Preventing tearing???

• 09-16-2008 9:51 PM

  ~Jency's~momma~ Joined on 09-16-2004 Jency 6/30/05 & boy#2 EDD 1/1/09 Posts 2,029

  Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact when I was pregnant with my son I started putting Vitamin E oil 'down there' after my shower each day.  I can't remember exactly when I started but I think it was at 30 weeks or after. I ended up having a nurse come in and massage with oils as well while I was in labor. I still had such a bad tear that they had to stitch me up in side my vagina and almost all the way back as well.  I tore really really bad and got tons of stitches.  My stitches broke before I healed and I ended up healing funny (sorry TMI) and its weird 'down there' now. I would like to prevent tearing this time so it doesn't make it any worse then it already is. Obviously the Vitamin E oil didn't work so I"m looking for ANYTHING that will!

• 09-16-2008 10:23 PM

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  MARCELLE2839382 Joined on 09-16-2008 Cape Town Posts 3

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact Morning Jencys Momma - I read your message and did some investigating apprantly the only thing that prevents tearing is listening to your midwife / Doc . I am also pregnant again and tore badly with the my first son and I spoke to doc and he advised me reason being as I did not listen to the previous doc if they say DONT PUSH and even though we have this major urge we shouldent so the only advise i can give which I am going to try and stick too is dont push unless you are suppose too. Hope this help's

• 09-17-2008 12:15 AM

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  BoldBeautifulBirth Joined on 11-08-2005 Puget Sound Area, WA Posts 214

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact The best way to prevent tearing is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY and DON'T BIRTH ON YOUR BACK. Birthing on your back puts unneeded stress on your perineum and allows little to no room for its movement (along with other things, like your tailbone and pelvis!). Also, since you have history of tearing, a gravity neutral position would probably suit you best (like hands and knees or side lying). When your baby is being birthed, a great thing to help control pushing is to touch your baby's head as he/she is crowning. Doing this allows you to feel how quickly he/she is coming and can help you control the rate.  If you're open to water birth, this is another wonderful option as lubricant (aka the water) is surrounding every part of your nether regions! Also, water allows pressure to be dispersed over a larger area, so you don't have localized pressure that my increase tearing in one spot.  HTHs! I'm sure there are other ways, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately.

• 09-17-2008 1:13 PM

  In reply to

  ~Jency's~momma~ Joined on 09-16-2004 Jency 6/30/05 & boy#2 EDD 1/1/09 Posts 2,029

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact MARCELLE2839382: Morning Jencys Momma - I read your message and did some investigating apprantly the only thing that prevents tearing is listening to your midwife / Doc . I am also pregnant again and tore badly with the my first son and I spoke to doc and he advised me reason being as I did not listen to the previous doc if they say DONT PUSH and even though we have this major urge we shouldent so the only advise i can give which I am going to try and stick too is dont push unless you are suppose too. Hope this help's Well for me it was opposite.  They made me push 3x for every contraction.  They kept telling me to do it one more time and as hard and fast as possible.  I think he came too fast and that is why I tore so bad.  This time I do plan on only pushing 1x for each contraction and making sure it happens slow.

• 09-17-2008 1:16 PM

  In reply to

  ~Jency's~momma~ Joined on 09-16-2004 Jency 6/30/05 & boy#2 EDD 1/1/09 Posts 2,029

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact ErinSoonToBeMomOf3: The best way to prevent tearing is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY and DON'T BIRTH ON YOUR BACK. Birthing on your back puts unneeded stress on your perineum and allows little to no room for its movement (along with other things, like your tailbone and pelvis!). Also, since you have history of tearing, a gravity neutral position would probably suit you best (like hands and knees or side lying). When your baby is being birthed, a great thing to help control pushing is to touch your baby's head as he/she is crowning. Doing this allows you to feel how quickly he/she is coming and can help you control the rate.  If you're open to water birth, this is another wonderful option as lubricant (aka the water) is surrounding every part of your nether regions! Also, water allows pressure to be dispersed over a larger area, so you don't have localized pressure that my increase tearing in one spot.  HTHs! I'm sure there are other ways, but those are the ones that come to mind immediately. Thanks.   I wanted to do a water brith at home but we can't afford it and medicaid won't pay for it and I WON'T do it unassisted (my mom lost a baby).  And I don't think our hospital does water births.  So I will have to see if I can get into a different possition when delivering.  I know with my son all I wanted to do was lay and not move any body part at all.

