Hi to all and good luck with everything. My question is......what are my chances of tearing this time round if i didn't with my first? Luckily i just grazed with my first child but i'm dreading tearing this time round. Some people have said it should be ok because my son has already paved the way when he come but i'm just wanting to see if anyone else were fine with the first but tore with the second. Sorry to bring this horror up for you all, its just this is the only thing thats making me nervous about my next labour.

if its of any consolation to you i was the same with my second, only a graze then my 3rd nothing she just popped on out lol xxx good luck x

I tore on my first but nothing on the 2nd. I think it's easier because your body has already stretched that much! It'll probably be fine,don't worry about it! Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy....xx

i tore 1st time with my 1st baby then 18mnths later ad my seconde and i just grazed so i think it must be eaiser and it helps if ure in controll of ure pushing so gd luck 2 u xxx

Sounding good then. Just got the main pain to go through. Thanks to all of you and good luck to you all.xxx

This is my biggest fear- I clench down there every time I think about it lol. I haven't torn with any of my three just grazed and I think thats probably coz its all stretched down there- lovely

I have been thinking exactly the same, I am 36+2 with my second and didn't tear first time round but still found it bloody painful afterwards!!! Does perinial massage make a difference second time round if I didn't tear first time? I havn't bothered so far and only did it a couple of times first time so is it worth it??xxx

They had to cut me with my first coz he was distressed and they wanted him out faster. Then i tore with my second but he was over a pound bigger than my first so maybe i just hadn't stretched enough the first time! lol. Healing after a tear is a lot more painful & takes longer than if they do an episiotomy (sp?) Good luck, i'm sure you'll be fine whatever happens. And you really dont notice that you've torn until later coz you're too busy getting that baby out!!

[Modified by: Mum0f2 on July 01, 2008 09:31 PM]

yeah i was wondering this.

i did tear with my 1st and even though it makes me cringe to think about it. i never felt it happen!! i had to have 4 stitches and that bloody hurt though!

i'm hoping i wont tear this time round. x

Well after seeing all your posts i'm definatly feeling more confident about it. Knowing my luck though i'll have whopper this time round that either tears me or needs cutting. Why oh why do we put ourselves through this?? lol. Its definatly worth it once you meet them for the first time but i sure wish there was some way of giving the other half that pain we go through because i know for certain if they got past the first labour they'd never do it again. lol

as someone who suffered a third degree tear one week ago my advice is please don't worry about the possibilitiy of it... I was most scared over everything throughout my pregnancy about tearing and i believe its what stopped me pushing effectively as I was so scared i would just rip open.... (i pushed for 3 hours)... when they said I had tore after and that it was quite bad I can honestly say i didn't care as i had my baby in my arms by then... I certainly didn't feel it happen! Recovering is pretty hard and painful and I certainly wouldn't want to go through it again but the fear of it is worse than the reality! good luck.

xx