Perineal Tears?

[Marcimama]

So...I have a question. With dd #1 I tore just a bit (didn't even need stitches), she was 8lbs. 1 oz. 14cm head. With this baby I tore nearly to my other hole!!! He was 7lbs. 7 oz and a 13 cm head. I don't get why I tore sooooo much more! I am a bit peeved with my midwife because she didn't seem to do much of anything to assist me and I wonder if she even tried to help me stop tearing. Will I always tear as far as I did with this baby, because I am afraid I will rip through to my bum hole next time!: :

[krismarie]

it could just be the position you were in (?)

i don't think it means you will tear everytime... i have friends who tore with their first and not with their later ones.

[rachelagain]

I didn't tear w/ my first 3 and then this one I had a 3rd degree tear-- I had to go to the hospital do to partial placenta previa so had a Dr. instead of mw-- I had started pushing on my side and wanted to squat, but her heartrate dropped and suddenly I needed to push her out now. I think the tear had to do w/ the Dr and the way she was "stretching" the perineum and also the position I was in. After talking w/ my mw she said that she thought next time we would be able to get by w/o a tear- but if it did tear on the same line that it wouldn't tear as bad and we could get by w/ only one or two stitches-- so hopefully it will clear out the scare tissue, or most of it.
Slightly ot-- sex feels very uncomfortable- like there is no give at all in the place where I tore- anyone have experience w/ that and how long it lasts? I've heard until you stop nursing and until you have another baby.

[Jenns_3_babies]

with my 1st 2 I had an episiotomy. My 1st baby was 9lbs, 2nd was 8 1/2 (a month early too). She cut me along the same line. It's stills sensitive when DH accidently *hits* it, 3 1/2 years later.

With this one, I went to a different OB. Instead of cutting me, he instead tried stretching me. I still got a 2nd degree laceration and I don't know how many stitches. He was working on me for awhile, and my god did that hurt. But, he said the main tear was right along my episiotomy scar. He then put in stitches around the vaginal opening as I tore a lil' all around. This baby was 1oz shy of 10lbs and came out VERY fast so no time for natural stretching.

But, I didn't tear any further than the episiotomy scar although this was my biggest baby, and the head was 35 cm~14 1/2 inches.