Are you less likely to tear with a waterbirth?

[Jilian]

I tore pretty bad with DS and I'm really hoping to avoid a tear this time. I wonder if having a waterbirth this time around will make a difference? There were a lot of factors that caused me to tear w/DS, he was born w/his hand by his face and I pushed for so long that when he was crowning I just wanted him out so I pushed like crazy.

If you had a waterbirth did you tear? Do you think a waterbirth makes you less likely to tear?

[katarn]

i was in the tub for about 2-3 hours.... i was pushing for 2 of those and near the end.. I, like you pushed like he!! just to get him out...

maybe if i let my body do more the pushing i wouldn't of torn.. who knows...

i think a lot has to do with your body's natural elasticity..

but i have heard that the water helps to reduce the chance of tearing.. for what thats worth

[boobjuice]

i tore in the upper soft tissue due to a nuchal hand. my perineum was intact. i think the water prevented the perineum tear but made the soft tissue tear worse. i also think tears have alot to do with genetics/ individual differences??.

[angelpie545]

Wow look at the poll-it's exactly 50/50! That's nuts. I know not many ppl have posted yet, but still. I had waterbirths both times with my girls, and I did tear both times. With my first I had a very painful labor with some complications so and I just pushed way too hard and with all my might-and she came flying out, not stopping for the head or anything. So, I tore pretty bad down my pernium and ended up with stiches. With my second, the my labor was really short, and I controlled my pushes, and ended up with a minor tear that healed on its own. I think though, that because water relaxes you, and reduces pain, and helps the skin stretch, theoritcally it could reduce tearing.

[heidi_m]

Not that one person's experience makes for anything near scientific observation, but my midwife told me before she knew I intended to birth in the water that she has had great results with women not tearing in the water. I VBACed with an 8 lb 3 oz baby and tore horribly, in both directions (3rd deg rectal & peri-urethral as well). I just gave birth two weeks ago tomorrow to a 10 lb 8 oz baby in the water [at home! yay!!] and I had one tiny superficial tear that didn't require any stitching.

[Quagmire]

I had a very tiny tear with my waterbirth. It was nowhere near as bad as with my first (vacuum delivery) and honestly I think it was my own fault. I certainly wasn't supporting my tissues, and I was just trying to get her out as fast as possible. If I had slowed down a bit I don't think I would have had even a skid mark. But considering the speed at which she descended and came out (-2 station to baby in arms in under a minute) the damage was pretty minimal

[georgia]

Two home waterbirths, both exactly 9 lb babies, no tears and in the position my body wanted to be.

[roadfamily6now]

No water births for me yet but I did tear with all 4 of my vaginal births.
Ironically the one baby I tore the worst with my smallest baby (7lb 13oz).
My 10+ pounder I only had a minor tear that did not require stitches.

[kerikadi]

Two waterbirths after a previous episitomy tear to my rectum and I had NO tearing. I did get a skid mark with my first waterbirth from a nuchal hand.

I am not sure what difference it makes but I didn't labor much in the tub, I wanted to stay on land until I needed the water so by the time I got in there I was nearly pushing and was only in a short time. I also did not forceably push - I let my body do the work and pushed less than 10 minutes with both babes. I was in a semi reclined/squat with both.

Keri

[lizabird]

I had 2 waterbirths and tore during both. The first, the baby came really fast and I think that had a lot to do with tearing. The 2nd, baby came much slower and more controlled and my midwife was very aware of my not wanting to tear again. I would still do waterbirth again, the water is so nice and relaxing!

[laohaire]

Nuchal hand here. I think a waterbirth helps SOME of the risk factors associated with tearing, but not all of them. Obviously a nuchal hand is one of the risks that aren't really improved by waterbirth. But I do think waterbirth helps relax the mama and soften the tissues. So overall I believe it helps a little.

[thefragile7393]

I had a 2nd degree tear, but I blame that more on my not doing kegels regularly or doing massages with oil and gently stretching. Had I been faithful on that I think I would have done better....especially with ds's big ol' head

[Roxswood]

I had a waterbirth and my perineum came through totally intact, but I had a 2nd deg tear in my labia. It didn't need stitching though so I felt pretty much unscathed. That was my first baby and she had a huge head as well so I was really pleased.

[Peony]

DD1 was not a water birth, I had skid marks, I was sore for a while afterward. DD2 was a waterbirth, she weighed 2 ozs less then her sister, absolutely nothing. In fact, the next day I didn't even feel like I had given birth, no soreness at all.

[pageta]

Waterbirth where I pushed in whatever position I wanted (completely on my own at that point). I tore 2nd degree on top of my episiotomy scar (which was 1st degree).

[~Mamaterra~]

My first baby I birthed on land, dd#1, was my smallest baby (6lbs4oz) and I tore the most. My most recent, dd#2 was my largest baby(8lbs2oz) I birthed in water and nothing, not even tenderness. I joke that I have been more sore after an "enthusiatic" night of loving with dh than I did after dd#2 birth. I totally attribute it to a water birth....also it was our first UC, the other two were homebirths but not UCed.

[LizaBear]

Baby #1 was birthed on a dry hospital bed - didn't tear badly, but did require 3 stitches. He was 7lb8oz.

Baby #2 was birthed in a pool of water at home - not even a skidmark. She was 8lb12oz.

Maybe the water helped, maybe the fact that I was at home and more relaxed, maybe that *I* was the one supporting my perineum - I don't know.