Hellobee Boards

Hah yes I had first degree tears...her head was HUGE!!!

Um....it's really really stretchy..

And yes I had a epidural. I've heard it referred to a ring of fire by those who didn't.

I had a episiotomy and an epidural and didn't feel it. No idea if I would have torn otherwise, but LO was in distress so the episiotomy was needed to get her out quickly.

Eh. I had an episiotomy and then ended up with a 2nd degree tear. E had a huge head, and the OB tried massaging me with oil for a while before he cut. E's heart rate was rising and my blood pressure was dropping, so he needed to get him out ASAP--there wasn't time to let me labor down or anything.

Unfortunately, at that point my epidural had failed half an hour before, but I didn't really specifically feel the cut or the tear. I was having awful back labor, and pushing didn't give me any relief, so they just kind of melded into a big pile of Holy Ow.

I had a second degree tear but I didn't notice it since there was so much going on down there. I did labor down for a while, but then did 3 hours of pushing. Originally I had an epidural, but it had worn off by the time he came out. I could feel the stitches, but so much was going on that they didn't hurt. The biggest thing to me was just relief that he was out and there was no more pressure.

It honestly wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined. When it came to labor, there wasn't any stopping it or slowing down, it was a wild ride that was over much quicker than I had expected. I'd do it again the same way (I hadn't prepped or stretched or massaged or anything like that), I'm very happy with how it all turned out.

I tore with my first delivery, but not the second. I think it's partly because it was my second time, and partly because I delivered in the water.

Our bodies are amazing, it's just all around crazy that we can grow babies and then push them out.

I was doing perineal massages with oil for three weeks leading up to the birth and I still tore.

I didn't have any pain drugs, but I was in so much friggin pain that I wouldn't have known tearing pain from general childbirth pain. Honestly, if you don't have an epidural, all the pain is the same. Really. It all hurts so even though everyone is scared to tear I promise it's no different from delivering the baby.

Except for post-partum healing... it stings to pee afterward and can be really painful to sit down for long periods of time (which sucks since that's what you'll be doing). The boppy was amazing - seriously - sit on it and it doesn't put pressure down there. I used it more for me than baby lol

So I voted that I tore but didn't feel it: no epi

I'm in denial that any of this exists. I'm just saying....

Had an epi. Progressed quickly and only pushed about 15 min. My OB worked the tissue as she could and had me blow through some pushes, but still had a pretty jagged second degree tear that took a good while to stitch back up. My bigger baby was 6-12. Oh and didnt feel the tear or stitches.

Honestly the healing hasnt bothered me much and I havent taken more than ibuprofen. No pain sitting or peeing. My hemmrhoid bugs me more

I tore, but only needed 2 little stitches. Honestly, if you plan to push without pain relief you're going to be feeling so much pressure, pushing is a relief and you can't really tell if you're tearing. I couldn't anyway. My midwife used something that looked like olive oil to help me out when my daughter was crowning.
ETA: My daughter was almost 9 pounds, tearing varies so much from person to person. But don't worry about it now! Once you're in the moment it's all just leading to the grand finale

With my first, tore but not towards the rectum... I tore up. Much easier to recover from since the pee doesn't hit it. Many stitches. Huge head, 8 lb baby. Epi failed but I didn't notice tearing... Just lots of pain. Pushed for 3 hours without crowning, so I tore when they pulled him out with the vacuum.

Second time around I felt zero! Spinal cath worked great. One tiny tear, one small stitch. Again big head (but not nearly as big as the first), 8 lb baby, pushed for 15 min on my side then delivered on my back.

Did kegels religiously both pregnancies, in the last weeks only. I'm convinced this is why I tore upwards with my first.

I tore both times, no epi. I didn't feel the tearing either times. I only felt the tugging and pulling of the stitching but didn't feel any pain. Perhaps I was so desensitized from the pain already.

Labor down and practice perineal massage before and during labor! Also second what @Minnie_Girl wrote: "Try to avoid birthing on your back, because it doesn't allow your pelvis to open up fully...making it more likely a doctor will tell you that you "need" an episiotomy to make room. Our bodies are designed to stretch, if they're given the chance!"

I had minor tears on the inside of the labia minora, the midwife said they were basically grazes. They were debating whether to bother doing stitches or not. My midwife supported the perineum while I was pushing which probably helped. I had no meds until the stitching at the end, when they gave me a local but I still totally felt the stitching.

I did push on my back and only pushed for an hour before he was out

Shudder. Im so glad I had a c-section....

From what I researched, if you labor down and dont push right away you reduce risk of tearing, also certain excercises and perineal massage are supposed to help. I know people that gave birth and didnt tear.

I had either a 3rd or 4th degree episiotomy (can't remember which) with an epi and didn't feel it but did feel the stitches afterwards since the epi had been turned off.

I'm seriously laughing at all the advice to "labor down". I know I'm the minority here, but with a 4 hour labor when you go from 5cm to 10cm on one hour there is no such thing as laboring down lol the baby comes when it comes!!!! :):)

I tore and by golly did I feel it. That ring of fire is no joke. I ended up getting over 30 stitches. LO was 7 lbs and posterior.

I didnt tear and didn't get an episiotomy...and I had an epidural. My midwife had me stop pushing as LO was crowning and just kind of hold it for a minute. It made the recovery (and the first trip to the bathroom) a breeze!

I tore slightly with both babies, and even though I had an epidural, I totally felt the ring of fire with my second. It was super intense! Recovery was a breeze, though; I only needed a few stitches each tima, and I never needed anything stronger than ibuprofen.