question about home birth

[Chachah]

not there yet, at all, but just wondering about home births...

what happens if you tear badly, does the midwife stitch you up at home with no pain relief? Do they bring you to hospital? But then, surely it can take a while for an operating room etc to be ready, and from I understand the longer you wait before stitching the worse the outcome is, because the tissues swell?

I'm interested in home births, but had a bad tear with my first, and I'm so grateful it happened when I was already on an operating table with an epidural and a surgeon all ready to stitch me up.

Anyone with experience of this?..

[gillyweed]

I had a hb with my first (currently 33wks with 2nd and hoping for a hb again.).

I had a second degree tear but upwards, so through labia and suspected ureathal - because of this the midwives didn't want to stitch me and wanted a surgeon to take a look, with a 'small' tear they will stitch, I assume under G&A. I got blue lighted to hospital (as is standard if you need to be transferred for anything) baby and midwife came but no room for husband - I was off my face with euphoria and G&A after effects by this point, but don't remember it being too rushed or frantic. I think I got taken to the labour ward, private room, where a horrible (but I suspect very good at her job) female surgeon stitched me up, she didn't give me anywhere near enough local anesthesia and I'm sure turned the G&A off - it was more bloody painful than the labour, I got the distinct impression she strongly disagreed with my choice to hb! She then left me trussed up in stirrups for about 30 minutes till a lovely (and very angry) midwife found me and was furious. I discharged myself (with very little resistance) and was home within 3 hours - as good as my actual medical treatment was, it confirmed for me that hb was the right option for me; I felt like a number in the system, very out of control and patronised.

My baby was back to back and came out sunny side up which the midwives think contributed heavily to the tear - my current one is too and I'm terrified about it happening again. She was born in a pool which should have helped with pain relief and tearing, only G&A as pethidene wasn't available to hb in that particular health trust - I have moved and it is now available however I will be declining due to effects on baby. That said they might give you it to help with stitches?!

There is lots you can do to prevant tearing (none of which I'm doing...) and I guess it depends why it happened, if there is a reason. I'm a massive fan of hb, if you need transferred the hospital will be expecting you.

hope that helps - sorry its so long and rambling!

[MrsMinton]

I had a second degree tear and abrasions. Mine was able to be stitched at home with gas and air and local anaesthetic. I'd not had my gas and air up until then because DS arrived so fast, so I made sure i enjoyed it for my stitches! I did have to go and have my anti D injection at the hospital because midwives couldn't give it but we just popped up in the afternoon and had it.

[Chachah]

thank you for the helpful responses!

I did everything I was supposed to do to prevent tearing with my first, but that didn't help because the biggest risk factors (first born, back-to-back, very large baby) were not preventable...

I guess I'll ask my midwife what pain relief options are available at home in that case. Labour I can envision without pain relief, but not the stitching - I'm very squeamish about that stuff! G&A just does not cut it for me, as far as I could tell it did absolutely nothing apart from making me throw up :-/

[PenguinsIsSleepDeprived]

They gave me gas and air for an injection of local anaesthetic. Didn't feel a thing.