Considering an UC - question

[HML2199]

Hi ladies!  I am pregnant with my 5th child and am considering having an UC.  I have had 4 hospital births with a midwife, but this time I decided I wanted a homebirth.  I met with a LM two weeks ago, but it wasn't a good fit.  So now I'm considering doing a UC.  All of my childbirths have gone amazingly well.  My husband and I even joked that we should have delivered our last child ourselves because it was smoothly.  I've never had pain meds so I know I can do it naturally.  But my question is...with 2 of my births I had minor tears and needed stitches.  Not many, I think at the most it was 5.  What happens if a woman tears doing during an UC?  Is that something I would then have to go to the hospital for ASAP?  Would small tears just heal on their own?  thanks!

Happy mama to

7 yo girl

5 yo boy

4 yo boy

2 yo girl &

10 weeks pregnant!

[sam pearson]

Congratulations on your pregnancy.  It sounds like you are a perfect candidate for a freebirth.

Small tears will heal naturally.  Even larger tears can usually heal on their own and healing can be facilitated by hypericum tincture, or raw manuka honey and things like salt baths can help keep the area clean and taking Vit C will also facilitate healing.  It's always best to leave a tear to heal naturally if possible.

If you tear badly enough that you need suturing you can transfer with bub to hospital just for that then return home immediately.  Some Independent Midwives also do suturing at home and some are willing to offer you this service separate from hiring them to attend your birth.

[tracymom1]

I had a small labial tear with my last one. Though it was a bit painful for a couple of weeks, it healed naturally and without any complications. For a large tear, I would seek the attention of a midwife to stitch it up. Just keep in mind that in general, the medical professionals usually will not suture up a perineal tear if it has been longer than 12 hours since it happened. This is not an absolute, but a general practice - after a certain length of time, the worry is that a lot of bacteria has been introduced to the area and it has started the healing process on its own, making it unsafe for sutures to be done.

[Almi]

Here's an article from Unhindered Living on how to repair perineal tears at home:

http://www.unhinderedliving.com/tears.html

Alternatively, you can let them heal on their own, or you can go and get stitched up.  It depends on what you are comfortable with.  I had a vaginal tear that went onto one of my large labia (it would have torn in half had I not had huge ones lol) and I let it heal by itself.  I have a scar, but it healed just fine.