I was reading some stories on PW about this stuff and it scared me.

With Gabby, I was very lucky & didn't tear at all.

But if it's a boy, I'm very scared of how big he'll be b/c Phil was 10lbs and his brother was even more than that :scared I remember reading though that usually the boy's weight & length is based on the Mother more so than the father :shrug

Anyways, the idea of getting cut or having 3rd or 4th degree tear is :scared

Some where saying that they would rather be cut than tearing naturally for fear of really bad tearing. What do you think? Also, did you feel the cut or tear? Yikes!

I've never had stitches either, so are these the kind of stitches that disappear or do they have to pull them out at the end?

I had an episotmy with Makaila, I think I have 2-3 stitches.
I tore with both the boys, I have big boys both over 9lbs. I still only got 3 stitches. I didn't heal any different with either. I healed quickly and I don't remember ever being really sore. Maybe because I don't know any different.

With my second I had a 4th degree tear, no choice in the matter on whether to cut me or not because she got shoulder dystocia so they literally jumped on my stomach to get her out and I ripped right open... She was 9 lbs 8 oz and I am scared what this one will be because it's a boy and he's already being estimated at 6 lbs and I have 6 weeks to go...

If a cut is needed, I would say I would rather have been cut than to have torn... the healing sucked...

With my second I had a 4th degree tear, no choice in the matter on whether to cut me or not because she got shoulder dystocia so they literally jumped on my stomach to get her out and I ripped right open..

:eek

:eek

Yeah, it sucked. I had massive problems because my bladder tore as well and I couldn't pee right for months... :mumble

I had an EVIL EVIL EVIL doc that didn't believe in episotomies... Him and his nurse tag teamed me.. They took turns inserting all 8 fingers, and pulling and streching my va-jay-jay this way and that so I wouldn't tear. :rant

Yeah, it sucked. I had massive problems because my bladder tore as well and I couldn't pee right for months... :mumble

Are the monitoring the size of your baby now. Since my 2nd was large, they let me have my third early.

If you have an epidural you wont be feeling much anyway.

I was cut a lot for Cameron and Alex. For some reason they thought I was going to streatch enough for Wyatt and of course I tore pretty bad. After having been through both I'd much prefer to be cut. There is so much pressure down there even when you have no meds (i went 100% natural for Alex) that you don't feel the cut anyway. They give you some novicane before they stitch you up.

With my second I had a 4th degree tear, no choice in the matter on whether to cut me or not because she got shoulder dystocia so they literally jumped on my stomach to get her out and I ripped right open... She was 9 lbs 8 oz and I am scared what this one will be because it's a boy and he's already being estimated at 6 lbs and I have 6 weeks to go...

If a cut is needed, I would say I would rather have been cut than to have torn... the healing sucked...



I had shoulder distocia with Cameron and they jumped on me too! I was soooo lucky I didn't tear that bad! They had already cut me pretty far so I was alright.

That's insane that they jump on you! That would be quite a sight :thinking

I had the epi and it didn't do jack crap for down there or on one of my sides! Only part of my side of the stomach was numb :suspect Hell, I walked an hour after giving birth. But yeah, I do remember it hurt her popping out so I can see how there would be too much pressure to really even feel it.

Does the shot of novacain hurt? I'm a big p&ssy when it comes to needles :oops

I did both. She gave me a small episiotomy and then I tore the rest of the way (2nd degree tear overall). He was a big baby though. The stitches they use now are the kind that dissolve. I only had a local for the episiotomy because I didn't get an epidural.

Are the monitoring the size of your baby now. Since my 2nd was large, they let me have my third early.

That is exactly the issue I am having now. I HAD a great doc who said I could have an early c section, etc because right now baby is measuring really big, but I JUST had an appt today and my doc is gone for 6 weeks and the NP I met with tells me "Women have 11 lb babies and are fine so why should we monitor you?" :banghead

LOL i walked 20 minutes after giving birth. my epi wore off at 4 cms.... ugh

anyway, i had a tiny tear... she was 8 lbs 6 oz....

I had an EVIL EVIL EVIL doc that didn't believe in episotomies... Him and his nurse tag teamed me.. They took turns inserting all 8 fingers, and pulling and streching my va-jay-jay this way and that so I wouldn't tear. :rant

They did that with my sister....:sick

Anya = Episotomy = 5 stiches
Schyular = Episotomy = 3 stiches
Timmy = Nope didnt tear nor need one
Sylas = Nope either

That's insane that they jump on you! That would be quite a sight :thinking

I had the epi and it didn't do jack crap for down there or on one of my sides! Only part of my side of the stomach was numb :suspect Hell, I walked an hour after giving birth. But yeah, I do remember it hurt her popping out so I can see how there would be too much pressure to really even feel it.

Does the shot of novacain hurt? I'm a big p&ssy when it comes to needles :oops

I couldn't even feel the shot and I had had no medication...

Yeah, it was weird when the guy jumped on me, but they had to dislocate her shoulder to get her out... :sadeyes

They told me that I had a very small tear. I don't even know how many stitches I got. I couldn't tell anything after the fact. I have always heard that it is better to tear than have an episotomy

I had an episiotomy with Ethan and I was sore for a few days down there and sat on a kids swimming ring thing (felt nice).
With Elizabeth I had a 3rd degree, I was sliced from front to back, I hurt so bad I couldn't stand up straight.
With Emilee, she was so little :wub I didn't even had an episiotomy and I didn't tear either.

One nice thing to have incase you have to get an episiotomy is a thing of tucks pads, they give you a lot of relief when you line them on your pad.

