Did you tear again?
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Topic: Did you tear again?
Posted By: kakapo
Subject: Did you tear again?
Date Posted: 05 September 2008 at 9:24pm
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Question for those of you who've had two or more vaginal births and 3rd degree tears......did you tear again when giving birth to subsequent babies? If so, did it result in lasting damage? I had a 3rd degree tear with my first birth, surgeon was called in to stitch me up, and have had no problems, healed well etc. |
Replies:
Posted By: JD
Date Posted: 05 September 2008 at 10:17pm
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I didn't have a 3rd degree tear, but I did tear a little with my first. Nothing with the second....YAY! Also, I found the afterwards MUCH better after the second. I remember with the first walking like a cowboy for about 2 weeks and feeling really really tender. I felt almost 100% the following day with the second.
------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Mazzy
Date Posted: 05 September 2008 at 10:49pm
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I had a second degree tear with both my births, but in different places. I was told by several different midwives that a tear second time around isn't very common, but I think I'm in too much of a hurry to push the baby out to make.the.pain.STOP and I don't give myself enough time to stretch. My theory anyway! ------------- Mum to two gorgeous girls! |
Posted By: Kimber
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 12:18am
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I had a 3rd degree tear first time round and was really worried that I would tear badly with my second, assuming that the scar tissue from my first would not stretch.
At the time I was pushing my son (#2) out I felt sure I was gonna tear as I was in a hurry  but only had a wee graze :D My births were very different tho, first was on my back after an epidural and I was being told when to push, the second I was upright after an active labour and just did what I felt like doing ;)
They told me also that water can help to avoid tears, tho I wasn't in the pool when I had my son. |
Posted By: Mazzy
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 9:21am
Hi Kimber! Nice to see you around these boards  ------------- Mum to two gorgeous girls! |
Posted By: DJ
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 9:55am
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I'll watch this with interest.
Slight thread jack, but what is the difference between 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree tear? ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 10:10am
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The degrees - as it gets higher, it's a worse type of tear (bigger). So 2nd is bigger than 1st, 3rd bigger than 2nd etc (as I understand it).
As I said in the other thread, I had a 3rd degree tear and (TMI coming up sorry) on my notes it says the perineum was 'shattered' . Thankfully they did a great job in surgery and I haven't had too many lasting implications.
On my follow-up checkup however, the gynae lady said that her recommendation for next time would be an elective c-section because of the extent of damage done. Because apparently there's about a 1 in 4 chance of me tearing again and worse damage being done (ie incontinence of the back passage.. sorry TMI again). But this is what she said from the checkup and from looking at my notes, looking at why I tore etc. So I'm sure it's different case by case. If I wanted to I could have a vaginal birth again, but they don't recommend it...... and I don't want to run the risk of being incontinent for 6 months before having surgery to fix it (how humiliating.. and with a newborn and older kid to look after too). At first I was really upset about it cos it was a shock (I'd never even considered about 'next time', hadn't even thought about it) especially cos Harry's birth was drug-free and such an amazing experience. But I've come to terms with it and I think the benefits outweigh the negatives. But I don't think this is really the way it goes for everyone, don't want to freak you out
edited for typos ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Peanut
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 10:32am
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Funny, I was thinking about this last night too!
I ended up with an episotomy(?) and was wondering if I will end up tearing in teh same spot with #2 as it a weaker place or if they will cut me in the same place again? Anyone know? -------------  
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Posted By: WRXnKids
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 11:56am
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I was wondering the same as i had to be cut quite a lot for the obs to get his hand in there and find joshuas other foot (silly mixed up male not asking for directions on how to come out of me) Ive been wondering if i will need to be cut again or if it should just stretch like normal -------------   
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 12:30pm
| I've wondered about the episotomy thing too. I think they will probably end up giving me another next time because mine is still more sensitive than the rest of the area and hurts sometimes. |
Posted By: Bumble
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 2:32pm
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I had a 3rd degree tear with Ethan (Was in too much of a hurry to GET HIM OUT! LOL)
This time I did tear, along the same spot as last time, but it wasn't as bad and I healed much better this time. I reckon those 5W tablets had something to do with it, the healing faster that is :) When the midwife read my original notes from Ethans birth, she was pushing for an elective c-section... ------------- formerly known as "Bee" Ethan ~ March 2003 Big 6 year old school boy! Micah ~ Aug 2008 ~ Smiley pants who loves telephones! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 2:35pm
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I didn't tear or anything with my births, but I did rip my mum to pieces when I was born (I was pretty much 10lbs born). She was wisked away to surgery just after I was born and she went on to have 2 more children and the sister born after me nothing happened, but my youngest sister did rip my mum again. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 8:41pm
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My friend had 3rd degree tears with both her children, 9 years difference. They (med prof's) are pushing for a c-sect next time.
Stacey - I didn't have an episiotomy but tore and its still the most sensitive part too. Weird aye? Fingers crossed it all just stretches so its OK for all of us though! Liz - ouch I remember you saying about the shattering. It's good though that they're looking out for you for next time.
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 06 September 2008 at 8:45pm
Also watching with interest. I had a nasty episiotomy (TMI - my MW described it as the biggest she'd seen in years  ), though I don't have any problems with sensitivity or pain. The first 10 days were hell though! blardy babies with big heads  ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: Kimber
Date Posted: 07 September 2008 at 12:41am
Hiya Mazz
My 3rd degree tear was pretty nasty, I was in theatre for around 3/4 hour while they fixed me up. Noone told me I'd have to have an elective ceaser thank goodness, but then I went straight to a homebirth midwife when pregnant with my second and never went anywhere near an obstetrician or a hospital anyway :D A plunket nurse after the fact said "I'm surprized they let you homebirth after a 3rd degree tear" which I thought was pretty funny. I wonder who 'they' are ;) |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 07 September 2008 at 3:56pm
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I had an episiotomy for my first VB and a small tear for my second VB. I'll update you on the third VB in 2009
I don't think it was quite the same place, ie I don't think I was "weaker". Apparently TMI I have a long perineum and both times I needed the extra space to fit a baby out -------------  |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 07 September 2008 at 9:13pm
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no i didn't tear 2nd time, actually it was soo much easier. And to think the week before I was howling in the OB's office, begging them for a c sect as my tears had been so painful and it took a long time to get over it (emotionally) ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |