Did you tear during your baby's birth?

[sugarNspice]

I had an episiotomy and a third degree tear with DD#2, who came out with a hand up by her face... and I don't remember the tearing itself hurting so much, or the recovery being so terrible (lots of dermaplast, and witch hazel on pads, too, I think), but oh, the part where they had to sew up the tears with this long giant needle inside my vagina was sooooo painful. I had a natural birth with DD#2, and really loved the experience, but just reading this thread makes me cringe, since I am pregnant right now.

Seems like most people had less tearing with subsequent children, right? ( I hope, I hope, I hope!)

[Cinss]

I am freaking out a little bit reading this thread now that im pregnant too. Oh i hope my episi scar doesnt rip open

[dloui128]

I am freaking out a little bit reading this thread now that im pregnant too. Oh i hope my episi scar doesnt rip open

Mine didn't when I had DD2 and she was just as big as DD1 and she was face up, I think your body is more accommodating the 2nd time around

[lobella2]

I had an episiotomy with my first, but did not have one with my 2nd or 3rd and I did not tear either. So there is hope of not having as much tearing with subsequent pregnancies.

[Boymomsrock]

Tore internally with my first but not externally and he was 8 1/2 lbs. With the twins she gave me a tiny episiotomy because baby A was coming out so fast, though i don't think it was necessary. I wasn't even remotely sore after the twins birth. I think because they were born so fast they didn't have time to sit there and make me sore, unlike ds #1 who they let sit there and stretch me for a long time. I was sore for months!

[sugarNspice]

I am freaking out a little bit reading this thread now that im pregnant too. Oh i hope my episi scar doesnt rip open

This is totally my worry, too... I think I remember reading that episiotomies are more likely to re-open than natural tears, because they're cut straight, and the different layers of skin knit back together better with a natural tear that is uneven or jagged.

[Hobbermittens]

Seems like most people had less tearing with subsequent children, right? ( I hope, I hope, I hope!)

Not me, which is why I started the thread. I bare had any issues at all with my first 3 babies, but tore with #4! I guess I had to finish with a bang!

[sugarNspice]

Not me, which is why I started the thread. I bare had any issues at all with my first 3 babies, but tore with #4! I guess I had to finish with a bang!

Maybe just because he was bigger than the others? Do you think there was anything that your doctor/midwife did differently that time that might have contributed to the tearing?

(this time around, I think I might like NOT to be flat on my back during the pushing phase--I feel like the midwife wanted me to be in that position b/c it was easier for her, not because it was the best position for me.)

also, to answer your original question--I think I had some pain for about 6 weeks to a couple of months afterwards, but it only REALLY hurt for the first 2-3 weeks... everything after that was minor. I don't think we DTD for about 4 months afterwards, mostly because I was scared to, and also tended to be dry from BF so much, but when we finally did, it was completely fine.

[HopefulMonster]

I had a pretty bad tear.

LO was very small and I went into labour before 36 weeks. Basically they got their hand and arm in the birth canal up with their head by their face, so when I finally pushed them out, their little arm tore right through me on the way!!
They thought it had torn right the way through from my vagina to my bum (there's no nice way of saying that is there!) and I had 2 obgyns put my legs in stirrups and basically fist me for what felt like hours to determine whether I would need to be put under and taken into theatre for reconstruction an staples etc, or whether I could get away with just internal stitches. It was honestly worse than the bloody delivery itself!!

Luckily while it had worn the wall dangerously thin, it hadn't actually torn right through so I just had a ton of internal an external stitches (that they made a right mess of, it loosk like picasso painting down there now!!!)

I had to bathe it twice a day and I'll be honest I didn't even dare wipe properly for like 6 months LOL! Braveheart me!! I was properlyl traumatised by it because it stayed sore for ages, & I'd have rather eaten my own arm than have sex, but most of it was in my head because when I FINALLY got the courage to lie there like a corpse wincing in anticipation lmao, it was actually fine, unpleasant because I was (tmi) dry and tight from being uptight an not into it, but no actual problems other than me freaking myself out about it!

[Wanting-a-girl]

Omg this thread is horrid lol I'm cringing the whole time reading it

I never had an epi and thank god I didn't the thought of having one terrifies me!

My first son who was 6 14 had to be suctioned out with the vacuum thing and I had 4th degree tearing and it took over an hour of stitching I have no idea how many all I know I'd I was mangled lol it was terrible and I couldn't sit for a couple weeks I was so scared with my second thinking It was going to be terribly painful after but nope not one tear I could have gotten up and run a marathon after him and same with my third.... Prayi for a good delivery the fourth time around as well

And that water bottle thing that the hospital gives you is an absolute god send....