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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Unusual tear any advice !!???

17 replies

GJ91 · 07/05/2010 13:23

Hi all, bit of a long shot but I was wondering if anyone has had a similiar experience or any knowledge ...
After givin birth to my son I ended up with two labial tears. One side was sutured, I'm not sure how many stiches but feels like alot! The other side was left as it was more of a graze and the reigistrar decided best to leave it. Both are about 3cm long!
I have never heard off this before, and my perineum was completel intact! It honestly didn't even feel bruised.

Everything was uncomplicated, baby head down, born on due date and he was 7lb 3oz so not a large bub!
I was fairly upright throughout labour, at my last internal i was 8-9cm and begged for an epidural, I thought it would be too late but midwife was amazing and i got one in time! So i did push him out lying on my back. The pushing stage was only 25 minutes, as it was my first baby and i had an epiural everyone was shocked. Anyway, he didn't come bursting out it was controlled head delivered slowly. The midwife called in a registrar who stitched me up.

Sorry to waffle on just really baffled by this, it seems very odd! Any answers would be great!

OP posts:

fuzzybunny · 07/05/2010 13:50

I have 1 DD who was born in a birth pool at home, also a very quick birth for my 1st, everything very relaxed and uncomplicated. (7lb 8oz) I have a lovely reminder of her arrival due to a labial tear.

I was a little shocked at this too as was prepared (I think) for possible perineum tearing, but hadn't even considered this.

My midwife wasn't the most observant and said I was fine after an initail examination directly following birth. It was me needing a wee an hour later that made me notice things were not as they once had been . The same midwife then checked me again and said it was a graze, and left it at that. Only later to suggest it was a little worse that she had thought. It took a long time to heal as sticks out now and was rubbing on my knickers.

I have since descovered that it is much more common than I had thought, and am learning to love what helped to bring my beautiful baby girl into the world.

How old is your son?

Original poster

GJ91 · 07/05/2010 13:55

Ahhh, see I had heard of it with forceps but never without.
Apparently it is more common if the baby is delivered with a hand by their face!

Mine seem to be healing ok fingers crossed!

He is only 17 days old, How old is your daughter?

OP posts:

fuzzybunny · 07/05/2010 14:09

She is 13 months and I am expecting no2 in August.

I must admit it does still bother me a little bit, can pull a bit during intimate moments with my Hubby , but seeing as that's the worst of the whole pregnancy and labour and breastfeeding etc for her then I'm quite chuffed.

DefNotYummyMummy · 07/05/2010 14:18

I also had a labial tear and had never heard of it before. I was so fixated on the perenium tearing I had never contemplated this. It healed fine - but they tried to stitch it (6 hours after the birth - also due to an unobservant midwife), and although I went through that agony, it didn't stick back together anyway. So I have a lovely flap there.

It doesn't bother me really though - sex is fine and weeing is fine. It's just the aesthetics.

I am due in August with another and so it will be interesting to see what happens then. Terrified it might come off or something.

Well done though - brilliant first birth ! (Apart from the labia thing...)

MumNWLondon · 07/05/2010 19:20

i had this with DS1 - perineum intact but deep grazes on either side not stitched. It stung like mad when I weed for 3 weeks and it took a bit of time to heal completely (couple of months) but now 4 years later no evidence that it ever happened....

fuzzybunny · 08/05/2010 21:32

I am also wondering what will happen with no2. Not terrified it will come off, that might be a good thing.

Definately confused at how it happened in the first place though, I talked it through with my Husband the other night after posting on here and neither of us are really sure.

MumNWLondon - I sat in the baby bath half full of water for 3 weeks every time I needed to wee, really helped with the stinging!

bexxaa · 08/05/2010 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

lou031205 · 08/05/2010 22:10

Yes, DD1 did a 'high 5' as she was born, so I had a labial 'flap'. I had continuous stitches, but the mw said it was equivalent of 15 normal stitches.

MumNWLondon · 09/05/2010 19:33

Yes I also weed in the bath for 3 weeks - but that was 4 years ago - I was just surprised that an intact perineum didn't necessarily mean all ok down there.

This time (3 weeks ago) 1st degree tear that healed within a few days and no grazes that goodness.

