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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Please tell me it's possible to give birth without stitches???

57 replies

Tigerlily1 · 25/10/2009 12:31

I really need to hear some positive stories of people who have had a natural birth without tearing/cutting etc?
Had an emcs after hideously long labour 2yrs ago and my son's head was not descending due to it's position. I did push for a time to no avail and I really wanted a waterbirth.
However, now it is 2wks till my 2nd due date and am so scared to try for this vbac as am now thinking about the ripping open and not being able to control things.
My mum had 2 stitch free births but then i had an emcs so it doesn't follow.
She says its all about breathing. I'm scaring myself to the point where I may chicken out and have another section but I know that's not what I really want. I just don't know if I can take the pain and the thought of tearing/cutting is really freaking me out.
I dilated fully last time and did push so they said I have a good chance of vbac this time.
Please share your positive stories with me?? xx

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Mamazonabroomstick · 25/10/2009 12:35

i had a horrific labour and birth with DS. ended up with episiotomy and sticthes.

with DD i had a perfectly natural labour, not so much as an aspirin.
i had no tearing, no stitches and no intervention.

i was left with a tiny scratch at the top of my labia but that was all.

it is of course possible and very probable. just dont feel bad if it doesn't happen.

good luck

purepurple · 25/10/2009 12:35

I had 2 natural births with no stitches.
The first one I had gas and air

The second one I had nothing (there wasn't time as I was fully dilated by the time i got there)
I was concentrating on my breathing so much that the midwife had to tell me to push as she could feel the contraction
And strangely I had my eyes tightly closed both times.

SausageRocket · 25/10/2009 12:36

Yes it is, of course it is. I did it

Quick labour (2.5hrs & 20 mins pushing), no pain relief (though it hurt like fuck), 7lb 1oz DD born perfect and healthy with excellent APGARs, went home the same day.

Don't know about the panting side of things, I know that they do say that not pushing when you are told not to helps reduce tears, but to be honest I had no control over when I pushed or not. My labour was so fast and furious, my body just took over. I honestly do not remember having any control over pushing.

fruitspooksbatsintheeaves · 25/10/2009 12:36

I wasn't even fully dilated with DS2 when I got the urge to push. The midwife told me not to but I had no choice. I didn't need any stitches.
Good Luck and try not to worry about stitches.

Anifrangapani · 25/10/2009 12:39

No stitching here either .... start praying to the gods of pointy headed children.

MamanCochon · 25/10/2009 12:39

I have had 3 natural births without stitches. I think my advice would be to relax and not to push until you really feel like you're ready to push. My last labour was longer than the other two but I had a midwife who didn't get flustered and didn't force me to do anything I didn't want to. I remember her saying I was fully dilated and 'do push if you want to' but I didn't feel like it for ages. It was only when she went to get the gas and air from the car that I finally went for it lol! and then he was born in a few pushes.

Something similar happened with ds2 but without the really long hanging around. So if it's possible just trust your body and let it do its work.

hopefully someone will be along who's had a vbac so their advice will be more spot on than mine.

MamanCochon · 25/10/2009 12:40

sorry took too long typing that! lots of good stories already

Rindercella · 25/10/2009 12:42

DD was 9lb 9oz, no stitches, no tears. Just G&A and a quick labour. Here's hoping I am that lucky with DC2, due in March

Good luck.

memorylapse · 25/10/2009 12:45

My first 3 labours all involved episiotomoies and lots of stitches, but DD2 was born after 4 pushes, no pain relief and just a slight graze..so yes it is possible

ChasingSquirrels · 25/10/2009 12:52

2 natural births.
ds1. No tearing or grazes.
ds2. No tearing but a very small amount of grazing.

SparklyGothKat · 25/10/2009 12:52

I had a C/s with Ds1 as he was breech and managed 3 VBACs with the others, without tearing, on G&A only. I had a graze with Ds2 but thats it, so it is possible

thighsmadeofcheddar · 25/10/2009 12:52

Me too, dd was 8lb 14oz and there was no stitches or tearing. I did try very hard not to push when the midwife said to wait.

