https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:07:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear/page/2#post-855874 Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:27:09 +0000 LomaLinda 855874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maybebaby - it does get better. I can so relate to what you are going through. I had third degree tears, with no epidural as well. I am 4 weeks postpartum and feel more normal now than I ever thought I would. I, too, thought I would never be "normal" again after it happened. If I walk too much it does hurt a little and feel uncomfortable, and the more I rest the better I feel. I think at 2 weeks postpartum was when I felt human again. Everything isn't all perfect now at 4 weeks (I am still sleep deprived and sore), but I feel there is hope for feeling better physically and getting into some sort of routine with my baby. I still use tucks pads, Motrin and showers for relief. Hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear/page/2#post-841457 Sat, 08 Jun 2013 07:47:32 +0000 Boheme 841457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@maybebaby: same here. </p> <p>Baby Grizz was stuck in a crooked posterior position so I have a third degree tear (going upward) and a fourth degree tear and episiotomy going backward. I can barely sit up to nurse him and DH is handling EVERYTHING. I just want to be somewhat mobile again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-841427 Sat, 08 Jun 2013 07:01:52 +0000 maybebaby 841427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Found this looking for support after my 3rd degree and labial tear. I am 6 days PP and had a breakdown sobbing last night. I've only left the apartment for DS's first pedi apt, but Ben walking around the apartment to so basic things like get a glass of water or go to the bathroom are taxing. Sleep deprived, in pain and overwhelmed by life with a new born i just lost it before bed last night. I feel like I'll never feel normal down there again, but I know it is so early and I need to go easy on my self and my body. @Arden: how are you healing? Any advice from down the recovery road? I also had the repair work (one hour) done with lidocaine though they tried to get me to get an epidural! After birthing med free there is no way unwanted to get the epi. i really hope you're doing well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-681805 Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:20:43 +0000 purrpletulips 681805@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had either a 3rd or 4th degree with DD (can't really remember). I didn't find the pain too awful, only took Motrin for it. Use the peri bottle, tucks pads and rest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678764 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 07:38:30 +0000 CarrieLouWho 678764@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3rd degree tear hear with an upwards urethra tear. I didn't take strong pain killers bc they make me sick so I stuck with Advil/Tylenol for the 1st 2 weeks then as needed. I took stool softeners for about 3 months. That's also how long the hemroids lasted for me. Another side effect I have at 6 months pp is that if I don't go poop when I feel like I have too, I almost can't hold it (no trouble with that before). I think I didn't feel any terrible pain after 6-7 weeks. I was glad I took 12 weeks off from work bc 6 or 8 weeks would have been too soo for me pain-wise. I used the Peri bottle a lot, dermaplast on really bad days, &amp; frozen pads. I wanted to use witch hazel but had a bad reaction one time and didn't want to chance it. I should have done sitz baths, but I didn't.<br /> TBH, the pain from breastfeeding helped tale my mind off the tears initially :)<br /> Hope this helps a little! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678759 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 07:34:19 +0000 mamabolt 678759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an episiotomy. My midwives advised that I not spend too much time sitting up since that put pressure directly on the healing area, so I tried to spend my time reclined or semi-reclined. I also took baths twice a day and used the heck out of the dermoplast and ice and motrin. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678754 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 07:28:14 +0000 Mrsjets 678754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First congrats! I hope you have a speedy recovery.<br /> I didnt tear much but I had 3rd degree lateral episiotomy because DS was, sunny side up, stuck and his heart rate was low. I had so many stitches, and then my body started rejecting them. So painful. I took naproxen, which took the edge off, and showered twice a day for releif. Like others I think moving too much those first weeks made healing more painful and longer. I wasn't healed at 2 months (probably because of the stitch rejection) but was at 4 months though sex wasn't remotely pleasurable until 6 months. I honestly thought it would never heal, I was so stressed - but it did and everything is working perfectly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678723 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 06:34:49 +0000 Dandelion 678723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>4th degree here...3 weeks and feeling better, but my tailbone is still sore. I think my site is pretty much healed up, but I haven't ventured enough to look.</p> <p>Tucks have been amazing...also the epifoam they gave me to take home...and dermaplast. All great things.</p> <p>I'm still living on ibuprofen because of my tailbone, though. I'm pretty sure it got fractured during the shoulder fiasco. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678694 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 05:22:31 +0000 cheert16 678694@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yikes! Haven't had my LO yet, but I am thinking of you!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678687 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 05:02:33 +0000 loveisstrange 678687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a 3rd degree episiotomy. I know it's not quite the same but pretty equally awful. They gave me some high-dose Paracetemol (Tylenol) and it helped immeasurably. Other than that, I did sitz baths and tried not to sit down. lol. Stool softeners also!! They REALLY help.</p> <p>Im really sorry. The pain is only really awful for the first few days and then it starts to taper off. I was healed and my stitches gone by 4 weeks pp. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678679 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:12:17 +0000 pl0508 678679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a 2nd degree tear but tore in a Y shape. I really think my doc should've given me an episiotomy. Take it easy mama! I used a lot of ice packs, tucks, and dermaplast. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678677 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:06:15 +0000 matador84 678677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I ended up staying 4 days in hospital because my 3rd degree tear was so bad. I second pps...sitz baths!! 3x daily. It felt impossible to do but the nurses in the hospital made me do it and I did it twice to start out with once I got home...eventually back to 3/x because I needed it. Use a combo of dermaplast, hydrocortisone, and tucks on a maxi pad. Staying on your feet will make the roids worse so def take a break. Stool softener. I felt like I was pooping glass even 4 months pp. hth! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678662 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 02:17:57 +0000 Silva 678662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My boss likes to talk about her third degree tear a lot (not fun to hear about when you're pregnant). Basically her doctor told her to rest as though she'd had a c-section, so minimal walking, mostly rest. She went to PT, too.<br /> I guess with her second pregnancy they discussed going straight to c-section. She had a much easier vaginal birth this time though!</p> <p>Sounds very painful, hope you heal quickly! