Mel- dont really have experience with positioning etc but with my DS i was stuck on a bed (being post date they broke my water and he had a monitor clip on his head) He was 7lbs 10 and i had bad tearing... i asked how many stiches and they told me "continuious". I only had a quick labour so i wasnt really pushing for a long time but from reading a few posts i think it may have been from only being able to lay down???

Hopeing this time round i can actually try a different labour position to avoid such bad tearing.

Good luck