JollyPirate · 25/10/2009 13:01

As a midwife I helped plenty of women birth their babies who did not require stitches - am not going to say they all did not tear but often stitches were not needed.

mumof2rugrats · 25/10/2009 13:03

i had 2 natural births
dd1 g & a 7lb 5 oz no stitches tears or grazes 9hrs
dd2 g&a 10lb 6 oz no stitches tears or grazes 5hrs

Original poster

Tigerlily1 · 25/10/2009 13:07

Oh thanks for all your quick and positive responses! What is a graze? Saw about that on another thread. Anyone would think it was my first time, I've almost done it, bar the actual descending and crowning so you'd think I'd feel more prepared but I'm really quite worried.
Think it's cos last midwife we had was a bit rubbish and i had to have loads of epidural, syntocinon drip and then g.a in my c section so am just fretting all that will happen again.
I would so love to just relax and 'breathe' the baby out like in my hypnobirthing book!!
Keep the stories coming, the more I hear the more I will think I maybe can do it!! Well done to all of you by the way!! xxx

OP posts:

ATortoiseisBetterThanABlackCat · 25/10/2009 13:11

I have had 4 natural births without needing stiches.
Two of those were over 9lb!

mrspnut · 25/10/2009 13:13

I've had 2 children with no stitches and no pain relief and my advice is always try to stay as upright as possible.

Stand or kneel because then gravity will help you, laying on your back trying to push means that gravity is pushing the baby down not out.

I hung off the sink in the delivery room for most of my labouring (and it remained intact) just kneeling next to the bed for the actual pushing bit.

It did take an hour to actually deliver DD2 but she was over 10lb with a huge head and I still managed to avoid stitches.

Original poster

Tigerlily1 · 25/10/2009 13:15

Rindercella, your baby was 2oz heavier than mine, he was 9lb 7oz so I am inspired by you delivering a 9lb 9ozer with such a good outcome! Am really hoping to do it this time. Apparently there was no way my son was coming down because his head was tilted up and that can happen with a 4lb baby so size really doesn't matter in giving birth! It's all about position.

OP posts:

Original poster

Tigerlily1 · 25/10/2009 13:21

Wow, mrspnut sounds amazing, congrats to you! Mine will prob have a big head too as my ds and dh both do! just goes to show though, our bodies do stretch when they are supposed to!
I'm loving all these stories, seems so many threads on mn include hideous stitches stories but I am really starting to feel a bit better from your experiences, thank you!!

OP posts:

craftynclothy · 25/10/2009 13:28

I just wanted to add that I've had 2nd degree tears both times but I've never actually felt the tearing. Each time I've only found out when the mw has checked after baby & placenta have been delivered. I've also not had stitches both times, first time I refused, 2nd time my IM recommended not stitching.

merryandmad · 25/10/2009 13:33

Two deliveries and no stitches.

DD1 - induction as overdue, syntocinon drip, midwife had to break waters. 23 hours late 7lb 14 oz later only a graze.

DD2- 10lb 8oz- no stiches, no grazes- nothing, could have been home in two hours only they wanted to keep an ete on dd2 as she was so big

glasgowlass · 25/10/2009 13:37

No stitches here, had fast spontaneous labour with DS at 39+6, 8 hours from 1st Cx to his birth. 25 Mins of G&A, born 12 mins after my waters burst. 7lb9oz, no grazes or stitches.

I spent my entire labour on my feet though walking about and bending over side of birthing pool(I never used it in the end).

cwtchy · 25/10/2009 13:47

Just thought I would add my experiences - 1st labour I needed stitches, second I just had a little tear that healed on its own. Neither were a problem after the birth - I never even looked at the stitches. I had so much gas and air during the stitching I had to be asked to keep still because I was on another planet and couldn't stop giggling..

I healed very quickly and neither labour would put me off - my second labour was so quick and a great experience, I would do it again tomorrow!

So even if you do tear or need stitches, its not always a dreadful ordeal. Don't let the thought of it freak you out, if you want that vbac then go for it!

Original poster

Tigerlily1 · 25/10/2009 13:59

Thanks cwtchy, sounds great, just what I needed to hear. Lots of big babies too, i think mine will be after my son was and this is another boy. Keep your stories coming, I love em xx :0

OP posts:

Scaredycat3000 · 25/10/2009 15:32

Had my 8lb 8oz boy with birthing pool and g&a. Gave birth on dry land, whilst his head was crowning all I could think of was to listen to the Midwife as I didn't want to tear, and I didn't . I did graze, but still felt pleased.

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