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?
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??.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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