It’s time for another Home Birth Journal Entry – where a local mama takes us along her journey of pregnancy & being a client of The Pittsburgh Midwife. #thehomebirthjournalentries are submitted entries. Want to submit yours? Make sure you are a part of our newsletter list by clicking here.
““But what if you tear?”
This is the most common, and often the first question that I get asked when I tell people that I am having a home birth.
Followed up by “But if you go to the hospital, the doctor can give you an episiotomy”. (This statement comes from those who know that my first birth resulted in a third-degree tear because I was forced to push on my back)
First, let’s talk about episiotomies – An episiotomy can be one of the unnecessary & harmful procedures because many times it causes more serious tearing. IN FACT, it is stated that routine episiotomies are no longer recommended due to the arguments that episiotomies can preserve pelvic floor function & protect the baby’s brain during delivery have been proven FALSE.
Second, let it be known that tearing during a homebirth is less of a risk than at the hospital. Why? It’s simple – you won’t have a team of nurses/doctors screaming at you to push when your body isn’t ready/you aren’t fully dilated.
Did you know that 79% of women who deliver vaginally experience tearing? MOST tears are naturally shallow injuries that don’t require stitches and can heal on their own.
Tearing can easily be prevented by honoring the resting phase of labor – the time between the end of transition and before your body urges you to push.
The instinctual urge to bear down when the baby is low enough in the birth canal will trigger the natural fetal ejection reflex. Use soft, blowing breaths, avoid lying on your back, and go for a water birth if you are concerned about tearing.
When you are looking for the right provider, you can always ask about their episiotomy rates.”
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Tune in next week for another Home Birth Journal entry & don’t forget to sign up for The Pittsburgh Midwife newsletter list by clicking the button below.