Tearing... did you know ?

[pupuce]

Right as I see so many threads where you guys mention tearing... can I share with you some info which might help?
First of all a major (thousands of women) study has proved that if you do perineal massage (if it is your 1st vaginal delivery) you reduce your risk of tearing ! The stats are not as impressive with 2nd birth BUT there are less tears in 2nd births generally anyway (I know many women who did not tear for their 2nd baby whilst they did for their 1st - usually because the 2nd stage is better).

2. You do tear MORE if you are lying down (in bed with monitoring and drugs pumping : the synto drip or the epidural)!

3. Risks of 3rd and 4th degree tear are higher in women who are given an episiotomy. There is a simple "desk" test you can do... take a piece of paper (or cloth for that matter)... wiggle it violently in the aim to break it... it probably won't break (unless you are very brutal) ... now cut it a bit and wiggle it again.. it will tear! It's basic ! Meaning women given episios often tear as well!

4. Coached pushing increases the risk of tears

5. Women who listen to their body (and I sometimes have to remind them of this or at least the MW should!) will birth GENTLY and not tear!

More info here and here

Thank you Pupuce.
(Not that I will ever need this info again however)
Just wanted to ask how everything is with you??

Do you menton the other thing (meaningful wink) on MN?????

Let see if I can CAT you...

You can yes.
You're very quiet these days.

No I'm not but I can't find your e-mail address because I can't remember your name ... do you still have my e-mail address ? Use it

cAN'T YOU cat ME??
i AM ON NEW COMPUTER SO HAVEN'T STORED YOUR E MAIL. (Bugger)

Just want to know how you're doing??

I concur
I gave birth standing/leaning on all fours, was calm and focussed the whole time and breathed both my babies out. I listened to my body.
I also had a FANTASTIC independent midwife (you get this on the lheath service in NZ) with my first child and she made it possible for me to have that birth experience.
When I had dd, the midwife only had to catch dd

E-mail me via my website

Good stuff Piffle Sadly you and I are in the minority... even in Holland where they ahve 40% home birth rate most women are told to given birth ON bed.... and get an episio

Have done!

Have replied....

Pupuce, wish I'd known this before DS1. But I did know it before DS2 and it was better, but as you say, it might have been anyway.

Did you ever post your conclusions re co-sleeping, etc btw?

Yes I think I did..... I'd need to search now... it was not incredibly revealing sadly !

kind of agree.my labour with ds1 was 90% in water ,it was the middle of the night,we had dimmed lights,soft music etc.no tears at all. ds2 was born in the daytime-3 midwives in and out,bright daylight,didn't get the chance to get in the pool , got a bit panicky-2nd degree tear.

AM, mine was the other way round - DS1 born in the water, coached pushing, second degree tear, took ages to heal. DS2 born on the bed because the pool wasn't ready - small internal tear, healed really easily.

NASTY NASTY NASTY coached pushing.... MWs should know better!!!!!

Yes, wish I'd known better too! Mind you, the overwhelming urge to push meant that they were saying "PUSH!" and I was kind of of the opinion that it was like telling gravity to keep stuff stuck to the surface of the planet if it didn't mind

absolutely hunker!!! there was no way i could NOT push! my sil reckons she had no urge to push at all and didn't know how to do it-bizzarre.

Wish i'd known better both times too.

IF i ever have another, I wont be "coached" or stuck to a monitor the whole time.

Its amazing what you'll put up with when you dont know better

Message withdrawn

Same as Pruni. Bigger tear 2nd time, both times on all fours. But I was so desperate for it to be over 2nd time didn't listen/couldn't hear mw telling me to slow down.

You need to ease these heads out ladies

I listened to my body...the midwife told me to stop pushing and I couldn't! 3rd degree tear was the result. I wonder if there are more instances of tearing with an induction.

Pants that's me in for it this time, then.

My midwife second time round was brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. She told me to go slowly when I wanted to puuuuuuuuuush!

My midwife with DD did coached panting, "making" me only push with the end of the contraction. It is possible to ignore the PUSH NOW urge but takes a lot of concentration.

Still got a 2nd degree tear because of an enormous head Could have been worse though!