Is it actually possible to prevent or minimize tearing during birth?
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@Sophie thank you! I was definitely planning on trying the raspberry leave tea! Even if my brain just tells me it is helping I think I will feel more calm going in which helps too haha
Perineum massage. I did it for my second and third pregnancies. Didn't tear for either baby. You will feel silly doing it but it works LOL. I felt really silly because I couldn't reach it on my own and my partner had to help me do it 😂
@Leslie lol reaching is definitely the most challenging part. 😂 can’t see anything I’m doing down there
We did perineal massage from like 30 weeks on, but I’m convinced your body will do what it does. Just push when your body tells you to, and I birthed in water, which I swear saved me from tearing! Nature’s epidural. But yes, someone can apply coconut oil down there before and during pushing, concentrate on your breathing! This one’s huge, as you want to work with your body, not against it
@Carly I laughed so much during the massages that I would drip pee lmfaooo and my partner was like "Listen why is this so funny, I've seen it all and then some THATS HOW YOU ENDED UP PREGNANT" 😂
@Leslie I’m like this close to asking him to shave for me 😂 mind as well ask for perineal message too
@Sarah thank you! I know it’s like 80% mindset but any little bit extra helps!
@Carly yeah I lasted 2 seconds into partner helping me shave. I almost fel over from laughter. He was like "if you don't stop moving you're gonna get cut" and i just couldn't keep it together. I'm the absolute worst lmao
Raspberry leaf tea helped alot with my labour but I ended up with a 3rd degree because I laboured really fast and my son had his hand on his cheek as he came out, otherwise I was told I wouldn't have teared much. 😅
Raspberry leaf tea is known to soften your cervix so it doesn’t necessarily help with tearing, but can allow you to dilate & efface nicely! Perineal massage is the only true way to minimize the risk of tearing! I tore in two spots but that is because we had to vacuum my son out as quickly as possible since he was in distress and couldn’t continue to wait.
I got my midwife to put a warm wet compress on the area. And not pushing too early. My first I had an episiotomy cos I pushed too early and was too exhausted when I actually needed to push. I gave birth on my back. Second baby I only had 2 tiny tears and one of them was the labia so I had no actual damage to my vagina. I had warm compress, pushed with contractions & gave birth laying down but on my side. I did drink raspberry leaf tea and moisturised the area to soften the skin (it would get dry from my last episiotomy) I’m not sure if these things actually helped but my outcome was completely different to my first x
Breathing baby out helped me tremendously my first I had people yelling at me to hold my breath and push even after all the massage we did I tore BAD! My second was super relaxing I pushed how I felt comfortable and came out with a barley there graze
You can and can’t if that makes sense. But l had two back to back pregnancies and l pushed without tearing. I listened to the MDW as she could see what’s going on, best advice my mum gave me. If you push when you not meant to then chances are you’ll tear 😬
Perineal massage and listening to your midwives guide you through your labour, especially when pushing.
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I’ve had two natural births with no pain relief, I didn’t tear at all, I had a really helpful midwife the first time round who told me to hold as long as I could while the head was coming out to allow the skin time to stretch and I remembered to do it again sometime round and I’m sure that’s what helped! Didn’t do any of the perineal massage with either because I couldn’t figure out a way to reach 😂
Honestly I'd say no. It really depends on each individual. My tear healed really quickly, and actually walking made the healing process quicker, something to do with the blood flowing when you move. X
Raspberry leaf tea helped for both my pregnancy’s. Both natural and no epidural. Also the warm compress on perineum while in labour. Perineal massage to soften tissue before baby comes. I tore both times but that’s coz I labour very fast. My first I didn’t have anyone telling me when to push so I did it myself. The second I had my midwife telling me when to push and I didn’t have as much tearing as i controlled it. All the best with your birth