# Second degree tear



## hlc7 (Apr 26, 2010)

I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl 6 days ago. She's completely worth all the pain I went through in labor & delivery, but I tore and the dr said I had a second degree tear. I'm unaware of just how many stitches I have, but the place he checked before I was released seemed to just be inside my vag. I was under the impression that I would have trouble having bowel movements because of this and though I went (with stool softeners) twice, once before I left the hospital, and two days later... I'm still afraid to go. Yesterday I took two stool softeners and nothing happened.. I felt the urge, but couldn't. I guess I am so afraid I will rip stitches though I've been told that I cannot. Just wondering though, how bad exactly is a 2nd degree tear? I can't exactly take a mirror and see... I'm still swollen a bit. My peri-bottle helps so much and the witch hazel pads! But, is the tear just internally where I felt my dr check? Its not as painful as it was but sometimes uncomfy when I sit a certain way. And another thing, I'd never heard of vaginal hemorrhoids. He said I had a couple and I think he did something to those as well.


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## aylaanne (Mar 7, 2007)

nak

I have a second degree tear as well with this baby. I think that the degree is how long the tear is, but I don't really remember. If you're afraid of popping a stitch (I was), you can take a witch hazel pad or a piece of toilet paper and hold gentle counter-pressure against your stitches while you push. you can also lean forward and/or put your feet up on a stool to make it easier to go.

Warning: you may discover, as I did, that you are retaining urine, and end up peeing all over your hand. This is okay, just weird, and you'll need to wash your hands after.


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## CookieMonsterMommy (Oct 15, 2002)

The degree of the tear is how deep it is, and 2nd degree is the most common tear. Most 1st time mamas I see in the hospital get a 2nd degree if they don't get an episiotomy.

As far as how many stitches, it's more of a running stitch like in sewing, so it's not counted as if it were a cut on your finger where you get 2 or 4 or 7 stitches. Does that make any sense?

Mama, there is no way you can pop your stitches by pooping. Even if it were a mamoth sized, rock-hard turd, lol. It may cause some discomfort, but it won't interrupt the integrity of your stitches. If it helps (for psychologicial or comfort reasons) by all means, put a little counter-pressure on them while you have a bowel movement.

(I'm a labor and delivery nurse, and former 2nd degree tear "victim", lol, if that means anything to ya.







)


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## hlc7 (Apr 26, 2010)

Thank you 

I took 3 stool softeners, and I felt the "urge"... and I just knew it was gonna happen, lol.. but was let down! It just would NOT come out! I'm getting soo frustrated because nothing is happening and my stomach just rolls








Something was on my tissue paper when I patted dry, if a stitch fell out, what would it look like? I think it was just a hair.. ahem. But nonetheless I wasn't expecting it haha.


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## Super~Single~Mama (Sep 23, 2008)

don't worry about it! I had a second degree tear too, and bm's were awful! I took stool softeners, and did sitz baths and did NOT push!! My tear was a really really bad second degree though (it took 3 midwives to determine that it was in fact second and not third degree). Just eat lots of fruits and veggies.


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## JennTheMomma (Jun 19, 2008)

With DS1 I had a 2nd degree tear as well. I was afraid to go because of the pain down there. I found that if you just let the poop come without pushing it feels much better. I just had DS2 12 days ago, and although I didn't get any tear just a skid mark, I still won't push when pooping, I just let it happen. If I sit down and nothing happens I just come back later and try again.


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## IAMommy (Aug 29, 2009)

I had a 2nd degree tear and felt nothing. No problems with BMs or anything, but I eat a lot of fiber. I don't think you'll pop a stitch. It's not good to strain anyway though.


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## laughymama (Oct 14, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *IAMommy* 
I had a 2nd degree tear and felt nothing. No problems with BMs or anything, but I eat a lot of fiber. I don't think you'll pop a stitch. It's not good to strain anyway though.

This was the same for me as well.

My main issue was loss of muscle tone. I had trouble deciphering the need to go. Once I sat down it just kind of came out with very little pushing from me. I never had a painful or uncomfortable postpartum bowel movement. I was taking stool softeners and really upping my fiber at the time as well so maybe that helped.


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## hlc7 (Apr 26, 2010)

I know when I need to go but it is like it doesn't want to just come out :S
I took more SS today and still nothing. And another stitch-like thing fell onto my pad. It's been 1 week exactly.


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## Bena (Jan 26, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *laughymama* 
This was the same for me as well.

My main issue was loss of muscle tone. I had trouble deciphering the need to go. Once I sat down it just kind of came out with very little pushing from me. I never had a painful or uncomfortable postpartum bowel movement. I was taking stool softeners and really upping my fiber at the time as well so maybe that helped.

Same here!

I was also really scared, but it turned out fine. I just sat and relaxed. In fact, I used the relaxation exercices I had practiced for labor, and which I hadn't used because my labor and birth were so fast!!
After I had my first PP BM, I was all giddy from the relief (physical and mental!) and told everyone I saw that day "I pooped today and it was fine!".








I think they just though I was still loopy from birth.
Like my midwife said, it's kinda funny how we have just pushed out a _baby_ for god's sake, and all of a sudden, a little poo scares us silly!!!


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## Bena (Jan 26, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *hlc7* 
I know when I need to go but it is like it doesn't want to just come out :S
I took more SS today and still nothing. And another stitch-like thing fell onto my pad. It's been 1 week exactly.

yea...I remember loosing those stitch-like threads for what seemed forever!!!
Trust me...in a few months while, this will just be a hazy distant memory! Using the washroom will be just like before! You _do_ heal, even though at the time I didn't feel like I ever would!


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## etsdtm99 (Jun 19, 2009)

i had a 2nd degree episiotomy with my 1st and i was scared to death to poo but it never really hurt when it did happen and def. didn't hurt the stiches.. i did take stool softeners for a week or so to be sure that things were soft enough .. things are different down there, the urge doesn't always mean much anymore, it has to be a serious urge to = needing to go.. ..i assume its the muscle tone being different or something ..


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