Tearing...

[Minxy]

I didn't tear but had to have a deep episiotomy so can tell you about the stitches. I had loads and they were a bit sore and itchy but healed quickly.

I too was worried about tearing and spent ages rubbing in oil to help the skin stretch (what a waste of time that was! ) but it really was nowhere NEAR as bad as I thought it would be.

I felt the cut and all the stitches but in the context of birth the pain is more bearable than you think. Even if you tear you probably won't care at the time, the urge to push is so strong.

It's easy for anyone this side of birth to say but you WILL be fine

 

[Dee1985]

i didnt tear but i grazed.
i was in so much pain and thought "omg how do people that teared cope"
but the hv told me grazing is more painfull as its an open cut where as tears can be stitched.
it just hurts when you wee more then anything its burns loads

i wouldnt worry to much, cutting dont hurt so much its more the bruised pain like sitting down.
best thing i recomend is to stay in hospital as long as possible and take it easy i left early with my first and i was more sore at home because i was walking about etc
with my 2nd i stayed in hospital a few days l;ater and healed better before going home

 

[laetitia85]

glad u asked about that, i was getting worried about it too

 

[cloud9]

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i didnt tear but i grazed.
i was in so much pain and thought "omg how do people that teared cope"
but the hv told me grazing is more painfull as its an open cut where as tears can be stitched.
it just hurts when you wee more then anything its burns loads

I was exactly the same..If you poor a jug of water at the same time as you pee it helps

 

[Dee1985]

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i didnt tear but i grazed.
i was in so much pain and thought "omg how do people that teared cope"
but the hv told me grazing is more painfull as its an open cut where as tears can be stitched.
it just hurts when you wee more then anything its burns loads

I was exactly the same..If you poor a jug of water at the same time as you pee it helps

i broke the toliot roll holder as i was grabbing it while wee'ing

 

[leckershell]

glad u asked about that, i was getting worried about it too

me too

 

[Urchin]

I had a bad tear with Brody and my recovery was fine, it didn't really hurt to sit or bath or anything afterwards. I know some people really suffer with them though so I guess it just depeneds where it is and how deep etc.

The worst thing for me about tearing was having to go to theatre afterwards so I missed out on that first hour or so with Brody

 

[jenni32]

I had a 2nd degree tear, n0t very nice but doesn't last forever. MW recommended paracetomol and ibuprofen taken together which helped. Also had painkilling suppository straight after being stitched which was fabulous!!! :rotfl Another good tip is when you have the dreaded first poo make sure you hold a clean pad against your bits. Stops you feeling as if it's all going to fall out!!
Think positive though - you might be lucky and not tear in the first place

 

[Babylicious]

I was cut and they gave me an injection, I did feel it tho. Hurt a fair bit but heeled quickly

 

[leckershell]

Another good tip is when you have the dreaded first poo make sure you hold a clean pad against your bits. Stops you feeling as if it's all going to fall out!!
Think positive though - you might be lucky and not tear in the first place

Oh it all sounds so fun

 

[Sammystar]

Another good tip is when you have the dreaded first poo make sure you hold a clean pad against your bits. Stops you feeling as if it's all going to fall out!!
Think positive though - you might be lucky and not tear in the first place

Oh it all sounds so fun

Easier said than done, but try not to worry about it! I was unlucky and managed to tear with ALL THREE bubs and I had two episiotomies. Yeah, it hurts, but not as much as the birth! You just have to be REALLY kind to yourself afterwards, let other people take the strain and just concentrate on you and your LO.
The body is an amazing thing. It heals itself given time, so relax..........

 

[little*red]

i really worried about this too wehn i was pregnant.
When i gave birth to Evie i got a 1st degree tear and they decided not to stich it up as it would heal ok without the stiches. I didnt feel it as i had gas and air and a 5mg shot of diamorphine. All i felt was the intense burning/stinging sensation when her head crowed, then the midwife told me i had a tear, i didnt notice. It healed after about 3 weeks and didnt hurt when i pee'd like i htought it would. i agree with the tip about holding a pad against it when trying to poo.

 

[LilMissEmmylou]

i had 2 grazes which stung when i did a wee wee. They thought they where going to have to cut me at which point i was internally freaking out although they couldnt tell as i already appeared freaked out due to the pain anyway lol, anywho they gave me an injection to numb the area which worked a treat cause i couldnt feel my bits for hours! Anyway my trick for going for a wee was to bend right fwd so my hand where on the floor and my head was between my knees so glad nobody walked in on me having a wee!

 

[Emmylou]

I worried too, ended up with a 2nd degree tear...and I can honestly agree that the burning sensation of the head crowning blocks out the pain of the tearing.
I had an epidural, and although that does block the contraction pain, you still get the burn as you are pushing & the head is crownig etc.
They kept my epi in whilst they stitched me so didn't feel the stitches as such, well not the pain anyway just the feeling of the stitches being pulled through
I didn't get the painful wee but I had my first one after the pain releif went off with the shower running over me, then used a jug of water. If you keep yourself well hydrated it dilutes the wee too which makes it less painful.
My stitches were uncomfortable for a couple of weeks, but it wasn't really anything that was unbearable...so don't worry too much

 

[Dee1985]

i was dreading my first pooh after giving birth i thought every thing would just fall out if i pushed

i dont think stinging pain is much after giving birth not compared to after pains ouch they hurt but if its your first dont worry you dont get them , more children you have worse they are

after my 2nd it was horrible ! poor mum after her 6th was in soooooooo much pain bless her little heart

 

[kellie80]

I tore with my 1st and even though I had an epidural it really hurt. Dont know how much the epidural had wore off but it was really painful. The stitches wern't that bad though from what I can remember.

 

[Natural mamma]

HAVE YOUR FIRST FEW WEES IN THE BATH...honestly ladies it really helps...i know it sounds gross but it worked wonders for me.

Also i rubbed almond oil on my belly and perineum from 30wks with all of mine it worked a treat....
I am miss rubber band though ....i have never torn but have a few tags left (bits of flesh that kinda hang round the opening.)

I also did lots of yoga to help me stretch.

If you tear real bad or get piles from pushing sit on a bag of peas It really does the trick

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I had a bad tear - the MW was not confident about stitching it up so I had to transfer to hospital (I had a home birth). His comment was "I don't even know where this piece goes". Hmm.

They were threatening me with an epidural at hospital for the stitches which I was pretrified of having. Thankfully they managed to do it with a combination or local anaesthetic and gas and air. It did still hurt while he was stitching but it was bearable. It took him ages to stitch it all up (well over 1 hr). What made it bearable was watching Ellie sleeping in her Daddies arms while it was happening.

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

I tore with both of my girls, the second being the worse - I had to have stithes in the muscle aswell and it took a while to heal and I still have a scarred perinium, but I didnt know about it atall at the time!

Its just one of those things, along with involuntary pooing during labour, (yes it does happen!) that you have to except as part of it and leave your dignity at the door

Try not to worry about it, 99% of women tear if there is no time for an epsiotomy, its very few lucky women who stay completely intact, so they are well practised in dealing with it.

 

[trixipaws]

i was petrified of that too- the pushing was the bit i feared most- but its not that bad (just bloody hard work! lol) and u dont feel it (tearing).

i spent time and money on perinneal massage to try to avoid it but i still had a 2nd degree needing 2 stitches. they put numbing ointment on and let me suck on the gas&air while they stitched me, it only hurts like a little pinprick, and i'd healed within a week.

good luck, hope u get away without any tears!