Is tearing 2nd time around a given?

Hi, I have a question that's worrying me a bit.....

Is tearing during birth second time around a given if I tore the first time?  I had a pretty decnet 2nd degree tear that took months to heal and has left a scar....will this mean that area is weakened and more likely to tear- and worse- during the birth of this baby? And if thats the case would it be better to have an episiotomy? I wanted to tear rather than be cut last time and would probably prefer the same thing this time but would be interested to hear from others who have had their 2nd baby and what their experience was.

TIA

I tore the first time and was not at all the second... but I guess I had 11 years recovery inbetween LOL

Ouch... No experience of this myself (thank goodness) but I know my friend tore less with her 2nd than with her first... (and her first was about the same weight as Clodagh, but her 2nd was 9lb 13.5oz, lol not that your baby will be that big of course!) hope that helps

I have a friend who had an episiotomy which then tore into a 3rd degree tear first time. With her second baby she also had an episiotomy but instead of cutting straight back they cut back & to the side & she had a tear but only 2nd degree.

I got an internal tear and a perinneal episiotomy for the same baby

The tear was much bigger than the cut, but OMG did the cut hurt while it was healing

Next time, I'll have the same rules, I think - a cut only if it's needed to save the baby (it was this time, cos she was in major distress and needed out fast).

And my lovely MW reassured me on her many post-natal visits whilst I was in agony over the cut, that she had a huge cut for her first and nothing at all for her second, so it can be done. Good luck!

i tore with my first and had stitches.. second time i tore again, but less than the first and had no stitches. and no stitches was much better for healing.

I had a second degree first time around which wasn't too bad and then second time round I had a first degree tear which surprised the mw she didn't think I tore. Personally I would not want an episiotomy unless it was needed to get the baby out quickly as they do sometimes tear further and become a third or fourth degree tear.

LittleBug wrote: It really depends on what kind of labour you have and what position that the baby is, how fast he/she comes, etc. so every birth is different, just like every baby.

I agree.

My first I was cut.
Second nothing
Third one stitch.

I had a small tear with henry but didnt need stitches. With kiara my first thought after she was born was 'that was wayyyy to quick i must have torn bad' but nothing. I did have a water birth with her though and that is meant to help 'soften' things up. Might be worth considering

The first time I had 2nd degress tears- had 3 rows of stitches, one up Vagina, one along perineum, and one along labia.
I had a smear at family planning recently and the Dr there said she could see the scars.

12 weeks ago I had a completely natural birth after much prepartion- read hypnobirthing book, practiced breathing excerices from that book, practicied postive affirmations, had meetings with the midwife/ DH/Mum so everyone knew what I wanted them to do, spent hardly anytime sitting during last trimester to avoid posterior baby .
In labour used accupressure, breathing, massage, positive affirmations and spent quite a bit of labour in the bath.
I didnt get so much as a tiny scratch- not a thing at all! The midwife didnt know what would happen due to the amount of scar tissue, but I had no problem at all!

My midwife used hot cloths on my perinuem as baby was being born to avoid tears. Also she said the latest info is that you are more likely to tear with a water birth, which I had thought was the opposite. I didnt have a water birth but psent a few hrs in the bath, got out at 8cm dilated.
ETA- #1 - 8lb 6 (3.8Kg), 52cm long, head circ-37cm
          #2 - 8lb14 (4.04Kg) 52cm long, head cicr -37cm

Edited by Kellz