OK, I want the truth!

[sasha]

We went to our first antenatal class last night. Here's the thing: the midwife made me fairly uncomfortable on two points - that everybody tears to some degree (it's a birth centre so they don't do epi, which I'm fine with) and that when you're in transition you will vomit.

I HATE vomiting! I mean, that's how I react to pain, so I guess I'm kind of resigned to the fact that at some stage I might. But is it a given that I will?

Also, I'm reading up on perineal massage and I intend to start it (she did recommend this) but I guess I just figured that you don't absolutely have to tear, and I kind of wanted to be one of those women who didn't!!! I also find it disturbing that you could tear so much... surely a fourth degree tear is a sign that something terrible is going on, and someone (the person who's looking after you) is not doing their job properly... or am I just being naive there? I really don't mean offence to any midwives who've had this happen, I honestly don't know if it's possible to stop it.

So, is it true? Should I expect vomit and tearing? Or should I hold onto the hope that I might not?

[mooshie]

i vomited during transition with my first and believe me i have a HUGE vomit phobia, but it didn't seem to worry me cause dh dealt with it pmsl i was so far gone (i go a bit silly during transition) i didn't care. with my 2nd no vomitting during transition but nearly after the birth as i went to get up off the bed to quickly and 3rd nothing everything was normal

[Trillian]

I never vomited during transition, althought I did have stages where I thought I could vomit kwim? and liked to have a dish handy. As for tearing, some women don't ever tear at all, some only graze and others do tear or require an episiotomy. I think she was making some gross generalisations.

[Angel]

Geez I don't like the sound of that midwife LOL! I ended up with a small tear but going by the birth stories I've read on here a lot of women don't tear at all. Being informed & prepared and having good support during birth will help a lot with that I think. I'll be starting perineal massage at about 32-33w this time around too, and hopefully during birth will be able to get into positions that will minimise that chances of tearing. Also, I didn't vomit during transition. The only time I felt like vomitting during labour was in the early stages when I scoffed down my dinner too quickly between contractions LOL.

So I don't think you should expect those things to happen. Sure, some women experience them but there's a good chance you won't.

[wardygirl]

I could slap her with a wet dish cloth! She can't generalise like that!!!!

I never vomited at all with either birth! So dismiss that one. Some people might, but I didn't and I was at my godson's birth and my g/f didn't vomit either.

I tore with both births but I'm still alive and living to tell the tale. Not everyone tears either.

Take it all with a grain of salt.

[~Flossie~]

Hi.. i didnt vomit with either labour, and i only had a small tear with my 2nd birth. I was one of the "lucky" woman who didnt tear when birthing ( for my 1st chlid), but to be honest the stiches i had with my 2nd child were painless and i didnt have any pain downstairs.. all the best, you will be fine.. what will be will be.

[poppet]

In my last labour
i didnt vomit
i didnt tear - there were slight tears, but no stitches required .....

[sasha]

Thank you, I love you all!! From what I had read I thought it was a generalisation too. But you know, sometimes you think, well, she's the midwife and has delivered hundreds of babies, and I've never given birth to one... so it's nice to hear some alternative experiences! You've helped put my mind at rest!

[BellyBelly]

sasha,

I can't believe she said that because I can tell you, not only from my births but the births I witness, not everyone does one or both of those things! I really loathe hospital ante-natal (or should I say anti-natal) classes. The woman I just supported had classes in a Private Melbourne hospital and she told me the classes were predominantly about drugs in the labour part. When mentioning it to the midwife in labour, the answer, 'unfortunately thats what most women coming here do want, many want epidurals the minute they walk in.'

With crap like that I am not surprised. I am a fan of the Pink Kit, they are more meaningful education lessons that you can do in your own home. It has lots of great feedback and successes and includes a section on internal work, which is not like the massage they teach you which can be rough for some people. If you can get a copy you will be glad you did - even teaches you how to feel the bones in your pelvis so you can work out your own unique pelvis shape, and what positions and tricks will work best for your unique pelvis in labour. Very clever.

[Rouge]

Oh please someone deserves to give that woman a good slap. I hate people that scare monger about birth! GEEEEEEZE!

No 2 people will EVER birth the same way... I never vomitted during transition, nor did I tear. And I had a VBAC and a 9lber!

My advice is if you want to prevent something educate yourself, if you want to increase your chances to get the birth you want, educate yourself.

Goodluck!

*hugs*
Cailin

[Tracey]

I vomited when in labour with maddy but it was because my wtaers had broken days earlier I hadnt slept in more than 2 days & was literally exhausted & had been gasping air so apparently I had dried & cracked a vein in my throat which caused me to vomit a bit of blood!
I tore with Maddy too, but I had no idea til they siad I would require a few stitches, I didnt vomit with Indah & I had scoffed into Pizza at 6:30 pm & she was born 6 hours later, I had an epi with her as she stopped breathing & had swallowed some meconium & needed to be born, again I didnt feel it & was just glad my babies were both born & safe!

Good Luck, I think it was a mass generalisation!

[Fi]

I had an episiotomy with my first labour (forceps delivery), and didn't vomit during transition, even though in retrospect it was while the epidural was going in
With the second birth I didnt vomit at all (although I was close to it afterwards with the painkillers they gave me for afterpains) and even with an episiotomy scar and a quick natural birth, I didn't tear at all. I had a minor graze that felt a little sore each time I weed for about 3 days, and that was all.
The midwife was a bit surprised when she found out after the birth that I had a scar which was completely fine. I did minimal perenial massage too.

[Nelle]

I wouldn't worry to much, what will be will be, and vomiting and small tears aren't that bad anyway. I spewed once while I was getting out of the bath to leave the hospital, and I tore and didn't realise it til they said I'd have to get out of the bath super quick cos they had to stitch me up (I was losing a bit of blood).
Did you say you were going to a birth centre? Do they do waterbirths? I wonder if the water was why I didn't realise I tore..?

All the best, and honestly don't worry about it, you don't worry about the spew and tears for long, especially once your gorgeous baby is in your arms

[simone]

My first i required an episiotomy, but only because his head was stuck (40.5cm head). My second i has 2 miniscule grazes. I've never felt nauseous during labour at any time. A little light headed, but thats it. I found drinking a lot of little sips of water helped me alot. between every contraction DH would put the straw to my lips and i would have a few sips. HTH

[Astrid]

I vomitted through most of my labour, so most likely through transition as well. Can't tell you on the tearing as I ended up with an emergency c-section.

[AnyDream]

Hello, definitely no vomiting from me any time through a long and horrible labour!

However, I tore quite significantly, in my case it was a combination of having to get a distressed baby out as quickly as possible plus a larger than usual head circumference (ouch!!). However I would have to say that I didn't feel the tearing at the time (for me the pain of the actual contractions were stronger than any of the sensations involved in stage 2) but it did however take quite a long time to heal afterwards. Lots of women never tear!!
:-)

[visitor1]

I never vomitted what so ever......i was told i possibly might vomit....but only because i was using gas.....not because i was in transition.....

And i only tore because Chelsea come flying out as i didnt hear the Dr say stop pushing. It wasnt a nasty tear....yes i did have stitches....but it wasnt a severe tear.

That midwife sounds useless....no wonder women walk into labour so scared and their mind not at ease. All i can suggest is, do your research and just take all advice and take other peoples personal experiances on board. No two labours will be the same.....so dont take every word off your midwife as gospel....

GOOD LUCK

[MrsBump]

I have never vomited whilst in labour... But i have had grazes. They wernt too bad but they did hurt when i weed for a few days. plus i have quick labours, my longest from start to finish is 4hrs 55mins.