Tips to prevent tearing

There's not really a whole point asking mums because every person's experience is unique to them. Plus the stories are self selecting - for every mum that says something worked you'll have another that won't tell you that it didn't work for them. You're best looking up statistics on this if anyone has done research. For example, I had a 3rd degree tear, but only because my daughter decided to put her arms up as she was coming out 😅 so it's no good me saying "I did this and it didn't work"

I had elective C-sections lol, this was one of the main reasons. I have no regrets

@katie agreed but just trying to see if there are actual ways to prevent it

I had 1st degree. Our LG was 8.7lbs when she was born so not so small. I think it mostly depends on a person. What might help is not pushing too too hard when the time to push comes. And another I don’t know if it helps but doing perineal massage during last month of your pregnancy every day. You can look into it.

Parenium massage will help "train" the muscle to stretch. When it comes time to push, ease baby out. They may have a little cone head due to easing, but that goes away lol It's a little harder to ease out with an epidural cause you don't feel as much, but your LD team should be helping with that as much as possible if they reapect your wishes.

Just be prepared for it happening. It may or may not, and there may be nothing you can do to prevent it. I had a 3rd degree tear solely because my baby was a little stuck (her shoulder) and her cord was wrapped around her neck. The nurse literally reached in and pulled her out, tearing me in the process. There's nothing I could have done to prevent it.

I did perineal massages and hypnobirthing, so I wasn't really pushing I was breathing through the contractions. Birth position helps too look up thenakeddoula on Instagram

Perineal massage. The midwife also applied warm compresses to me during crowning. Tiny first degree tear. I would get a labor doula and express this fear. They can advocate for your birth plan.

I had prepped everything I could and got 3rd degree tear 😢

Only push when contracting, I saw a chiropractor all the way through for hip alignment, and I worked out 3 times a week until 2 weeks before birth, I had very minimal tearing and I believe it’s because I did a lot of these things , keep active.

I had a 2nd deg pushing on my back and a 1st deg tear pushing on my side. My midwives told me that birthing in sidelying is the best way to prevent tearing since your tailbone can extend and allow you to really open your pelvis. While it didn’t prevent tearing in my case, it truly wasn’t that bad. Bridget Teylor has excellent videos on YouTube about pushing to prevent tearing too!

With my three I only had labial grazing and then a minor tear on labia and then a slightly bigger one needing stitches on third. But my labours were also quick. 7.5,1.5hrs and 54mins . All natural but I think letting the contractions guide the pushing and when comes to crowning try to not ‘push’ immediately ease into it slowly like if doing a big poo. My last came out in 1 push so the only reason I think I tore more on labia was the quickness of the labour. Position helps a lot. I was in a bath, kneeling or seated on toilet for my three births

First baby I tore and needed stitches, second baby i did no prep and didnt tear at all

Things that are known to help with smoother deliveries: Warm compress, counter pressure, delivering in an upright position using gravity, laboring in water for as long as you can, focusing on letting your body do the work (relaxing into the contractions instead of tensing up), focusing on keeping your facial muscles relaxed and breathing through your contractions (floppy face, floppy fanny) I had an unassisted water birth w/ my first born. — 7 1/2 hours start to finish with natural grazing. Baby was 7.4 LBs 19.5 inches and was born in a standing position :) You can DM me if you have any questions! I can send you more tips that I utilized for a smooth delivery with my first and tips I’ll be using for my second 🤍

Thank you everyone for sharing your tips and experiences :)

Tons of good advice in the comments. Most of all, listen to your body and take your time crowning! It’s intense but worth it. Trying to be upright or hands and knees, at the very least side lying, will help your whole pelvis open and put less pressure on the perineum. I had a little rugburn with my first (side lying on hospital bed, 7lb13oz) nothing with my second (kneeling waterbirth, 9lb2oz). Might be silly but as Ina May says, men’s genitals grow and stretch a wild amount, and women’s do even more. We are so made for this.

Also know that your body is designed to tear if needed (like 1 degree, not all the way) Perineal massage and helpful birthing positioning can help a lot, but if you do all that and still tear a little, it’s okay. I know that we obviously don’t want to tear, and healing is more uncomfortable, but it is by natures design.