• 09-17-2008 4:36 PM

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  AmyAlden22 Joined on 08-18-2005 Posts 158

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact It's funny this message has come up today, as I was just talking about this at work today! I am planning a hypnobirth with this baby, and bought the book "hypnobirthing, the Mongan Method," and am also enrolled in a class that will begin soon. There is a chapter in the book that addresses perineal massage. It says that you should start about 6-8 weeks prior to your birth and use oil (they suggest olive oil, vitamin e, or similar oil but nothing scented) dipped to the second knuckle on your thumb and forefinger (or your spouse's) and rub the inner and outer walls of the perineum in a "U" type motion for about 5 minutes a day. This will help created elasticity down there and also sort of numb your perineum to counteract the pain of labor. You can read more about this online I am sure or read this book...It is actually very helpful all around even if you are not planning a hypnobirth. Another thing that this teaches is that you shouldn't actually be pushing your baby out anyway, rather relaxing your body and letting the baby expel itself with the natural motions of your body. Now, I can't testify that this is how it actually works, as I only have one other child and I did not use this method, but I have read several accounts from women who have used this method and swear by it. I think it is definitely worth looking into for anyone wanting a natural childbirth and especially to prevent tearing. Tearing is something I, too, am quite concerned about because of the severity of my tear with dd. Good luck!

• 09-17-2008 4:47 PM

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  My3Honeys Joined on 11-14-2005 Arizona Posts 451

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact ~Jency's~momma~: MARCELLE2839382: Morning Jencys Momma - I read your message and did some investigating apprantly the only thing that prevents tearing is listening to your midwife / Doc . I am also pregnant again and tore badly with the my first son and I spoke to doc and he advised me reason being as I did not listen to the previous doc if they say DONT PUSH and even though we have this major urge we shouldent so the only advise i can give which I am going to try and stick too is dont push unless you are suppose too. Hope this help's Well for me it was opposite.  They made me push 3x for every contraction.  They kept telling me to do it one more time and as hard and fast as possible.  I think he came too fast and that is why I tore so bad.  This time I do plan on only pushing 1x for each contraction and making sure it happens slow. That is exactly why you tore so badly.  What they had you do is what I call "coached pushing".  If you listen to your body, it will tell you when to push, how hard to push and how long to push.  Forcing a woman to push hard and fast restricts blood flow which keeps the skin from stretching.  When there's no blood flow to the skin to stretch, it tears.  I went from a monster episiotomy with my second and horrible tearing with "coached pushing", to 2 stitches with my son, to a totally entact perineum with my youngest all because I refused to allow any counting or coaching through the pushing stage. Also, STAY OFF YOUR BACK!!!  But you've been told that already.  Best of luck.  You can make it through it no or very minimal tearing.  If they start trying to tell you when and how to push, yell at them to stop it, and they will.

• 09-17-2008 6:17 PM

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  baylor_angel Joined on 02-20-2007 Central Texas Posts 127

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact No matter what birthing technique you try there will always be the possibility of tearing. The biggest factor there is elasticity and the size of your baby. Many docs will do an episiotomy which is cutting it (a clean straight cut). This is the only thing that will prevent tearing, you wont feel it with meds, and it's a ton better than if you were to tear because it's difficult for the doc to stitch up a tear because it's jagged, an episiotomy is a straight clean cut so it is easily stitched up and heals much faster and so much better.

• 09-18-2008 7:04 AM

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  Keeger Joined on 05-06-2008 BC Canada Posts 281	Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact Sorry, but I would have to say that the episiotomy is not better than tearing, they have increased risk of infection and taek longer to heal. Here some info on how to help avoid tearing: http://www.midwifeinfo.com/articles/episiotomy-and-how-to-avoid-it

