tearing / not tearing questions for those who've been through labour!

[user1465146157]

Hello

I'm reading various threads on tearing, episiotomies, prevention etc - but not everyone states what their circumstances were. Some put not tearing down to luck, others mention perineal massage, others talk about best position. Be good to know what was going on during your birth and see if there's a common theme, or if it is just purely luck!

Wondered if you could answer these specific yes or no questions?

Did you tear?
Was this your First time?
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth?
Did you have an episiotomy?
Did you take any other pain relief?
What position were you in when birthing?
Were you in a birth pool?
What did your baby weigh?

Thank you in advance, this would really help me (and others I hope)

Hi,

I had a first degree year with my first and only child. Didn't require stitches and granted I was sore for a day or 2, but healed really well and didn't even find going for a wee sore! I gave birth on my back with my legs up, I had an epidural, didn't have a massage beforehand and my son was born face to pubes with his arm up like superman (they actually had me ready to go to theatre as didn't think I could push him out, but after 12 hours or contractions I was determined ha!) and he weighed 8lb9oz!

I wouldn't worry too much, what will be will be as long as you and baby are ok. I've had 6 operations down there 2 years ago for bartholins cysts and had to have stitches and can honestly say that recovery for me was worse than labour!

Good luck :) X

Did you tear?
No
Was this your First time?
Yes
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth?
No
Did you have an episiotomy?
No
Did you take any other pain relief?
Diamorph
What position were you in when birthing?
On my back
Were you in a birth pool?
No
What did your baby weigh?
7lbs 13

I had a strange labour it started as intense as it ever got. My contractions were as strong, same time between and as painful at 2cm as they were at the very end.
The midwife I had after my waters went was telling me off for pushing but I couldn't help it, she said I would damage my cervix, luckily when the shifts changed and next midwife came in she examined me and I was 10cms and DD was born about 7 minutes later !
I had been trying to stop pushing and had the worst sensation of needing a poo for well over an hour so I think DD was more than ready to be born !

Did you tear?
Yes. 2nd and 3rd deliveries. 1st delivery was forceps
Was this your First time?
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? No
Did you have an episiotomy? Yes for first delivery
Did you take any other pain relief?
1st - epidural
2nd - nothing
3rd - G&A
What position were you in when birthing?
1st - lying back
2nd - sitting
3rd - lying back, although labouring was spent on a gym ball
Both 2nd and 3rd labours were very quick 90mins from first contraction to baby coming out.
Were you in a birth pool? No
What did your baby weigh?
9,3
8,7
8,11

Did you tear? Yes 3rd degree, repaired in theatre under spinal block.
First baby? Yes
Perineal massage? Tried it once or twice
Episiotomy? No
Pain relief? Gas and air only
Position? All fours
Waterbirth? No
Baby's weight? 7lb 4oz

Did you tear? No
Was this your First time? Yes
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? Yes
Did you have an episiotomy? No
Did you take any other pain relief? Gas and air
What position were you in when birthing? Floating on my back
Were you in a birth pool? Yes
What did your baby weigh? 7lb 5 oz

I read some research suggesting a correlation between amount of meat eaten and tearing levels. The more meat eaten the lower the tendency to tear, possibly due to higher protein levels in their diet affecting skin elasticity. Not sure if it was accurate but an interesting possibility.

1st delivery, had an episiotomy. Dc was back to back, labour was long, heartbeat dropping.
2nd labour, tore along old episiotomy scar.
It really depends on the position of your baby, how big their head is, and how dilated you are.
Anybody's guess in other words.

I think the main contributing factor to the tearing was that it was a fairly quick birth and I probably overdid it a bit with the pushing. I remember the mw telling me to only push on the contractions but my body just seemed to take over and do its own thing. I wouldn't say I had a particularly bad or difficult labour and was actually quite shocked when they told me I'd torn so badly. I did have a few ongoing issues with pain/discomfort but tbh so did others with lesser degrees of tear and I was glad to have been "put back together" properly and painlessly.

