What position did you give birth in and did you tear etc..

[PlantHasABabyBean]

Hi

Title basically sums it up. I was very active during my first labour until they broke my waters and put me on a sytocin(sp?) drip, my contractions were one on top of other and I just didn't get back up off the bed, ended up having emergency c-section.

Pregnant with DC2 and want to try for a VBAC, want to be mobile again and hopefully want to give birth either squating or on my knees leaning on headboard.

Just looking for others experiences what position you gave birth in and was it quick? Did you tear etc?

Thanks

DC1 - squatting, second degree tear
DC2 kneeling on bed, second degree tear.

DD - laying on my left side - No tear.

Sat up, no tear.

First baby - episiotomy
second baby - on left side, no tear!!

I was immobile during the whole thing too, because the baby was being monitored so ended up giving birth half way between sitting and lying on my back. Didn't tear but (TMI) had labial grazes.

Its hard to know what to do for the best, staying upright is supposed to help with gravity etc, but then seems to end up (only from friends I know) with tearing.

BIOTB do you mind me asking what a second degree tear involves? (As i say I had a C-section last time, so don't know how bad a tear, second degree, third degree etc is)

All 3 on my back sort of sat up - no tears

Do you think it better to tear or have an episiotomy? I think I would rather them give me an epi if they knew I was going to tear but hard to know until you are in that position I suppose.

First baby - episiotomy.
Second baby - kneeling on left leg with right leg stuck out to the side, small first degree, no stitches.

Waterbirth, pushing when your body wants to, perennial massage (check out the epi-no), deliberately relaxing the area at the time - all supposed to help. I expect some of it is genetic - some are more stretchy than others.

1st baby - flat on my back having an emergency c section.
2nd baby - on my knees, no tear.
3rd baby - on my knees, very slight tear no need for a stitch.

Lying on my back, VBAC, no tear. Slight graze.

DC1- sort of led in brithing pool - 2nd degree

DC2- same position in pool - 1st degree

DC3- leaning over headboard - 2nd degree

DC4- Due April, hoping for pool or if can't use pool was going to try kneeling on floor - felt too exposed on bed. See wat happens.

Would certainly prefer to tear than be cut I think.

on my back, no tearing x 2

Birthing stool or squatting with help of birth ball. No tears with any

dc1 - kneeling and leaning against bed, only small first degree tear, despite shoulder dystocia and baby getting stuck, no stitches.

dc2 - squatting supported by DP, small tear in same place, no stiches.

Would much rather tear I think - you cant feel it with everything else going on.

dd - on knees leaning against head of bed. labial grazes on both sides.. stitched, one on each side but wished i hadn't bothered.

ds1 - on my back... completely flat and i tilted my hips up to push. slight labial grazing again and refused stitching

ds2 - on knees leaned against head of bed. 1st degree perineal tear. didn't have it stitched but the ensuing week of running myself ragged with ds2 in scbu meant it didn't heal together so i have a slit there still 13 months on.

the two babies that i had labial grazes with came out with an arm over their face, don't think i would have torn otherwise.

The perineal tear with ds2 i felt happening, he came out at rocket speed and i was pushing a bit too enthusiastically... the nurse (mw hadn't arrived back in the room yet ) shouted at me to stop and i didn't tear again once i slowed down.... in other words listen to the mw's as they really are your best chance of remaining intact, they can see what's happening and can apply gentle pressure to overstretched skin to help protect it.

I think the tearing worry is due to friend who tore through to her anus, and I just keep thinking I would rather they cut to the side to avoid tearing right through.

Thanks for the link smile Sweet and others who had VBAC, how did you find it? I'm so worried that they have so many rules and time limits on everything I will not be able to relax enough.

By looking at the replies most people giving birth on their back/side or sitting(ish) havn't torn, or not so badly anyway.

With DS I was on my left side with one leg and one arm in the air, no tears.

With DD I was made to go on my back, kinda sitting up. Again no tears.

Well obviously there was tears! of joy, pain etc

I meant no tear...

DD1 On back in stirrups epidural and episiotomy I was induce by oxitocin

dd2 leaning over headboard her waters were intact until last push NO tears

Also those who didn't tear, did you get strech marks? My mother has a theory that women who get streach marks are more likely to tear (i.e the tearing of the skin in the streach mark and tearing of the skin when giving birth) but I'm not sure that this is true?

Dd flat on my back 'cos of cfm. No tears
Ds emsc. Huge tear

No stretchmarks either

Not heard of that one!
I didn't get any stretch marks at all for either on my belly - got quite a few on my boobs though.