water birth question?

[jess live die]

hello all i was wondering if water births are meant to help wen birthing so u dnt tear?
is that true? i dont know anything about water births

[Trillian]

You can still tear during a water birth if you don't have good perenium management - just like you wont necessarily tear during a 'land' birth. There are still no gurantees about it no matter what you do, but you can certainly give yourself the best chance of not tearing by using perenial massage, warm compresses during the birth, slow birth of the baby's head etc, upright birthing positions.

[jess live die]

i never tore with my daughters and never had a water birth but i had heard some ppl bring it up so i throught id ask

[sunshine_sieben]

I had a water birth and I had a small labial tear. Nothing major, but they gave me 3 stitches for "aesthetic reasons" - to make sure it grows together nicely as my tear was in the labia, sort of near the clitoris.
Waterbirth doesn't guarantee no tears. Nothing can. But the warm water has been credited with making the skin more pliable and stretchy possibly reducing the number and severity of the tear. The main advantage of a waterbirth is the pain management (and boy did it make a difference for me). And yes, birthing the baby's head slowly does reduce the chance of a tear, too. I thik the reason why I tore is that I was getting a little frustrated with pushing and pushing and DD's head just going back after every effort. So I decided to do an almighty push although I had been feeling the stretching sensation. I felt myself tear, but I also felt the head come out. I'm not sure whether I would have torn had I given it more time. I might still have. Who knows.
Honestly, I don't think tearing is as bad as it is often made out to be. It didn't bother me one bit that I tore. But that is easy to say seeing that it wasn't a bad tear.

Sasa

[hugaheart]

i had my first child a few months ago in the water and i was lazy and did no massage or anyhting. I only had grazing (no stiches needed) from what i've heard people still tear, there is usually less tearing but alot of that has to do with being slightly more relaxed, taking your time and having a good midwife helping you

[aimeesmum]

I had a waterbirth and only had two small grazes that didn't need sutures.
I read in a Waterbirth book that 3rd and 4th degree tears are very, very rare in a waterbirth and I think in general that it just helps prevent tearing. Makes sense really - I had been sitting in the birthpool for almost 5 hours when DD was born so something would have softened!
Waterbirths are great for so many reasons!!

[Kitt3n]

do they constantly add more warm water?

I am scared of it getting cold!

[Janie]

Cat, my poor DH had to keep letting some water out and running more hot in, because if it wasn't just the right temperature I would complain (loudly!). Mind you, he couldn't win because if he let too much water out I would complain also This was while he was rubbing my lower back during contractions as well (and it was a deep bath). I say he should become a midwife, he was that good

[Lulu2]

At the birth centre they took the temp of the water often and added hot as needed.
I think its also the fact you can relax so much (!) and take some weight/pressure off your body in the water, that helps with tearing etc.

[Kitt3n]

thanks janie and lulu - i am pretty much sold anyway - booking in next week

what will you go with jess?

[erinjacob]

i had my 1st 2 in hospital tore an had 2 an 3 stitches, i had my biggest baby 9p at home in water an didnt tear or graze same with my 4th baby i think it does realy help.