Follow-up: If you didn't tear during labor...

[Anonymous]

One of the other posts got me wondering... For those who didn't tear during labor, did you experience any type of incontinence issues post partum? Perhaps the incontinence issues aren't a direct result of the tearing but perhaps just pushing and/or pregnancy.

[Anonymous]

I didn't tear. I don't have any incontinence issues 7 mo later (I did during the first 4 months - once things tightened back up, the leaking when I laughed or had a full bladder stopped).

[Anonymous]

Just over three weeks postpartum here. I had a first degree tear and haven't experienced any incontinence issues. May be TMI, but going #2 has been occasionally painful, but lots of prune juice and fiber definitely helps!

[Anonymous]

I didn't tear w/ either of my babies, and no urinary incontinence (so far, DD is only 10 days old!) w/ either one. After my first was born, I had an internal hemmrhoid (i always spell that wrong!) which caused some "anal leakeage" and a TOTALLY unnecessary colonoscopy. I am still having some "tenderness" going #2, but things are much better this time around.

[Anonymous]

I think studies suggest that incontinence has more to do with general pressure on the pelvic floor during pregnancy as opposed to tearing. I didn't tear but have mild issues with incontinence, nothing major and I'm about 3 mo PP. I know several women who had C-sections that experienced similar incontinence issues, which lends support to it being a function of pregnancy as opposed to tearing.

[Anonymous]

I didn't tear, but I continued to have incontinence issues, especially during subsequent pregnancies.

[Anonymous]

I didn't tear with either of mine, but I did have some incontinence issues with #1 for about the first year, probably because I pushed for 2 1/2 hours. WIth #2, Im 5 months pp and not really having any difficulties. I pushed for 20 minutes.