With DS1 (when I has the deep grazing) he was born in very slow controlled way.... around 15 mins, with DS2 (3 weeks ago) he shot out in a flash, I did everything I could too hold him in but DH tells me pushing bit was 1.5 mins...

Meanwhile it has totally healed (4 years on) no flaps or anything but if I touch it there can feel a line on each side where the grazes were.

millingtonsmummy · 09/05/2010 20:42

Hi! Labial tear for me too with DD1 after a quick water birth, she weighed 6lb7oz. Missed by midwife so not stitched & now hangs a bit.

Curious to know, did any of you do perineal massage in the lead up to your due date? I did & wondering if that meant my perineum was nice & flexible so my labia had to give during the birth.

DC due anyday so should be able to report on damage 2nd time around!

fuzzybunny · 09/05/2010 20:53

I had a couple of half hearted attempts at perineal massage.

Good luck with the next millingtonsmummy.

piratecat · 09/05/2010 21:01

i hadn't heard of this type either, and was pretty traumatised by it for a long long time.
i had 2nd degree, and also grazes and tears to labia, and down the side of my clitoris. agony. a nurse explained it a bit like if you took a plastic bag and overstretched it, so that it tears. The pressure. my dd was 6lbs, and shot out, hence th epressure, but she had been stuck for nearly 2 hours.

14hourstillbedtime · 09/05/2010 22:34

Hey GJ91! A labial tear (first degree only, thank goodness!) for me, too, with DD born 19 days ago. Better than the 3rd degree one w/ DS, but still! Feels a bit 'strange' but good to know it will - likely - heal up. Am in no position to judge how it has affected my sex life (please god tell me you also aren't having sex yet?!) but v. v much hoping all will be fine in that department...

(Oh, and I pushed DS out in half an hour, too - only took one push to get DD into the world - maybe your second will be that quick, also? Not that you are likely planning your second yet, either )

Oh, and hello MumNWLondon - how are you?

passionberry · 10/05/2010 13:08

Ooh I have got a labial tear too (gave birth for the first time 3 weeks ago) - I had never heard of it happening either but wonder if it's better than tearing the other way?

I gave birth in the birthing pool and only pushed for half an hour - was wondering if it happened because I sat back on the step rather than getting up on my knees??

I am scared to look but it seems to be healing ok! Really stung for the first two weeks though!

itsonlyaphase · 10/05/2010 19:12

i also had a labial tear that went up through my clitoris and a huge graze on the other side that wasn't stitched but took forever to heal. I had to wee in the bath for at least 3 weeks. I too only pushed for half an hour, the midwife held a cloth against my perinium so I thought maybe if that couldnt give then something had to! i am due with second in december so will be interesting to see what happens this time.. oh and my tear has healed in the most bizarre manor leaving me with 2 labias on one side but hey you gotta laugh!

TaurielTest · 10/05/2010 20:12

I had water birth kneeling up with quickish second stage (but not that quick!) and ended up with two small labial "grazes" opposite each other. I too hadn't heard of anything but the perineum tearing, and fwiw I had done perineal massage. MW said they were small and would probably heal up fine but it was better to stitch them as they might adhere to each other. After a couple of weeks of tea tree oil baths and pouring cool water from a jug as I went to the toilet, I was all back to normal. Hope I don't tear at all this time round, but it wasn't too bad and - though this is probably a false dichotomy - I feel I'd still much rather tear than have an episiotomy.

Mayabee8888 · 22/02/2022 11:31

I had a labial tear that needed stitching too(2nd degree), as he came out with his arm up like superman. My perineum was fine! I did do perineum massage during pregnancy. Pushing stage was fairly fast (30-40mins I think) and I had a waterbirth on all fours. The midwife forgot to tell me to pant/stop pushing though so his head came out quite fast. I am 4 months PP and sometimes its a little tender to touch and the scar tissue is hard - and it almost feels like a chunk of the labia is missing now! But sex is not painful and enjoyable so that's the main thing! Just hoping I don't re-tear in a subsequent birth. Everyone talks about perineum tears but I had never even realised the labia could tear and there is hardly any info online!

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