. I wasn't in a hurry to go through that again!

Sounds very similar to me in the sense of no majorly obvious reason. I found it difficult to accept it had happened for such a long time but I really feel I need to process before I can look to have anymore (of course if we're lucky enough to conceive/have a healthy pregnancy). It could be that everything is "stretched" ready for future births... Think I got spooked as the surgeon who repaired me gave blanket advice to have a c section for future births (this was before he even examined me and was just giving me the spiel of what they advise for 3b tears).

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Egregiousabsolute · 18/10/2025 17:20

Fetal malposition can cause a major tear even with a normal weight or small baby. So if baby is back to back for example this can increase the pressure on the perineum and increase the risk of a severe tear..

Craftysue · 18/10/2025 17:26

It took me a long time to physically and mentally get over tbh and that's why we had such a big gap. I was given the choice of a C-section but I really didn't want one. I was very lucky with my subsequent deliveries that everything went well and I recovered very quickly.
I wish you well whatever you decide to do x

Original poster
Newhere9 · 18/10/2025 19:04

Egregiousabsolute · 18/10/2025 17:20

Fetal malposition can cause a major tear even with a normal weight or small baby. So if baby is back to back for example this can increase the pressure on the perineum and increase the risk of a severe tear..

Thank you, I thought this too but apparently baby was in a good position. At least I didn't feel it being back to back and it doesn't look like it from pics. Helpful to know though isn't it!

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Original poster
Newhere9 · 18/10/2025 19:06

Craftysue · 18/10/2025 17:26

It took me a long time to physically and mentally get over tbh and that's why we had such a big gap. I was given the choice of a C-section but I really didn't want one. I was very lucky with my subsequent deliveries that everything went well and I recovered very quickly.
I wish you well whatever you decide to do x

Thank you for sharing. I am only 9 months PP so still feel I am getting over it. Probs reflected by my need to keep posting on Mumsnet for positive stories post tear 😓... Really pleased it did work out for you and thank you for the well wishes x

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Hedgehogbrown · 18/10/2025 19:15

Aww you poor thing. You tried to do everything right as well! Maybe a water birth? That makes everything more supple. Also I would second the collagen and DHA fish oil supplements too. Also my sister told me to birth on all fours. I did that and it seemed to go ok. Did the midwives encourage you to go slowly when you were crowning? That's all I've got. Hopefully you'll be fine the second time around.

Junebrick · 18/10/2025 20:06

I had a 2nd degree tear with 1st baby (9lb 4, no forceps)
But second baby was a graze (also 9lb 4 and no forceps) which it think is quite drastically different. So although I don't have experience of a more severe tear, I just wanted to say things can be better 2nd time round.

Drachuughtty · 18/10/2025 20:20

Sorry to hear what you've gone through OP. Has your healing been assessed by a physio?

ForLoveNotMoney · 18/10/2025 20:28

Sorry to hear you had a rough time.

I am a midwife and I hope it’s reassuring to hear that sometimes it’s just happens. Did you have hands on your perineum during birth? What position were you in? Did you deliver quickly?

I have seen many women come through and deliver again and have a minor or no tear at all.

Original poster
Newhere9 · 19/10/2025 18:48

Hedgehogbrown · 18/10/2025 19:15

Aww you poor thing. You tried to do everything right as well! Maybe a water birth? That makes everything more supple. Also I would second the collagen and DHA fish oil supplements too. Also my sister told me to birth on all fours. I did that and it seemed to go ok. Did the midwives encourage you to go slowly when you were crowning? That's all I've got. Hopefully you'll be fine the second time around.

Thank you for kind words. I really did prep a lot for birth so was pretty gutted when it happened. I did have access to a pool but at the time I didn't feel like being in the water for the birth, god knows why I had heard the same as you - water to help soften things up!

I will definitely look into some good supplements once I've finished breastfeeding and ready to prep for pregnancy, thank you!

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Original poster
Newhere9 · 19/10/2025 18:49

Junebrick · 18/10/2025 20:06

I had a 2nd degree tear with 1st baby (9lb 4, no forceps)
But second baby was a graze (also 9lb 4 and no forceps) which it think is quite drastically different. So although I don't have experience of a more severe tear, I just wanted to say things can be better 2nd time round.

Thank you for sharing! It is always reassuring when people have had a second more positive experience x

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Original poster
Newhere9 · 19/10/2025 18:50

Drachuughtty · 18/10/2025 20:20

Sorry to hear what you've gone through OP. Has your healing been assessed by a physio?

Thank you, it was rough in the early days but thankfully asymptomatic now. I have seen NHS physio, also had a private "mummy MOT", basically was given lots of exercises to help heal my core, pelvic floor etc, I still do pelvic floor exercises religious every day not so intense on other exercises though.

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Original poster
Newhere9 · 19/10/2025 18:55

ForLoveNotMoney · 18/10/2025 20:28

Sorry to hear you had a rough time.

I am a midwife and I hope it’s reassuring to hear that sometimes it’s just happens. Did you have hands on your perineum during birth? What position were you in? Did you deliver quickly?

I have seen many women come through and deliver again and have a minor or no tear at all.

Thank you for your perspective, honestly it was just that I think - "just happens" :( in some ways it's comforting as there's literally nothing more I could have done but I was still stuck in a pity party of "why me" for quite some time. From my notes in the debrief it was unclear if there were hands on though I think there was a warm compress applied for a little while but think this was taken off when I started tearing (from what I can gather from pics). Apparently I did deliver quickly I think about 1 hour 45 minutes from first "push" at 10cm. I think my notes said something of a rapid delivery which I don't think they were expecting - in hindsight I think I would try to control the speed of delivery but tbh in the moment I was so so exhausted after 26 hours of contractions I think my body just wanted baby out! (Safely).

Your final point is so reassuring having seen women birth again with no major tearing! Xx

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Original poster
Newhere9 · 27/10/2025 18:33

Bump x

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