a re-tearing qn

if you sustain an tear during first labour are you more likely to tear during a second birth?? or is it just up to chance?

Not sure if it's more likely but I teared all three times. From memory the first tear was more painful and took longer to heal than the subsequent ones.

Maybe depends how bad you teared? I did but wasnt to bad 2nd degree, was healed with in 2 weeks.

I am quite anxious about the same issue and a few months ago I had the opportunity to ask this very question to an up-to-date, very pro-vaginal, and very well respected OB in Melbourne. He told me that you are 50% LESS likely to tear with subsequent babies, that is, you have half the chance of tearing than you did with #1.

I of course believe him;) , but I still can't quite get my head around it- I keep thinking, if I have torn already, my tissues there must be weaker (and thus, more likely to re-tear) than if they had never been compromised. But having said that, Im quite happy to take his word as it sounds pretty attractive to me.

I only tore because i had a vac extraction and DD came flying out cos i didnt hear the Dr say 'dont push' any more! Had i heard that (but no one else did either in the room) i may have avoided the tear.

But a 50% less chance is promising! Does that also mean subsquent babies have a lower chance as well...

Not sure about babies #3 #4 etc. Would be nice if chance of tearing decreased by 50% EACH time though, wouldnt it.

i tore because of vac and the doc not saying 'dont push' early enough! i wonder if they dont actually know when the baby is gonna come out with the vac and cant give enough warning! but the 50% stat sounds heavenly!!!

just moving to the labour & birth forum :)

I just wanted to let you know that when I gave birthto my first I tore inside and outside. I had a number of stitches. He was 3382kg.

With my second I had a slight tear only, and did not require stitches and she was 4388kg.

I am not 100% sure as to why...but I must have done something differently considering she was bigger. There was almost 3 years between births.

Jac