• 09-18-2008 4:06 PM

  In reply to

  My3Honeys Joined on 11-14-2005 Arizona Posts 451

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact baylor_angel: No matter what birthing technique you try there will always be the possibility of tearing. The biggest factor there is elasticity and the size of your baby. Many docs will do an episiotomy which is cutting it (a clean straight cut). This is the only thing that will prevent tearing, you wont feel it with meds, and it's a ton better than if you were to tear because it's difficult for the doc to stitch up a tear because it's jagged, an episiotomy is a straight clean cut so it is easily stitched up and heals much faster and so much better. That is patently incorrect.  An episiotomy does not in the least guarantee that you will not tear.  In fact, it just makes it easier for women to tear.  It happened to me.  I had an episiotomy and still tore.  It's not better to be cut.  Your body will only tear just enough to get the job done.  An episiotomy is automatically equal to a third-degree tear and is often far more than is needed. Pushing position and spontaneous pushing are the best bets to prevent tearing.  I learned this the hard way.  I've gone from episiotomies, episiotomies with tearing, to very, very minimal tearing to an intact perineum.  My worst tear came after the doc cut me.  My best birth was my last where I had no tearing, not even "skid marks".

• 09-23-2008 5:29 PM

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  Coastiewife Joined on 12-06-2006 Kodiak, AK Posts 704	Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact I agree with some of the other pp. Push when your body tells you!! That is so important. I would go into it telling the drs. NOT to coach you on your pushing and let you do it on your own. Also DO NOT push on your back... biggest mistake you can make. And an episiotomy is NOT better.

• 09-25-2008 5:25 PM

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  *Christa* Joined on 09-06-2005 Posts 1,537

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact I would suggest squatting everytime you bend over right now.  We learned that in my Bradley class.  I never realized how much I bend over picking up after a 2 yr old.  Squatting can open your pelvis an extra 10% & I highly suggest you push in the squatting position too if your doctor will allow it, but squat down as much as you can now to help stretch the area.  Everyone else had good suggestions too!

• 09-26-2008 5:56 PM

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  Katrina +2 Joined on 08-31-2003 Posts 701	Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact i did perineal messages/stretching with olive oil every day from week 34 on. had 2 all natural births, no tearing. i also gave birth on my knees, leaning over a yoga ball.

• 11-02-2008 7:05 PM

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  Robin671290 Joined on 01-26-2005 Silver Spring, MD Posts 259

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact *Christa*: I would suggest squatting everytime you bend over right now.  We learned that in my Bradley class.  I never realized how much I bend over picking up after a 2 yr old.  Squatting can open your pelvis an extra 10% & I highly suggest you push in the squatting position too if your doctor will allow it, but squat down as much as you can now to help stretch the area.  Everyone else had good suggestions too! This may be good to do before you give birth but I have heard it is not a good position for actually delivering the baby for tearing as the area will already be stretched before the baby's head gets there. I would talk to your doc or midwife about positions that are good to reduce risk of tearing and what they are open to. I have heard being on all fours or on your side are best. I delivered my first on my back and tore. I also think that I may have been pushing to hard/fast though. Good luck! :D

• 11-21-2008 4:01 PM

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  Anne3136759 Joined on 11-21-2008 Posts 4

  Re: Preventing tearing??? Reply Contact I didn't see anyone comment on "counterpressure" ask all the doc.s in your practice if they do this. Not only is the massage good but this is as well. With my first baby I had a small tear which did not require stitches. It happend because I was VERY tired and simply decided to push her out because I just wanted it done. My OB applied a lot of counterpressure and thanks to her I did so well. And you CANNOT birth on your back and expect no tearing, remember this. I had a broken knee at the time and tried to sit up but couldn't see we did left lateral for most of it. Our doula had to hold my right leg up since I had no energy. Eventually we moved me to as much of a sitting upright position possible. Knee is still bad so I'm a bit worried this time. Other thing to remember with natural childbirth if you go to the hospital. 1. Birth at home as long as you can stand it, if you can stop to pose for a picture as you leave the house or be bothered to put on clothes don't leave you house - you're not ready yet! 2. Don't let them connect you to a monitor - ask for intermittent monitoring. This takes effort on their part so they'll fight you - make sure you win! 3. Don't let them give you and IV - this reduced natural chemicals in your system. You need your own oxy. to work. 4. Birth on a ball, standing up, squatting, on your left side - anything but on your back. 5. Read everything about natural childbirth out there to educate yourself and prepare yourself for the odd things a hospital will ask of you.