How to prevent vaginal tearing during childbirth?
The birthing process can be a mixture of emotional and physical stress, in which even natural injuries can develop. However, while it is perfectly natural for tearing to occur during the delivery of a child, there are instances in which a doctor’s interference can produce even more significant, more painful damage to the mother’s body. In these instances, it is possible that this negligence can lead to a painful healing process following what should otherwise be a great moment of relief and happiness, as well as additional hospital attention and treatment expenses.
Whenever a physician contributes to the pain and suffering of a patient, it is commonly understood that some incident of negligence has occurred. In cases of pregnancy neglect, a combination of misuse of resources or inadequate delivery techniques can result in a severe rupture in or around the uterus.
Tears develop with differing levels of severity. For some, tearing can consist solely of a skin-deep wound that rips only a single layer of tissue. For others, the tissue damage goes more in-depth, and recovery is significantly more intense. In the worst scenarios, a tear can be a severe medical condition that can require treatment options to manage both the pain and the potential complications to the body. However, this final level of tearing is exceptionally rare.
A tear during childbirth during labor can cause considerable pain and discomfort at work and after work. Is there anything you can do during pregnancy and during delivery to avoid getting a tear at birth?
In this article, I will explain some tips that you can take to prevent tearing during birth.
What Is A Tear of Childbirth?
The tears of childbirth are natural tears in the skin that occur during birth. They are more common when the delivery is assisted by a suction cup or a pair of pliers or if the baby is in distress and the medical team has to act quickly to ensure that the baby suffers as little as possible. They are also considered more likely if the mother has an episiotomy (a cut medically applied to the walls of the vagina to speed up delivery). It used to be the case that an episiotomy would reduce the chances of tearing.
Related: EPISIOTOMY DURING CHILDBIRTH: IS IT BETTER THAN TEARING?
Why Prevent Childbirth Tears?
Although many tears may be less severe with a minimum of long-term complications, tears such as first or second-degree tears, more severe tears of the third or fourth grade can cause significant pain and discomfort. They can lead to swelling, immobility, infections and, in the most severe cases, incontinence and pain during sexual intercourse.
So, if you can do something to reduce or prevent the risk of tearing during childbirth, you should do it.
Tips For Preventing Tearing During Birth
The first thing that must be done, relatively early in your pregnancy, is to discuss the risk of rupture with your midwife during labor. Explain that you want to do everything to prevent this and ask him for help. You should especially ask him to explain how pelvic floor muscles can reduce your risk of rupture and how to perform a perineal massage to improve the flexibility of the perineum. Below is the list:
Perineal Massage
You need to do a perineal massage for about five to ten minutes a day from the 34th week during your pregnancy period. This can assist to stretch the perineum so that it tears less quickly at birth.
Prepare your body
It sounds likely, but it is crucial to ensure that your body is prepared for work. Follow a healthy diet and, if your doctor gives you the green light, take daily exercise in your routine during pregnancy. Exercise improves blood circulation, which improves the elasticity of the skin, while proper nutrition and proper hydration promote healthy skin and muscles.
Related: THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY
Pelvic muscles
You also need to do pelvic floor exercises during your pregnancy. Although these are mainly used to tighten and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, this also means that you know if your pelvic floor muscles are relaxed. This is important because during labor if you can relax this muscle as you push (fighting the natural tendency to straighten it), the risk of rupture decreases.
Summary
Around 90% of women experience vaginal tears that occur during labor. These are only small tips, but if you take them and prevent tearing during birth, you will have saved from a massive amount of stress, anxiety, and pain.
