Question re stitching and homebirth

[gypsy79]

Some friends and I were talking about homebirths the other day, and someone asked what happens if you need to be stitched? Does the midwife do it, or do you have to be transferred to hospital? Possibly a silly question, but one I didn't know the answer to.

TIA

[meow]

The MW can do it. Or you could always choose not to be stitched

[Arimeh]

Yeah the midwives do it. I had a "house" birth (bahahaha) and my midwife checked me for tears but thankfully none were bad enough to need stitching

[Alan]

Yes the Midwife will stitch you if needed

[2CheekyMonkeys]

interesting.. why is it that they only let the drs do that in the hospital then?

[PumpkinZulu]

Because doctors have big egos

[feeb]

A lot of hospitals MW stitch up woman after a birth and they only get Dr's to stitch if a large complicated 2nd degree tear or a 3rd or 4th.

[gypsy79]

Thanks everyone. My initial response was that I assumed the midwife would do it, or possibly that some women would choose not to be stitched. Good to know I was on the mark!

[Midwife Melissa]

interesting.. why is it that they only let the drs do that in the hospital then?

Women tend to have larger tears in hospital than in homebirths. Hospital birth = usually birthing on your back in bed with directed pushing = more tears and larger tears that the dr sutures. Homebirth = upright birth positions and physiological pushing = intact perineum, or just a small tear that your midwife can stitch. If it was a larger tear your midwife would transfer you to hospital for stitches.

[Tegam]

Most MW can do it or call one that can!

But mine supported and suggested that i didnt stitch my 2nd degree and it healed quickly and nicely. I only tore as it was a 10min labour!

[Alan]

I have only needed to stitch 1 homebirth mum. All the others either didn't tear or the tear was too small to need stitching

[meow]

mine supported and suggested that i didnt stitch my 2nd degree and it healed quickly and nicely.

Same I am SO glad I wasn't stitched. Who knows why I tore in water, upright and breathing through crowning though!