Did you tear? Yes a 3rd degree tear
Was this your First time? Sure was
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? No
Did you have an episiotomy? No, my midwife asked if she could do one if necessary and I said I'd rather avoid it but if need be to go ahead.
Did you take any other pain relief? I had an epidural (had worn off by the time I got to 10cm) and gas and air but got rid of that when pushing as I found it distracting.
What position were you in when birthing? On my back due to epidural and SPD
Were you in a birth pool? NO
What did your baby weigh? 8lb 4oz

I had an internal tear, not serious enough to be stitched up. It was my first child, no massage, no episiotomy, I had pethidine as pain relief, I was in the sitting position with knees up, not in a birthing pool and baby was over 8lb.

Unfortunately, TMI my internal tear left a fair bit of scar tissue meaning my vagina doesn't stretch when I am 'in the mood'. It took a long time to get used to it and was very painful to have sex for around 6-9 months after birth.

Did you tear? Yes, 2nd degree but only because it was deep, otherwise it was a small tear
Was this your First time? Yes 5hr 20 min labour
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? Yes from 37 weeks I think
Did you have an episiotomy? No
Did you take any other pain relief? No
What position were you in when birthing? On all fours
Were you in a birth pool? Yes up until an hour into pushing then I got out
What did your baby weigh? 7lbs 10oz

In addition, as I was crowning the midwife was bathing the are with a warm cloth to prevent tearing I think.

Did you tear? No
Was this your First time? Yes
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? A bit
Did you have an episiotomy? Yes
Did you take any other pain relief? No
What position were you in when birthing? On my back, legs in stirrups
Were you in a birth pool? No, not allowed, I was induced
What did your baby weigh? 6.14

My pushing stage was 9 minutes, baby was in distress and had to come out quickly so ventouse used, and episiotomy both to help with the ventouse and to stop me tearing, which I definitely would have done as not enough time to stretch naturally.

Doctor did a good stitch up job though.

Did you tear? No

Was this your First time? No tears, 2DC

Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? No

Did you have an episiotomy? No

Did you take any other pain relief? No

What position were you in when birthing? Standing for first, all fours for second

Were you in a birth pool? No, never fancied one

What did your baby weigh? 8lb 1oz, 8lb 12oz.

First baby had a 9 minute second stage. Second baby had a 11 minute second stage, longer because back to back with a hand on the head. I know the term longer is relative ....

Did you tear? - very small labial tear and a graze, no stitches
Was this your First time? Yes
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? Tried twice and promptly gave up, couldn't get the hang of it
Did you have an episiotomy? No
Did you take any other pain relief? Paracetamol, gas and air
What position were you in when birthing? Walking, on all fours, then leaning over the back of the bed - lying down was about as appealing as a kick in the face
Were you in a birth pool? No time to fill one by the time I got to hospital (less than 4 hours start to finish)
What did your baby weigh? 8lb 3oz

Did you tear? yes
Was this your First time? yes
Did you do Perineal massage weeks before the birth? no
Did you have an episiotomy? yes
Did you take any other pain relief? gas & air
What position were you in when birthing? sitting up, feet in stirrups
Were you in a birth pool? no
What did your baby weigh? 7lb6oz

First baby ended in forceps delivery and episiotomy. The Dr remarked that I had an usually short distance from my vagina and anus and so the cut was to stop me tearing (which it did) - like a surgical lightening rod! DS was 9lb 6 and had the cord round his neck. Had an epidural when fully dilated. Full stitches afterwards whilst still on delivery table. Position- on back legs in forceps. Stitches were uncomfortable and got infected but not too bad - took a while to feel normal again vaginally. Sex was a bit uncomfortable to start with so had to use lube to make sure no friction. Had done some perineal massage prior to the birth but not consistently.

Second birth. Undiagnosed breech, she got her bum stuck in my pelvis so ended in emergency c section.

Needless to say neither of them were as I had planned