If you had no pain meds and tore

[HeatherlovesCDs]

If you didn't have any pain meds and you tore, did it hurt? Did you realize you were tearing? I've had 3 prior births (technically 5, 2 sets of twins). But, I had an epi through pushing with my first (but not till I was 9cms and it was a total mistake to get the epi at all). With my second delivery, I had the epi until I was pushing when it was turned off, but I'm sure I still had the affects of it. The dr. gave me an episodomy (sp?) without my knowledge or consent. The 3rd time, I tore again. I'd had the epi, but again it was turned off for pushing. With the first, I felt almost nothing through the entire 2.5 hrs of pushing. With the 2nd and 3rd, I definitely felt pain, but I'm sure it wasn't full on because of the left overs from the epi. I was not aware of the tearing until it was done and I was being stitched up.

So, now, I'm going to be having my 4th labor in a few weeks. I'm not getting any pain meds this time. One thing I'm nervous about is the tear that I'm sure I'm going to have. Am I going to feel myself ripping? I am trying to assume that I won't because the pain and pushing will be so intense that I won't know the pain of tearing from the pain of pushing baby out. But, I'm nervous and I find myself thinking about it.

Insight? Experiences?

[junebug2311]

I didn't have an epi with my daughter. I ripped in 3 places. It was 4-5 hours of labor, 15 mins of pushing. I didn't feel myself tearing at all. When my midwife told me I tore I was actually surprised. The sewing up afterwards was what hurt, in my opinion.

[aumismommy]

Originally Posted by junebug2311 I didn't have an epi with my daughter. I ripped in 3 places. It was 4-5 hours of labor, 15 mins of pushing. I didn't feel myself tearing at all. When my midwife told me I tore I was actually surprised. The sewing up afterwards was what hurt, in my opinion.

Ditto.

[B+EBabyDipes]

Originally Posted by junebug2311 I didn't have an epi with my daughter. I ripped in 3 places. It was 4-5 hours of labor, 15 mins of pushing. I didn't feel myself tearing at all. When my midwife told me I tore I was actually surprised. The sewing up afterwards was what hurt, in my opinion.

This exactly!

[makclair]

I had no pain meds or epi w my daughter. I actually did not feel much of anything during the actual delivery .. I think all the pressure from her head was a positive and it was all fast. I did not feel the ring of fire like people talk about . I tore in two places but didn't realize till afterwards when she had to do lidocaine and stitches which I felt! I would absolutely do it med free again

[jemanly02]

I had no pain meds and never even realized I tore until I was told. I could, however, feel every stitch.

[Holly dolly]

Originally Posted by jemanly02 I had no pain meds and never even realized I tore until I was told. I could, however, feel every stitch.

This. The stitches were awful. I couldn't stop squirming. Worse than birth by far.

[gingerpeachee]

Originally Posted by jemanly02 I had no pain meds and never even realized I tore until I was told. I could, however, feel every stitch.

This.

ETA: With my first I had IV pain meds and an episiotomy and I felt it when she cut me.

[Ebeuchat]

Originally Posted by jemanly02 I had no pain meds and never even realized I tore until I was told. I could, however, feel every stitch.

Same here! Crazy burning feeling!

[tlc981]

I felt the burning when he crowned, but not sure if that was the tearing. I tore my cervix and perineum. Only needed 1 stitch in each place. When she stitched my cervix, no pain meds b/c she said a needle to give numbing medication would make it bleed more. I think they gave me a shot for the other stitch, but not sure if they waited for it to take effect (woman in room next to me was at a 10 ready to push the same time as I was but she had an epi and didn't have the urge, and I was drug free and was involuntarily pushing). I didn't feel either one, not even the shot. I was on a natural high lol