https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 18:12:24 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-112645 Thu, 05 Apr 2012 17:22:27 +0000 prettylizy 112645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i had one small tear only 3 stitches because like megwag i panted for a few seconds instead of pushing while she was crowning. I was a little uncomfortable for about a week, and by 3 weeks feel totally normal. Dont be afraid, if you listen to your body through the contractions and allow thingsto stretch naturally, you shouldnt tear much at all </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-112499 Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:16:10 +0000 Clementine 112499@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i had only one tear, but definitely the first two weeks were the toughest because you are severely swollen down there. i think once the swelling went down for me, it was much better prob week 3-4. the thing i highly recommend is using the the sitz bath immediately after giving birth, it helps with the swelling so much more so than ice or witch hazel at least in my opinion.</p> <p>i'm on week 6 and finally my chucky is feeling more normal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-101693 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 02:06:01 +0000 cupcakemama 101693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsdaredevil: don't be terrified! Nothing you can do about it and you will recover! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-101668 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:55:42 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 101668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>holy crap. i should not have opened this thread.</p> <p>now i am terrified. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100794 Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:26:37 +0000 Ree723 100794@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, I've just come back on hellobee after a little hiatus and this is the first thread I read! I am officially terrified of the stitching up afterwards. It seems like so many people have bad experiences with the actual stitches. I always assumed I would be completely numb down there and wouldn't feel the stitches going in but this thread seems to prove the opposite. Ouch.....</p> <p>Kegels and perineal massage it is! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100770 Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:57:12 +0000 cupcakemama 100770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Crumbs: Nope, I am in Australia. I had heard about the spray bottles for after from a friend and was ready to send DH out for one but I found I didn't really need one. </p> <p>I honestly found that the painkillers they gave me did the trick, I don't think I needed an ice pack at all as recovery was uncomfortable but not awful.</p> <p>Can I suggest the stool softeners again ??! Seriously the first poop was not good, I didn't have the softeners soon enough. Learn from my mistake!</p> <p>You will be fine. I was slack with kegels beforehand and i didn't do any of the massage some of the other Bees have mentioned. Pelvic floor took some time to "spring back" but I only really noticed that because I am a runner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100760 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:01:57 +0000 brownie 100760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I tore pretty bad. All the way back but not deep. It really wasn't too bad. The first bowel movement was easy because of the meds I was on (milk of magnesia) but the first solid movement sucked. I tore some stitches but I think they were too tight. Ultimately, I don't really remember any of it anymore. I was passing out after birth so I don't remember alot of the stitching. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100740 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 22:29:13 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 100740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was able to push LO out in 3 pushes. I didn't tear in the usual spot - I actually had a tiny tear inside my whoo-ha and I had some skid marks. I'm not sure if that made it worse or not, but it burned so bad every time I had to pee that I would cry out in pain - I actually would avoid going to the bathroom if I could help it. But after 2.5 weeks, all was back to normal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100734 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 22:23:50 +0000 His Barista 100734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think how you push is key as well. I was told to push like you are pooping. I tried that and only pushed 30 minuets. They also gave me an episiotomy. Idk his many stitches I got but the Dr didn't even numb me for that ( my epidural wore off while pushing). It honestly went so fast the pain is a blur!</p> <p>I had motrin for my cramping in the hospital but at home I have ibuprofen and tylenol with codine. Make sure you take your stool softner too!</p> <p>I was a huge fan of their ice packs and the period bottle was soothing. I honestly only took a couple baths. I stuck to showers. Witch hazel pads felt awesome.</p> <p>Overly I had a good experience. I didnt have bladder issues like I thought I would and after a few days I was doing my usual house work without a problem. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100696 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:39:26 +0000 lemondrop 100696@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It wasn't as bad as I had feared beforehand. No, it's not fun, but you deal with what you are given, it's not like you have too much choice once labor starts. </p> <p>I had a second degree tear, a decent amount of stitches, and it took me about 3 weeks to start feeling really good again. </p> <p>I used the rinse (peri) bottle, Tucks pads, stool softener, Epi-cleanz, Dermaplast, and I had them put an ice pack on right away and through the night. </p> <p>I definitely overdid it the days afterwards, and probably would have taken less time to heal, but I went into a house cleaning frenzy that I hadn't finished before my water broke.