# did anyone have a second degree tear?



## michellle1980

Hi all
Had my baby 4 days ago and had a second degree tear. MW told me most first time mums get this but I am a little surprised what it looks like and how big remaining holes are. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing this at the moment too. How many people had a tear etc.
Thank you


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## Ju_bubbs

I did with my 5th.. though it didn't need stitches and when I looked for it with a mirror,I couldn't see it anywhere, and never felt it when I went or a wee or anything! I'm wondering if the midwife imagined it lol!

Oh and congrats! :)


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## Cutieboy

I had a second degree tear. I didn't look down there but I think the stitches went away after 4 weeks. I still feel 'lose' down there though, not sure if that is related or because I didn't do my pelvic exercises initially. I am doing them now though, (when I remember).


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## alette

I did, but I was told it was very small. I did get stitches, my girl parts were swelled up for a few days after delivery but it wasn't as bad as I expected when they told me I had a 2nd degree tear. The engorgement when my milk came in was worse. The engorgement was the worst part of this whole darn experience actually... It went on for 4 days for me despite breast feeding.. my boobs were _scary_ huge (and I'm usually barely a B cup). They swelled up nearly to my collar bone, under my arm pits too.. I couldn't lay flat in bed to sleep or anything. It just hurt to bad. I had to prop myself up on blankets and pillows on the couch just to sleep. My pump turned out to be my best friend in the end. The LC told me to get on the pump and pump until they were soft and empty... so I did! I got 10 ounces that first pump and it took 2 or 3 HOURS, but I haven't got so badly engorged since then thank the Lord because I was really starting to think that maybe having a mastectomy wouldn't be so bad if it would make the pain go away.


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## leeree

I had one but it caused me no bother! Maybe get the MW to have a look at it to make sure all is as it should be. 18 weeks on and I'm fully healed and able to love (ahem) again! :blush:


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## overcomer79

I had one with my son. They stitched me but so tight I had to have sex a year before it didn't hurt and the tear didn't bleed.


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## DukesAngel

Yep had one here too. I didn't look at it though as that whole area hurt a little too much for me to do any poking around. Took 4 weeks to fully heal though :( I had a nice amount of stitches.


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## Jai_Jai

your vagina will look larger it is is nothing to do with the fact you have torn but the very fact a baby has come through it, just do your pelvic floor all the time, every time you wash your hands, feed baby, make a hot drink and aim for 40 GOOD ones a day and try and do more if you can it will pull everything back together and will also help heal your wound. I had a 2nd degree tear - a severe one, with my first :hugs: it will get better but it will look very different down there for a while :hugs: it does get better xx


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## readytotry

I had an extended second degree tear and lots of stitches. They have never hurt (even straight after I couldn't feel them), but the scar tissue is tight so sex still hurts a lot at 12 weeks pp.


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## Victoriaaa

I had a second degree tear because i couldnt stop my pushing. At first it hurt to sit right and wee but i just learn to angle myself and soak ages in the bath til theyd dissolved. I know what you mean about looking abit bigger but i think that its because things have just stretched abit.. and urm, the actual hole is the same size that is was before. :dohh:


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## rtracey80

i had a 4th degree tear, which resulted in going to theatre to have it stitched up. I have never had a problem with it even right after it happened


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## Samiam03

Ugh yes! I don't know how bad mine was because I'm squeamish and wasn't about to look at it. I was in so much pain for a few days though and had to sit on a pillow. Like someone else said...it also took me about a year to have non painful sex again.


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## Aphrodite

I had one, it was so painful I could hardly move around the bed after the stitches were done and was walking bow legged for days. I sat in salt baths to try and heal it. I didn't want to go anywhere near it though and didnt look at it once! However, we managed to have sex 4 weeks after the birth so it must have healed quicker than I thought!!!


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## Acorn

I had a second degree tear as well, and stitches. The stitches were almost as bad as the labor because the numbing medicine didn't take! Once they got me numb it was fine ;)

Make sure to take lots of warm baths. I wasn't good about that with a new baby, but I wish I had taken a little time for myself!


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## smiler123

I had this too, there's no way I would have dared to look! It took 2 weeks to heal and i swear its the lavender oil and tea tree oil in my baths that did it :)


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## goddess25

I had a third degree tear and borderline 4th degree...I couldn't look down there to be honest..It was pretty horrific. My hubby told me it looked like a bomb had gone off in my vagina after birth....;)


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## skc22

I had a 3rd degree tear (from forceps though, not bubs as had EMCS) and also had an episiotomy. They stitched me up waaaay too tight and anything going up there hurts like hell. I still haven't been brave enough to look (and my LO is 9 months!)


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## starstarstar

I had a 2nd degree labial tear which hurt like hell! I couldnt sit or walk properly for 2 weeks and it is still tender at times 5 weeks later although we did manage to dtd with no problems at 5 weeks. I found warm baths with tea tree helped me feel more relaxed down there. I mixed 5 drops of tea tree oil with a quarter of a cup of milk and put it under the running tap so it overflowed into the water. Using the milk and running under the water meant that the oil mixed with the water rather than sitting on top. It really did make me feel better. 

In terms of how it looks, it does look looser but it really didnt affect dtd and actually felt better than before. My OH said it felt no different to him either.


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## mamawananotha

I had a second degree tear, and was told the same as you that it is common for first births. I was also told to spare myself and not bother looking down there. They told me it would look really scary, but that it would heal and look normal in a few weeks. 

The entire vaginal area was sore for a week or so, mostly because my first urine was so painful I was afraid to go every time. With witch hazel/tucks pads and lots of water spray at the toilet it got easier. 

Since then there have been no problems with the healing or with any painful sensation during sex. It was never painful once it healed.

Hope everything feels better and more normal to you soon.


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