Did you have a big baby without tearing?

[LAF77]

There are so many threads about tearing, I'd like to know if anyone can give me hope about not tearing even though my baby will be big. He's nearly 8 and a half pounds with over 2 weeks to go, so he could be 10lbs at birth.

I'm hoping to have a water birth, but we will see how things pan out!

Yes. 10lbs 8, no pain relief, popped out in about 45 mins from waters breaking. Home in 6 hours.
I am obviously quite accommodating down there!

hi ya, I think i am in a similar position to you LAF77. growth scan says 8lb8 and I have 11 days til EDD, planning home waterbirth. Last one was 8lb 1, no tear. scary, but it is possible. Just listen to the midwife and breathe that head out! x

I think it is to do with position rather than size since DS had his hand to his face and was B2B I didn't stand a chance. With Baby Goo she was in the right position and fell out, basically. She was just shy of 9lb.

good luck :)

Don't forget OP that scans can be out by a lb or two anyway and tend to overestimate weight rather than underestimate, so you might have a very average sized baby!

Hi

I had a 9lb baby without tearing

when the midwife tells you to stop pushing -stop pushing!

Yes me too, 9lb 9oz and no tearing with Dc3.

Growths scans are not reliable at all. I was told with my second that she'd be a whopper and I worried myself sick but she was only a 7lb baby.

Thanks bird for all of the info. I have recently changed hospitals and the old hospital policy was to try to get you to induce at 40 weeks if you were having a suspected big baby. New hospital isn't bothered which is good.

I wouldn't expect to have a small baby as we both are tall people, me just under 6ft and DH over 6ft. It is interesting to see the percentages of how far out they are with weight on ultrasounds.

If you have a water birth, how will MW know when you should stop pushing if your business end is under water?

My hips are an ample size, child bearing hips I'd say. I knew one day id be grateful for them! I'd like to think that the chances of the shoulders getting stuck are small.

Thanks for your messages, they are giving me hope.
I'd think.

I had no tearing with either of my biggish babies, both boys were born like superman, arm up near their heads DS1 was 9lb 5 at 31 weeks, DS2 was 9lb at 38 weeks. First born DD was 7lb 1oz and I had a slight graze.
I did do some perinium massage with the boys but none of the stretching type stuff just massaging with oil.

First baby 8lb 7oz and had episiotomy.
Second baby 8lb and tore but both times it was no way as bad as you would imagine - I was so over the moon after the births the stirrups and stitches after seemed a minor inconvenience and the midwife gave me my babes in arms both times to take my mind off it :-)
I just wanted to put your mind at rest that even if it happens it can be fine, nowhere near as bad as it sounds and afterwards when healing it's just a bit tender and a few pulling minor pains whilst it all heals up - a few drops of lavender in the bath is fab.
I heard that massaging the perenium with oil can help but my first m/w said it depends on Your skin type and stuff so just go with the flow.

I had an 8 lbs 12 oz first baby and ended up with a little tear and 3 stitches. My sister, exactly the same build, had an 8lbs 13 oz first baby and had no tear at all.

Water birth is good as the baby is unlikely to emerge too quickly and you will be more upright, which evens out the stresses on the perineum.

Also please bear in mind that ultrasounds can be wrong about size, sometimes spectacularly so.

I had a 6lb 2oz baby many many many stitches

I had an emergency c-section because my 10 lb-er got stuck and they didnt want a shoulder dystocia situation. I only know one woman who has had a very big baby (11lbs 7 oz) vaginally and she was quite badly torn, although no lasting damage.

Oh and take scans with a pinch of salt. I was told my second baby was an 8.5-9 lb-er. She was 7 lbs on the nose.

I was told i was having a small baby, so small they were concerned about his size, out he popped at over 10lbs, no pain relief no tearing very straightforward, otoh my 7lber was a nightmare delivery i think gravity deffo helps.

Notso is that a typo? 9lb 5oz at 31 weeks???

Just seen statistics from Kings (where I am having DD, fingers crossed), and they said 85% of women tear! I was REALLY surprised it was that high.

Tearing is very common but not every tear needs stitches,

Unfortunately I did tear with no 1 who was 9,9 but he came out very quickly and I did not have any coaching to slow down. I honestly believe had it been a bit slower it wouldn't have happened. Due in next week with no 2 and planning same birth vaginally but am v consciuos about slowing down pushing and making sure the same doesn't happen. Incidentally my 3rd degree was fine and healed v well apparently much much better for torn skin to heal than cut skin as it knits together more naturally.

Well my first was 10 4. I would have torn so I had an episiotomy. It healed fine. DD was 9 6 and I did tear a bit but it all happened really quickly and the cord was round her neck so I think it got a bit panicky at the end. DS2 was 10 4 again and I didn't tear but I was much more in control that time. None of them lead to any lasting problems - apart from the painful weeing for the first few days and the unfounded terror the first time i needed a shit .

Good luck. My big babies were just gorgeous.

Yup, 10lb 6oz, not a scratch. Pushed him out slowly and calmly thanks to lovely epidural

9lb 10oz and no stiches. late scan said he was 6lb 4oz though!!

My dd was 9 lb 4 and I didn't tear at all. Was an induction at 42 Weeks. I did lots of perinial massage which I believe helped.

my babies were 9lb 1, 9lb 5 and 9lb 11 and i only tore with ds1 but that's cos i had a ventouse delivery

tearing is not really anyhting to do with weight though I don't think, more to do with head circumference and how quickly baby is born etc etc

I had my 9lb2 baby 2 weeks ago with no tearing, and they said the head was big at 36.5cm so the midwives were pleasantly surprised that there was no damage. My first baby was only 7lb1 but I also birthed her with no tear.
However I do think (and I think I have read in natural childbirth books too) that the position you give birth in has an influence. I had both my babies standing up/squatting down and apparently that gives you the best chance of no tearing. Also did perineal massage pre-birth although not obsessively.
Finally I would agree with the people saying how inaccurate the scans are at estimating birth weight. At my 35wk scan they thought the baby was smaller than average, possibly heading for about 7.5lb, and it came out 9lb2! All midwives I've spoken to since have been totally scathing or dismissive of the scans and their accuracy - almost saying "yes well you should ignore any of their weight estimates as they are always wrong"!