</p> <p>I only need Ibuprofen afterwards, and would do it all again exactly the same, I'm happy with how everything turned out.</p> <p>ETA- I felt great after the sitz baths, but they put too much pressure down there, so I used the removable shower head and that worked much better. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100687 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:21:15 +0000 SAHM0811 100687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Crumbs: if your place of birth doesn't give away peri bottles, Amazon has them so you could prep beforehand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100684 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:18:17 +0000 SAHM0811 100684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stiffaknee: Percocet only really has an effect on constipation at pretty high doses/long-term use. Most women I know really only take ibuprofen after vaginal delivery. But if Percocet (and lots of it) is needed for pain relief and/or constipation is an issue, one should definitely be taking a stool softener and/or eat a high fiber diet to avoid straining. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100681 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:12:19 +0000 SugarplumsMom 100681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cupcakemama: I'm afraid they don't give ice packs of spray bottles where I'm at either. Are you in Europe? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100663 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:53:28 +0000 ALittleP 100663@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@joyjoy: LOL, I did kegels too the entire time reading this post. I wasn't scared before but I am now :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100553 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:43:02 +0000 cupcakemama 100553@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to have an episotemy (no idea how that's spelt!) as i have a very short distance between bits down there and the OB didn't want to risk a major tear. We don't do ice packs and spray bottles here- just keep it clean and pain killers.</p> <p>The worst for me was the first poop. It was horrendous. Absolutely awful.</p> <p>I probably took 3-4 weeks to heal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100528 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:25:16 +0000 calsmom 100528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: and @miss-spunkin: I hope that holds true for me! I am so scared! I will be taking your advice, Miss Spunkin and get that herbal spray that has helped you so much. </p> <p>@MegWag: That's an interesting point. Makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100500 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:14:46 +0000 joyjoy 100500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did kegels the whole time while I was reading the comments. I didn't put much thought into tearing until now. :-/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100398 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:30:03 +0000 Alivoo01 100398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>OMG!! Tearing is also one of my worst fears/nightmares of being preggo. I crossed my legs and winced in pain as I read this thread. I almost feel nauseaus... Not looking forward to delivery. At. All. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100370 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:06:51 +0000 stiffaknee 100370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am petrified of tearing! My SIL (who is a labor and delivery nurse) said they keep the epidural in until you are repaired, so hopefully that means (if you get an epidural) you won't feel it as much? She also said they prescribe you percocet for the pain, which, in my honest opinion, is more of a curse than a blessing (since pain medicine like that tend to constipate you, so if you're already torn, do you really want to be straining??!) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100297 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:24:33 +0000 MegWag 100297@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the timing of pushes is totally key.<br /> I'm 3 weeks post partum and feeling totally awesome- in large part due to the fact that I didn't tear and only had a couple of small grazes. The midwives here really focus on helping you not to tear, so that was key. When I got to the point that I was crowning, she had me stop and pant instead of pushing through. This allowed the perineum to stretch out on it's own rather than tearing. It was so hard not to push in that moment, but totally worth it!<br /> I meant to do perineal massage, but never actually got around to it. I sort of think having a good amount of essential fatty acids in my diet also helped with skin elasticity.<br /> My son was just under 7 lbs at birth.<br /> Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100277 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 13:12:48 +0000 chopsuey 100277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@marriedandlovingit: Don't be scared.. it's really not as bad as it sounds. The vagina heals so well! :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100145 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:11:30 +0000 Mrs. Pen 100145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: I agree, I hated the stitching up part. Even though they use a local anesthetic, you still feel it because it's just so raw and tender; you don't feel the stitch, just them touching and all that. It's mighty uncomfortable. </p> <p>@NYCaliMama: It's crazy how different everyone's experiences are. I had such a great time breastfeeding, I mean yes, he breastfed all the time the first week, but it was so easy for us I felt so blessed.