Chances of tearing again with 2nd baby?

[Shanivy]

Oh goodness how terrible for you. As if we don't go through enough giving birth! Good for you electing for a section, I would have to. Makes me feel like Im moaning about nothing when someone says they had a 3rd.

Thanks for the statistics, I think Im gonna do massage and hopefully I'll not do what I did last time with babys head coming out too quickly. x

Ha! I'm not even pregnant again yet! What I meant was I could choose to have a section if I wanted to. We are hoping to have another and if I do get pregnant again I think I will try to have a vaginal delivery - I figure that way I only have a chance of stitches, rather than definitely having them. But I do hope it doesn't happen again - I'll definitely be massaging!!!

I didn't have an epidural but I had to have a spinal for my repair. It was rubbish being numb, and weird not feeling like your legs belong to you. But I bet it would have been nice to lose the pain of the contractions!

Oh I know I meant 3rd degree tear lol. It's crazy the amount of ladies who are terrified of tearing from labour again! Massage is the way forward lol if only I'd known beforehand

My pain threshold is pretty good. I laboured at home to 10cm not realising. I was more panicked that I wasn't with a midwife. I got freaked out saying I couldn't do it etc and realised I was transitioning so probably at 10cm in my living room lol. Got to hospital pushing her and the y finally gave me gas. I would consider an epidural for the stitches though, My god. I took more gas and air with them than delivering dd! Xx

 

[Summertime]

I had a 2nd degree tear/cut with my son and the stitches were agony, he was a 10lb baby with a big head so was a struggle getting him out!

I had a consultant appointment when I had my 12 week scan and discussed the option of elective section but basically the risk of tearing is only slighly increase and a lot depends on how the labour goes, position of baby etc etc. I didn't get painkillers to start with after and I was in agony but once got that sorted the pain was ok but it was nearly a year before I felt totally healed which is longer than my friends who had sections x

 

[mrswoody]

I had an episiotomy and ventouse with my first as I was struggling to get her out.

The thought of tearing didn’t bother me the second time. My second labour was completely different and I delivered a slightly bigger baby with a very small graze x

 

[Emily0505]

I had a second degree tear with both babies.

Labour the second time round was so much better in comparison to my first and very quick. I found I recovered much quicker second time round too.

I did perineal massage the first time around but it didn't make a difference as I obviously still tore so I didn't bother with it second time.

XX

 

[WolfMamma]

I had a third degree tear with Lilly due to forceps.....

Terrified that it'll happen again!!

 

[Shanivy]

WolfMamma ooh sorry to hear that. Forceps don't have a good reputation at all. Hopefully you won't need them this time around. Xx

 

[WolfMamma]

WolfMamma ooh sorry to hear that. Forceps don't have a good reputation at all. Hopefully you won't need them this time around. Xx

Yea, her labour was not a fun one!!

As you say, hopefully different this time around

 

[ChloeNat]

I didn't tear but I know the fear! I had an episiotomy with both of my two with stitches in the same place and dreading the fact I may have to get another. Totally think I will though as scar tissue is less stretchy

 

[Shanivy]

ChloeNat oh welcome to the club episiotomy totally counts! That's my fear is the scar tissue. I know there's no point in even worrying cause if you need cut you will be, and if you're going to tear you will. But still X

 

[Shanivy]

So update from me. I tore. Again

Despite making it super super clear in my birth plan for "+++ control for crowning to prevent tearing" I did . Labour was 2 hours 40minutes. I pushed her head out FINE. But she tore me with her elbow on the way out. Not as bad as the first time but still. And it was the previous scar tissue too..

I was so focused on pushing out her head successfully I didn't ever realise that the body coming out could tear you, just so you all know

 

[MissKW]

It does sound like you tore because you just had to get her out. If it was an easier experience I doubt you would have suffered as much. I was convinced I would tear but I pushed for maybe 10mins, listened to the midwife and didn't need stitches at all. I have a friend who was cut and needed forceps etc with her first, with the second the scar from the first split but only because it was cut and such a clean wound so it's harder for the tissue to bond back together and heal properly. If you tore I doubt it would make you more likely to do so again. I have heard of many women having horrid tears and then not tearing at all with other babies even though they were bigger.
If your really worried try perinial massage. But try not to think about it too much, it's less likely to happen with a more controlled birth

 

[Shanivy]

I don't think you read my reply properly. Had baby already. Having a previous tear does actually make it more likely to tear over the existing scar tissues so said the midwife stitching me up. And I did listen to the midwife, had a super quick easy labour and only had three pushes with my 2nd baby. But still had a tear. Hey ho. Xx