needing stiches

10 replies

vampiresdontsparkle · 04/04/2011 21:16

what would happen if you tear during a home birth? do the midwives stitch you up at home or do you have to go into hospital? am planning a home birth in a few weeks and am curious. :)

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LynetteScavo · 04/04/2011 21:17

As far as I know they stitch you up, unless it's really bad.

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vampiresdontsparkle · 04/04/2011 21:24

would they be able to do a episiotomy at home? because im guessing that if they could they would be able to stitch it up afterwards.

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MainlyMaynie · 04/04/2011 21:29

My midwife told me they would sew up minor tears but for anything major I would have to be transferred to hospital. I don't know what counts as minor/major though!

Backinthebox · 04/04/2011 21:54

I transferred to hospital. I had a 3a tear due to a varicosity going pop. The MW said she could stitch it up if I wanted her to but thought a surgeon who was not at the end of a long night, with better lighting, would do a better job of it. She had been very wise and given me excellent advice throughout my pregnancy and labour, so I followed her advice on that too.

She called an ambulance and I transferred to hospital with my baby on my chest, skin to skin, and OH and my MW following in the car. I was checked into the ward, inspected, and stitched up in theatre by a very jovial doctor about an hour after arriving. I left later that day, although they wanted to keep me in overnight. My MW was waiting for me at home and I had good enough care that I was happy to discharge myself.

GothMummy · 04/04/2011 23:05

I was transferred for stitches in an ambulance. it wasnt a very easy repair though, and I did need a surgeon. Dont think about it too much, hopefully you wont tear badly.

camdancer · 05/04/2011 01:42

If they ask you if you want stitches please say yes. I didn't and then after 2 days of agony, had to go to the doctors to have it done there with local anasthetic injected in. However bad it would have been at home at least I'd have had gas and air!

I don't think they can do episiotomies at home though. Hopefully just be being at home, and active you wont need one.

CalmInsomniac · 05/04/2011 14:56

I had a small 2nd degree tear and was stitched at home by a new midwife with gas and air and a local anaesthetic (new midwife as baby was born 7am and then had shift change). TBH the gas and air was so brilliant I would have sat there all day and let the midwife do whatever she wanted. It probably took about 45 minutes because she unpicked some stitches to get it right . My husband held our baby skin to skin inside his dressing gown all that time, while I told a convoluted version of my life story to the midwife and felt like I was on E .

CalmInsomniac · 05/04/2011 14:58

PS I think they will do episiotomies if they really feel you need one at home and would have local anaesthetic on hand if that was the case. You will find (hopefully) that they are much more into asking for your consent at home, they act more like a guest than like the boss-woman.

mintpurple · 05/04/2011 16:19

My team do homebirths (NHS) and yes we will do an episiotomy at home if necessary, although its pretty unusual, and all tears or cuts should be able to be repaired at home, unless its 3rd degree or very awkward, requiring better lights, positioning etc. We always use local anaesthetic too, and if you numb the tear up properly, you shouldn't need the gas and air.

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vampiresdontsparkle · 05/04/2011 17:23

Wow thanks for the replies. I am hoping not to tear and didn't with my first but you never know what's going to happen.

Good to know that they can stitch you up at home. Still have a week until I see the mw to discuss my homebirth. Fingers crossed it goes well. :)

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