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678647 Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:04:40 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 678647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: your experience sounds terrible! I didn't tear but I got cut. We had an exhausting day about 5 days ppt....baby had a checkup and bilirubin test, etc., I clotted awful. My doc said the more active you are, the worse the clotting is. Of course that night I ended up in the ER with a bladder infection but that had nothing to do with overextending myself lol! The pain from the episiotomy really killed me. I just want to tell you it'll get better. The fear of having never ending pain made it worse. And PLEASE DON'T PUT OFF THE BM. IT MAKES IT SO MUCH WORSE IF YOU PUT IT OFF. Just try to go as soon as you can and ply yourself fill of stool softeners. </p> <p>Also I would pee standing up in the shower, no shame. Sitting on a toilet was rough. We showered in another bathroom. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678597 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 23:29:03 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 678597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a third degree tear and tore in a "star" shape. I had 32 stitches.<br /> The only thing that helped recovery for me (aside from lots of ibuprofen and dermoplast) was rest. I always felt worse after moving around too much. Also, a cold compress on my private area helped too! It took me a good eight weeks to be pain free.<br /> Hang in there! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678590 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 23:17:29 +0000 shopaholic 678590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My BFF had a 3rd degree tear. So sorry you had to experience this and to tell you that in her experience, she said she was in pain for close to 2 months. Obviously, it got better as time went on, but she was heavily dependent on pain meds the first several weeks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678562 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:55:29 +0000 Weagle 678562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't have a third degree tear, but it took a few days for me to realize most of my pain (like 95%) was from hemorrhoids and not my tear. I used Ching Wan Hung burn cream at the advice of my doula. Scary name, but it's insanely helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678544 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:39:59 +0000 immabeetoo 678544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: have you tried dermoplast?? I've read it doesn't actually help but... I thought it did. Not sure if that's too chemical-y for you; I bought and wanted to love earth angel mama baby bottom spray and balm but they did nothing for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678540 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:37:18 +0000 Arden 678540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: Really?! Must research this. Awesome. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678536 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:35:14 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 678536@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh my... that sounds so painful!!! I had a 2nd degree tear and that was bad enough. I did Sitz baths 2x/day for at least 10 minutes each time and it helped so much. Highly recommend doing sitz baths. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678527 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:29:50 +0000 mrskc 678527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: good to know about the donut. I never used one, but thought it would have been helpful. </p> <p>The sitz baths were amazing for me too! I could only manage one a day, but if you can do more, even better! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678525 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:29:43 +0000 rachiecakes 678525@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: I'm a redhead, too. Most painkillers do squat for me. I'd freeze a Tucks pad and lay it on top of the maxi pad when I was particularly uncomfortable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678519 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:26:14 +0000 Freckles 678519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took voltaren which goes in like a suppository and has no effect on milk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678516 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:25:41 +0000 Arden 678516@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: I'm not taking pain meds either (they gave me Percocet but I don't want that in my milk), and pain isn't too bad when I'm sitting still, but moving is awful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678515 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:25:39 +0000 Freckles 678515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrskc: @Arden: i was going to say DONT sit on a donut. </p> <p>I had third degree tears and an episiotomy, thank you back labour and 3.5 hours of pushing. The pain went away after 2 weeks. Back to the donut- it actually makes the tears worse because it spreads your ass cheeks even further. It feels good for the first 30 minutes, but it feels worse afterwards. I would try lying down for nursing sessions. Highly recommend sitz baths 3x a day (easier said than done because who has the time???) and use the peri bottle after every pee/poop! I also made pad popsicles...soak a maxi pad and freeze it flat. You can add aloe vera or witch hazel to help with the healing. Seriously, it feels so much better and less messy than those ice bag packs the hospital gives you.</p> <p>Hope you feel better soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678513 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:25:00 +0000 aprk 678513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Arden: yikes. I didn't know that was a thing! You are a trooper!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678510 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:23:18 +0000 chopsuey 678510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a 3rd degree with my first and 2nd with my son.<br /> No real advice.. I didn't take pain meds and just dealt with the pain. I think I was on baby high because the pain wasn't too bad.<br /> I would stay off your feet and rest. Drink lots of fluids, eat well and sleep when you can!<br /> Congrats again! :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678505 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:21:05 +0000 Arden 678505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh, I forgot to mention I have that "redhead gene" thing and lidocaine has no effect on me. The hospital told me they don't have a substitute, but if anyone else knows of one - let me know! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678494 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:11:04 +0000 immabeetoo 678494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yikes so sorry! I also only had second degree but thirsting to rest. I did too much and ended up infected and back in emergency surgery.on short notice when I waited too long to get checked out. I found it very helpful to sit with my legs tucked straight back under me for the first three weeks until I felt more normal. I also tried a foam donut and the boppy but they weren't as comfortable. I did sits baths and blow drying after three times a day after my surgery under the suggestion of my OB and it helped a lot. Rest up!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-had-a-third-degree-tear#post-678493 Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:09:55 +0000 mamimami 678493@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry to hear this :( mine was not 3rd degree (actually I have no idea what degree it was) but I did tear upwards right next to the urethra and it hurt like a mofo. Most of all when they were trying to place some stitches, which as you know is difficult/impossible in that zone. I used lidocaine and these things called k-pads and after a few days it was so much better. I do have to say my tear healed but it did not heal together (hope I am explaining myself here) so if you think things are not looking right (relatively speaking of course) let your doctor know as soon as possible. Upwards is a very hard tear to keep together as I understand. </p>