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Childbirth

2nd degree tear then waterbirth? good/bad idea?

17 replies

agalch · 14/07/2006 21:23

I had a 2nd degree tear with dd nearly 2 years ago.I am having a homebirth this time(due 23rd july) and have bought a pool to labour/deliver in.One of my on-call mw's has said i may be better getting out of pool to deliver and poss having an episiotomy to avoid a large tear.

Does anyone have experience of this or any lovely mw's around to help me out?

many thanks

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mears · 14/07/2006 21:33

The water may actually help the tissues stretch so that you don't tear. How much experience of waterbirth does this MW have?

nicnack2 · 14/07/2006 21:33

had 2nd degree tear 3 yo ago. want water birth this time but labour to quick. mw never mentioned this possibilty. however in the end ds2 born so quickly they couls have done an epistomy even if the were edward scissorhands! ( torn again but not as badly hth and good luck

mears · 14/07/2006 21:34

By the way, an episiotomy is the same as a large 2nd degree tear.

nicnack2 · 14/07/2006 21:34

wanted

couldnt

they

agalch · 14/07/2006 21:38

Thanks mears
Hoped you would be on and reply.I have had several mw's out to see me and no-one else has suggested it. I had hoped that by hopefully using the pool and no pethidine/diamorphine my pushing might be more controlled and slower if i am more alert iyswim.

Didn't ask her how much experience she had'just hope i get one of the other lovely mw's.

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agalch · 14/07/2006 21:40

Thanks to you too nicknack2,I think i would rather have a tear than an episiotomy tbh.Healed much better with the tear than the cut i had 1st time round.

Didn't know that mears,amazing what i don't know lol

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mears · 14/07/2006 21:41

I think you are doing the right thing by aiming to deliver in the pool. Usually tears are less second time around (but there can be exceptions). Be careful that you are not being encouraged to leave the pool because the midwife does not have much experience of waterbirth. Worth asking the question.

agalch · 14/07/2006 21:44

This particular mw is only on call this weekend for my homebirth and i'm not due till next week and i have no signs of labour whatsoever so fingers crossed nothing happens till at least Monday.

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mears · 14/07/2006 21:45

There should be 2 midwives present though - or do they not manage that in your area?

agalch · 14/07/2006 21:49

Yes there will be 2 mw's but as she's on call she would be here 1st then 2nd mw would be called as and when labour was far enough on.Is 1st mw in charge so to speak or would both mw's have an input?

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mears · 14/07/2006 21:50

Second midwife is there as a support, however she may be the one with more waterbirth experience and therefore would guide first midwife.

Both though should be guided by your wishes. No need to come out of pool if you don't want to (and all is well)

agalch · 14/07/2006 21:55

So glad i posted and more glad you replied. Would it make a difference to the chance of tearing if the baby was biggish.DD was 9lbs 14oz and mw thinks this baby is as big if not bigger.

Sorry if i'm being a pain mears.

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agalch · 14/07/2006 22:00

Gotta sign off as son wants on.Thanks for your replies mears.

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mears · 14/07/2006 22:03

Always remember a baby's head is the largest part and they tend to be similar in size despite the weight Larger baby doesn't always mean tearing is more likely. Many have been caught out thinking second baby was bigger. My second was 1oz lighter. One of my friend's first baby was 10lb 130z. Second one was 8lb 7oz. Don't fret too far in asdvance. Go with the flow - good pun for a waterbirth

SoupDragon · 14/07/2006 22:08

I had a home waterbirth with DD this year having had a 3rd degree tear with DS1 7 year's previously and a n episiotomy plus not-so-bad tear with DS2 2 years after DS1. I got a 2nd degree tear this time round (DD was 6oz heavier than DS2 and 1lb 6oz lighter than DS1.

I was lucky and got "the" waterbirth midwife for the area for mine. She made me pant until the end of the contractions and oly then did I push which I guess meant that DD was delivered somewhat slower than her siblings.

pupuce · 14/07/2006 22:11

Agalch I had an episiotomy with 1st baby and did not tear (in water) with 2nd baby.

agalch · 15/07/2006 08:40

Thanks ladies,you have given me the confidence to just ask a few questions instead of just going along with what 1 mw said.

I will speak to all the mw's coming to see me over the next week and ask how they feel about me delivering in the pool.

Cheers xx

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