Q&A: The Unknowns of Labor, Baby’s Position, and Tearing During Birth.
Have you been wondering how to navigate the unknowns of labor? Are you fearful of your baby being in a poor position or tearing during birth?
If thinking about the labor and birth process has you feeling nervous, this episode is for you!
In this episode, we answer these three questions:
How do you navigate the unknowns of labor, especially with an unmedicated birth?
If you had a malpositioned baby, how likely is it to happen a second time and how do these positions affect unmedicated birth?
How can I get past the fear of tearing during birth?
For these Q&A episodes, I will answer all of the burning questions from my audience.
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Question 1: In relation to unmedicated birth, how do you navigate the unknowns of labor (how long labor will be, the time between contractions, etc.)?
Regardless of if you birth unmedicated or with an epidural or other medication, there are going to be unknowns to navigate. Birth is unpredictable but that’s one reason I feel it’s so important to fully educate yourself on the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. Honestly, I think navigating the unknown really has to do with your mindset surrounding birth and trusting that it is a process that will look different for everyone and for every birth. In relation to medicated vs. unmedicated, remember that there is “unknown” with medicated births too. Epidurals can fail, be too strong, or not be strong enough. Just because you’re getting an epidural does not mean your labor or birth will be predictable. For unmedicated birth, just take it one contraction or wave at a time. Assess your mind and your body and what you need throughout labor. Be open to doing what your body and mind need, even if it is different from what you expected or planned.
Question 2: If you had a malpositioned baby, how likely is it to happen again? How do these “bad” positions affect unmedicated birth?
The reasoning for the malposition is a big factor. The position of baby has a lot to do with mom’s positioning and movement throughout pregnancy and birth. Do you recline and cross your legs often? It’s possible your pelvis may be misaligned (chiropractic care can help with this). Were you confined to the bed during labor? Staying in one position, especially on your back in a bed, is not going to allow you to move in ways that ultimately help your baby move as well. If you were up and moving around, were you changing positions often enough? Positions changes should happen about every 20-30 minutes in labor OR when it feels right to you and your body.
Having an unmedicated labor and birth can actually help with poor positioning because your body is able to respond to the poor positions and move in a way to help the baby get into a better position. If the baby is still having issues repositioning (if they are posterior, for example), contractions MAY be more intense. It is still possible to birth a posterior baby, it can just be a bit more work and may take longer.
Question 3: How can I get past the fear of tearing during birth?
First, ask yourself WHY you are fearful of tearing. Is it the pain? The concern of prolonged pelvic floor issues? Tearing is one of the primary concerns I hear women talk about when it comes to birth and I have never understood why people are so worried about it. Sometimes it is just what your body needs to do to birth your baby and can be a completely normal part of the process. Severe tears (3rd and 4th degree) occur in anywhere from 2-7% of births and this percentage decreases with each vaginal birth. I personally had a second-degree tear with my VBAC and never even noticed it during birth or the postpartum period.
Remember, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of tearing such as slow and controlled mother-led pushing (not coached pushing), pushing in positions that allow gravity to assist, perineal massage or warm compress, and waiting until your body is ready to push. But even with taking these steps, some your perineum may tear regardless of what you do to prevent it. Birth is not void of sensations, pain, or discomfort. Your body will do what it needs to do to get your baby out.
As far as pelvic floor issues, I will note, that you can have prolonged pelvic floor issues simply from being pregnant and even if you have a c-section. They are not exclusive to vaginal births that involved tearing. That is one reason why pelvic floor therapy is so important during pregnancy, postpartum, and even years after birth.
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