Hi everyone, I'm 27 weeks pregnant with my second baby, when I had my little boy I had a second degree tear which in itself might not have been too bad but the doctor made a right mess of my stitches and I only just feel right again down there and my son is 2 and a half. Has anyone had a bad time with stitches but been ok the second time or is it likely to be worse coz of the scarring? I know I've stillgot a while to go but this is the only thing that worries me

Leonna and boy bump xx

A friend of mine tore so badly with her first child, we thought she would never be able to resume a 'normal' life again! She tore all the way from the front right up her bottom! When she told us she was pregnant again we were all sure she would have to have a c-section due to the extensive damage her little boy's birth had caused. She went on to have a natural birth with her little girl and NO tearing! The difference - the doctors who delivered her babies. She had both babies with different doctors!

Hey chick, I feel for you on this one! I also had a 2nd degree tear last time, which was quite extensive and almost front to back!! Midwife told me I was very lucky to get away with a few stitches and not major reconstructive surgery - yeah, that made me feel better!! Anyway, Im not too bothered about tearing again, I didnt feel it last time and recovered from it really well without any problems, but I am a bit bothered that if I have an even bigger baby this time I will need to stretch further and hence maybe tear worse? Its probably a totally irational fear but nevertheless it worries me. Im hoping that cos Ive done it once, my body will adapt better this time and I wont rip so easily, but being scar issue I know it is more prone to being damaged so Im expecting the worst!

However, I dont want to be all doom and gloom. I was talking to my midwife about it, and she said you generally stretch much easier with your second and subsequent babies and the likelihood of a similar tear is quite minimal. Also when I went for my 20 week scan, I got talking to the sonographer who was still training so obviously very keen, and she said there is new research to suggest that massaging the damaged area with almond oil, inside and out, wherever you are scarred, will help the area heal and greatly improve the elasticity of the scar tissue. She said by doing this, and I should start now at 20 weeks, it should help you not tear again. So ever since I have been doing it. Anything is worth a try in my opinion!! hehe

Good luck
Lisa n girly bump 20+6 x

i didnt tear with my first but had to have an episiotomy, took a while for me to get back to normal (felt too tight) i was worried that i would tear badly with my second because of the scar tissue but luckily i didnt tear at all. hopefully this birth will be the same.

emma & 25+5 pink bump