2nd birth...tear where you tore in 1st birth?

[ihugtrees]

I am terrified of giving birth again.

When I had my daughter 5.5 months ago, I had a small (well, the midwife said it was small. I thought it looked huge!) tear on my labia. I basically had a hole through one side, and it was VERY close to my clitoris. I still have an uncomfortable feeling during sex some times, or if I squat, or sit a certain way. I am afraid that if I get pregnant and have another baby, I will tear where the scar tissue is, and maybe then even further, into my clitoris. Honestly, I am not sure if it is worth the risk! We don't plan on having another baby for a few years even if we do decide to have more.

So do you generally tear in the same place you tore the first time? Is it usually worse? Is the recovery time any better?

[rachel65655]

I have torn in the same place with each additional child. I had an episiotomy with my first though (14 stitches) and I contribute the subsequent tearing to that. If I had been allowed to just tear (or not) naturally, I don't feel that I would have torn repeatedly.

[lunita1]

I had more typical tear downwards (where an episiotomy is usually cut) with my first child. That scar pretty muchy unzipped when I had #2, but it was much more superficial and healed more quickly. It opened up to an even lesser extent with #3. Each time, the repair and healing got significantly easier.

[broodymama]

I had a tear when DS was born, he had a nuchal hand and I tore where his elbow came out. My DD1, born 22 months later, was much larger (10 lb vs. 8 lb 3 oz) and also had a nuchal hand. With her I got a "skid mark", felt like a vaginal stretch mark, where her elbow came out and it was at the same spot. She was born much quicker, but I waited for my body to be ready to push instead of prompted pushing like with DS. That time it didn't even need a stitch. With DD2 (a bit smaller at 9 lb 9 oz) without a nuchal hand, I once again got a skid mark in the same spot. She was born very quickly (~3 minutes of pushing) in the water. I felt a little sting, but the spot didn't bother me and didn't need any stitches.

[jecombs]

I had a 2nd degree tear to my perineum and another tear inside my vag with DD. This time around, I'm planning a water birth to minimize the possibility of more tearing.

[mntnmom]

With #1 I had an episiotomy and tore very badly (I've been told both 3 &4). #2, several years later, I tore in basically the same area, but only got a couple stitches, I'm not sure I really "needed" those. With #3 and #4, I basically had a skid mark and a little tenderness towards my perineum, and nothing else.

[annekh23]

A lot of women tear the first time then have don't any future times. I had a fairly neat 2nd degree tear on the midline first time, birth was very fast. 2nd time I really wanted to control the last bit and avoid tearing, I controlled it quite successfully and was convinced that I hadn't torn, but when they examined me the description was the same as the first time.

Interestingly the first time stitches were not recommended, so I didn't have any. Recovery was ok the feeling of bruising was probably the worst bit.

2nd time around stitches were recommended, I asked a few questions to determine if it was because it was a reopening or simply because of the type and location of the tear, turned out it was the 2nd, so based on the first experience I said no thanks! Healing was great, I think because it had been very slow at the end I avoided all the bruising, honestly I think if it wasn't for me having a connective tissue disorder and thus defective scar tissue then I wouldn't have torn.

[Katwoman]

I tore with my first (5 lb 15 oz) after 4 hours of pushing. It was incredibly uncomfortable and required stitches. With my second, I did not tear at all (9 lbs) after 1.5 hours of pushing.

[Mamabeakley]

I did tear the same way/place with my first and second births. I did not, the third birth, I think because I was in a different position (hands & knees as opposed to semi-reclining on my side.)

[BanditaMamacita]

I had a tear very similar to yours. 8 lb 11 oz baby girl after about 20 minutes of pushing (water birth). I suddenly got it in my head that the only way to make the ring of fire STOP was to push past it instead of easing through it, so i gave one gigantic push and tore on my upper labia near my clitoris. About 1 cm deep or so, i think. Irreparable, still separated and weird-looking. With my second birth, I didn't tear at all. (7 lb 9 oz boy after 1 push). I do worry a bit because i feel certain this baby (36 weeks pregnant now) is bigger and i'm worried about tearing again, but of course, now I know better than to push harder than my body is ready for me to. I don't think it definitely means you'll tear again. I specifically asked my mw about it when i got pregnant the second time, and she said that in a tear like that, you rarely tear in the same place.