Birth Plan- Anyone who already has children have they had a positive natural birth ? I’m going for natural birth as possible with just gas and air ( maybe epidural ) if worst comes to worst. I’m just worried about the tears with natural
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@Lisa Thank you ☺️
I had a natural/vaginal birth. It was my plan but also I was ‘lucky’ to have a fast birth with no option for epidural etc. but I tried a bit of gas and air and hated it as it gave me a drunk feeling and I was scared I wouldn’t remember him being born 🤦♀️😂 so I stopped it My boy had a nice 98th centile head plus I pushed hard to get his head out to get the pain over with and so I tore. I didn’t feel the tear at all when it happened or really in recovery. I had a labial tear on each side and up to clitoris which isn’t the usual perineum tear you hear about. A consultant had to come up to the birth centre to stitch it due to the sensitivity of the area. But honestly it was more I hate needles that meant I didn’t enjoy the stitches. And all ok now I have full sensation etc 😁 This time I’m aiming for the same non medication wise with hypnobirthing breathing. Minus the tear I hope still. But always going to be open to more medication if I need it! No one gives you a medal I learnt ❤️
@Ciara Thank you with stitches do they dissolve naturally eventually once healed and how long do you usually have them in just Incase this happened ? Xx
Yes dissolved naturally. I not sure how long they were even there to be honest. I just used water and dabbed to clean myself for 10-14 days as a precaution. I didn’t look down there to be fair
Most tears tend to heal with 5 - 14 days depending on the severity and well cared for they are. If you have any concerns with your healing you can always ask your midwife to check them when she visits postnatally if you needed.
I had a natural birth for my first, home birth no epidural, no gas and air, land birth. I had a very small tear and needed a couple stitches. Honestly recovery was completely fine and the stitches went away on their own. I rested loads after the birth tho!
Natural and what I’ll say is try not to think about it too much, you’ll know what you want to do once doing through labour. I didn’t want an epidural but was open to it and took it very quickly as I couldn’t deal with the pain! My waters broke at home though so I think this is why I was in so much pain so early on. My birth was intervention and they ended up cutting me twice to get my baby out but it heeled really nicely and I didn’t feel a thing.
With your birth plan, I'd suggest adding in an intervention / c-section plan to the end of it setting out when each intervention is needed what your wants are - hopefully everything goes to the original birth plan, but having these backup plans really helps for feeling in control of the eventual outcome if it doesn't all go to the first plan 😅 From someone who planned a no-meds water birth, and had a c-section - having a c-section plan meant I came out of it feeling happy and positive about the outcome in the end, rather than scared/traumatised as many other ladies I know have been. There's also some cool choices you can make ahead of time, like music in the theatre rooms, delayed clamping, PICO dressing and so on, which is so worth doing. I do hope it all goes well and you won't need it in the end 🙏 x
My birth plan is no major plan. 🤣 Nothing went to schedule last time
@Holly thank you that’s a good idea too deffo will add c section on x
@Rebecca thank you
I'm on my 4th baby now, all my births have been natural vaginal births, and 2 were home births. I have very detailed birth plans because I don't want to talk when in my birthing zone. I used hypnobirthing, and water to birth in. Most important is relaxing your shoulders and jaw, learning up and down breathing, no forced pushing and definitely no laying on your back to birth, be upright/on all 4s or squatting, baby will birth easily, and you won't tear. Have a wonderful birth 😊
You’re less likely to tear in a home birth or MLU
I've had two natural vaginal births, both with gas and air only. They were both very different but both still perfectly normal and generally positive experiences. Labour is hard work, of course, but you can get through it. With one I had a small tear and for one I had a small episiotomy - I didn't feel either of these happening at the time and have no recollection of them at all so it's not something I worry about!