I tore a little but had no idea.
The dr put in a couple stitches. He said they probably were not neccesary but to be on the safe side he did. I watched him stitch me up. I had my epi way after I hit 10 CMs so I was still really numb and then they still gave me a lidocaine shot... I felt nada including the actual delivery just the last contractions. (Won't ever get that lucky again :lol)
The nurse actually argued with me that I did not have any stitches and I told her I wasn't that "doped up" that I saw the needle going in and out my wazoo! I never felt the stitches or hurt so I am really no help.
I am terrified to be cut or tear after hearing some horror stories :faint
But, whatever gets my miracle here (L)

I tore badly with Cory. His head came out fine but his shoulders were very broad. I didn't feel the tear but I sure as hell felt the stiches. The shots of novicane burned so bad and they didn't help at all. I asked how many stiches I had to have and the nurse said more than she could count. I hurt pretty bad for about 5-6 days. That spray bottle they sent me home with was my saving grace. the stiches were the desolving kind.

With Lily nothing. She was a little bit smaller than him. 1/2 hour after she was born I was asking if I could shower. I was ready to go home. my back hurt for a few days but my crotch area was good. I had an epi with her.

I had a slight tear with E and he was 6lbs 10.7oz. My midwife asked me if I wanted stitches. I said YES...I don't want my skin to be "flappy"...LOL!!!!
Anywho, she gave me a shot down there so I wouldn't have to feel the 3 tiny stiches.
I had the dissolving stiches. All in all, it wasn't painful at all....just a bit sensitive.
I heard there are techniques of pushing during delivery to avoid tearing.

I had an epi with no problem whwn I had DD she was 9 pounds. With DS I had one to but I tore just alttle also. He was my 9 pounder. It hurt but not as bad as I thought it would be.

My friend had to get a cut and she said something about having to get a skin graft or something down there too......

That scares the hell outta me :scared

I would've rather been cut, but NOOOOOOOOOOO my doctor let me tear, and it huuuuuuuuuuurt so much worse than if she'd done an episiotomy.. i literally had stitches from hole to hole..

and she was only 6lbs 4oz

I tore with Ethan and had dissolable stitches. I didnt feel it. I pushed for 2 hours and after they knocked me out with general for the emergency c-section is when they stitched me up.

Although I dunno about the weight thing. I was 6lbs and 9oz and hubby was 6lbs and like 12oz and Ethan was 8lbs and 12oz ;)

First, you heal faster and better if you tear. You tear on a natural line and that facilitates a faster recovery.

Second, my son was over 9lbs and I only tore a little. However, my daughter was just shy of 7lbs and I had a 2-3 degree tear.

I tore with Katrina and it wasn't bad at all, only like 2 stiches. I didn't tear or get an epi with Aidan, and he was 2 lbs bigger. Also, I was taught in school that you would rather tear than be cut because the body will tear in it's natural direction where you are cut sometimes against the grain of your skin and thus healing hurts...

I tore with all 3 of my kids. My worst tear though was with my first. The dr gave me an episiotmy and I had a 3rd degree tear after that. My son was 1 1/2 pounds heavier than my oldest and with out an episiotmy I only tore a tiny bit. I am against episiotmy's now.

I had a episiotomy with ds & an epidural:yes:D

but with dd, my BIG baby-she came so fast, I had no meds, & I tore both ways-like a plus sign:yes:wow:eek

I had a episiotomy with ds & an epidural:yes:D

but with dd, my BIG baby-she came so fast, I had no meds, & I tore both ways-like a plus sign:yes:wow:eek

That's what happened with Wyatt sort of. Because I had already had 2 epeciotomies, I had scar tissue where I would normally tear and that made it stronger I guess. I tore between my clit and urithra. That sucked. I would have rather they cut me in the same place and healed that way.

I tore bad with Blake and had a ton of stitches, with Jer I only had around 15.

Oh goodness, I tore real bad with my first baby and it burned more than anything! The after care was the worst IMO....I had mega stitches, they kept heat lamps on me and frozen pads. It sucked!
With Miranda I had to be cut, I would rather that anyday! The others I have had without being cut or tearing!

I tore really bad with DD and I didn't feel it at all. I guess I was more focused on getting her out than anything. I had several stiches and they were no big deal, all you had to do was just wash after you used the bathroom and they disolved after about two weeks.

I had an episiotomy with my dd, she was 7lbs 7oz and I had a lovely epidural. I tore with my son, he was 9lbs, no epidural. I had a different doc and even tho I crowned my son FIVE TIMES, he wouldn't cut me. The bastard. I thought the tear hurt more while healing then the episiotomy. The good news is that while I could feel the needle he used to numb me to sew me up, after what I had just went thru, the needle and lidocaine was nothing, I was worried about it but it wasn't a big deal. In fact, he did a crappy job of numbing me so I could feel him sewing me up, but it wasn't that bad and I just wanted him to finish it up so I didn't say anything.

I had an EVIL EVIL EVIL doc that didn't believe in episotomies... Him and his nurse tag teamed me.. They took turns inserting all 8 fingers, and pulling and streching my va-jay-jay this way and that so I wouldn't tear. :rant

see with me, I didnt want to be cut because i heard that there is a greater risk of infection that way and even when you are cut, you can still tear and if that happens, then it would be more severe then if you tore naturally. I kept telling the doc 'do whatever you have to do so I dont tear!' and every time i would push, I asked 'did I tear????' and I did a little, but very very very little and only needed about 4-5 stitches (I tore on both sides...kinda weird) but I healed really really well. I never had a problem with anything as far as healing went. The stitches dissolved on their own I believe about 4 or 5 weeks after I had Ellie (I remember cuz we had sex about 4 weeks after and DH freaked cuz he saw a stitch AFTERWORDS! :lol)