As a first time mum to be, I am terrified of tearing. I'm not that worried about the labor or the birth, but of tearing and needing stitches. Some of the things I've read about stitches and the pain afterwards sound awful, so I am glad I've come across this thread.

Just wondering what the options are aside from birthing on your back? I've heard of standing or squatting, but doesn't this make it difficult for the catcher? Are most OB's happy to let you birth in a position other than on your back?

As you can see I'm pretty naive when it comes to this stuff, any tips you can give about alternate positions would be great.

Sorry aimz, I hope I haven't hijacked your thread