</p> <p>@marriedandlovingit: Aww sorry babe! It really isn't so bad, I mean what's two weeks of pain out of your whole life?! It is worth it, and like Artbee said, you are so focused on your new baby that it seems so minuscule in comparison. I think the hardest part was often not being able to care for my son how I'd like to because I had so many limitations. Like this one time I sat up in bed to change his diaper, and I wet myself - just the movement of getting up made me go. Then my husband had to "babies" to clean up after! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100102 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:47:55 +0000 SAHM0811 100102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had 2nd degree tears with both DD's. I tore at the same place the 2nd time which they said was good. Recovery was fine for me. It was breastfeeding around the clock that was more uncomfortable and the biggest challenge. </p> <p>Ice packs, tucks, dermoplast, and mesh underwear/grannie panties were very helpful the first few days. With my first I also liked to sit on this donut shaped pillow to take the pressure off. I got all the postpartum care stuff at the hospital. </p> <p>I was walking around Days 1 and 2 slower than usual, but totally fine by the end of the first week. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100093 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:43:46 +0000 calsmom 100093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Reading all of this scares me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100083 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:29:34 +0000 chopsuey 100083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had 3rd degree tears. Healed before 6 weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-100075 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:23:29 +0000 mrs. wagon 100075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tearing was probably my worst fear for delivery. I feared recovery more than delivery itself and tearing had a big part to do with it. I did Kegels faithfully and I believe it really helped, because even though I did tear, I did not tear down as most people do (towards the rectum-- I tore upwards. My doctor explained while she was stitching me up that this is a much less serious tear, is less painful and heals a lot more quickly than the other type. The biggest part was that I didn't have to worry about peeing-- since the tear was upwards, the pee never hit the wound or stitches. I was still sore, of course, but I didn't have to think about the stitches at all. I never touched or looked down there until i was completely healed about 3 weeks later because I was terrified.</p> <p>So do your Kegels! Honestly I don't think there's any way I could have NOT torn because RJ's head size was so huge. Hes' always been above 95th percentile in head circumference, even now. In utero his head was so large they thought he could have Down's Syndrome. I pushed for 3 hours and he never crowned-- they never saw his head at all. They placed the vacuum internally and basically pulled him out with 3 pushes. I have narrow hips for my proportions but I'm not a small girl by any means! So the fact that his head just all came through at once, I don't think there's any way I could have NOT torn.</p> <p>ETA: The stitching up process was by far the most painful part of delivery (other than contractions right before transition). I hated hated hated hated hated that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-99929 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:33:24 +0000 looch 99929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Perineal massage. So easy to do and if it just helps to reduce the tearing, it's worth it. I did it every day from 34 weeks on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-99920 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:27:26 +0000 Mrs. Bee 99920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i wasn't prepared for tearing at all because i was supposed to have a c section and ended up with a vbac when olive came early! i had second degree tears even though she was only 4lbs 15oz. the stitching up part was sooooooo painful and took forever -- that i was not expecting at all!</p> <p>olive also had to stay in the hospital an extra 5 days, so i had to check into a local hotel and walk back and forth 3 long blocks. it made my recovery so much slower and painful. the recovery was waaaaay worse than it was with my c section.</p> <p>but around the 2 week mark i started feeling better, and then pretty quickly back to normal after that. if i wasn't walking so much, i think the recovery would have been much faster.</p> <p>i couldn't have lived without the peri bottle. and refrigerated tucks helped a lot. we have a guide on postpartum pain care here:</p> <p><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2011/10/12/postpartum-pain-relief/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2011/10/12/postpartum-pain-relief/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-99903 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:15:22 +0000 EloiseKE 99903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I tore and in all honesty it took me a solid 8 weeks to feel "normal" again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tearing-how-bad-amp-how-long-did-it-take-to-recover#post-99887 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:00:36 +0000 Maysprout 99887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a 2nd degree tear and then I retore! And then something that people don't usually mention there was also a nice abrasion. No fun. But once it retore I went back to the OB but they didn't put more stitches in but it still healed on it's own without stitches. It just was sore for a little longer than was normal but still running sllllllllloooooowwly within 3 weeks of delivering. So it wasn't pleasant but not the worst thing either. </p>