Did you tear?
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I did most of my pushing on hands and knees (what felt good to me) but i think i pushed the head out on my back both times? I had minor tearing, it was never a big issue thankfully.
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On my back (I had an epidural) and had a 2nd degree tear. I also had a really fast birth.
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I had an epi but did most of my pushing on my side. I gave birth on my back, but sitting as opposed to reclined. I had a 2nd degree tear but my little had a 90% plus head.
My ob required I actually push out the baby on my back which is ridiculous and for their convenience. I loved my ob but I would fight this if you want to give birth in another position
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I gave birth on my back twice, but in more of a sitting position than laying. I only required one stitch for #1 and no tearing at all for #2. I had an epidural and labored down for both, only 20-30 minutes of pushing for each.
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@mamabear87- So my husband always talks about what a big head he had as a baby/ kid and I never really put much though into it until after I got pregnant
Fingers crossed the baby doesn't get those genes 
I'm giving birth in a birth center and they're open to a ton of positions which is what prompted my question.
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I had epi's for both and pushed while on my back in reclined position. I had 2nd degree tear with LO1 and just scraping (dr called it "road rash") with LO2.
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On my back both times with my knees up by my head (a nurse helped hold one let and Hubs held the other). 2nd degree tears both times.
Baby #1 had a 38cm head (34cm is average), so I think that caused the tear. Baby #2 just caused the original tear to tear again. No issues healing though.
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On my back both times and no tear. I had small babies (5 lbs 13 oz and 6 lbs) though.
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On my side, with my husband holding my upper leg. I was assisted in a hospital by a midwife though. I think hands and knees would have worked well for me, but I was too exhausted at that point to hold myself in that position between contractions. I had minor tearing if I remember correctly.
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On my back (boo), 1st time very long labor and an epi, 2nd time very fast labor and no drugs at all--2nd degree tears both times.
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@oldschooolmama: lol I did the same thing. Hubby's whole family has heads on the larger side but my family has small. I was hoping for my genes or middle of the road but didn't get lucky.
It wasn't so bad! And you'll have awesome help with support from midwives at a birth center so I wouldn't worry too much! -
On my back sort of in a reclining position, one stitch internally. 7.5 lb baby.
Pretty much exactly what @kiddosc: wrote.
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Both times I ended up with epis after very long inductions and was in what my midwife jokingly called a “taco” position— on my back but not flat, leaning forward with my support people (dh and Mom) holding my legs up (and me holding my legs too). Not much tearing with either baby though both were small (bigger baby was 7lbs 1 oz)
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I pushed in a few different positions but in the end the only way I could get her head under the pubic bone was on my side with my top leg lifted. Once I was in that position and it was effective no way I was moving out of it. I had a small 2nd degree tear but I think that was partially because I didn't listen to the midwives when they told me to stop/slow down on pushing once she was crowning - I just wanted her OUT!
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On my back. Forceps, episotomy as a third degree tear.
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First baby: on my side, small tear
Second baby: upright on my knees, no tearing. -
On back, inclines.
For my second birth I was adamant I wanted to labor on my hands and knees because during my first birth that’s what I felt would have been effective, but because I had an epidural I couldn’t. With the second birth, it was so fast and while I was in transition I refused to get out of the fetal position. Once they moved me into my back immediately felt relief and it was time to start pushing. 21 minutes later she was born. No tearing.
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On my back both times. First time I tore pretty bad (and I was cut), 2nd time not as bad.
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On my back, just a few minor tears requiring 1-2 stitches. Weren't even classified as a tear.
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Pushed mostly on my side but actually delivered her on my back with the back of the bed raised up. No meds, no significant tearing.
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First: pushed for 3 hours on my back with people holding my legs. Ended up with a forceps delivery and 2nd degree tear/episiotomy. Cord was around his neck and he wasn’t descending like he should.
Second: started pushing involuntarily on my side with a peanut ball between my legs. He descended quickly and I moved to my back with stirrups supporting my legs. Minor tearing that required a few stitches.
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on my back both times, both times with an epi
first: baby was 7lb 13, and a 99th percentile + head, 1st degree tear 1 stitch. pushed 2 hours
second: baby was 8 lb 6, 40th percentile head, no tear. Pushed 30 min, but doc had me really slow down/ease up intensity of pushes at the end so I didn't tear -
On my back with an epi after laboring down for an hr or so and I pushed for an hr and had a second degree tear she was 7lbs 1oz with her cord once around her neck
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On my back with 2nd degree tears! Fast labor/delivery! 8 hrs total for my first! My OB said for our second get there asap!
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With DD1 I was sitting upright and I had a small internal tear. With DD2 I was forced to lay back because she got stuck. I delivered her with a nurse on top of me pushing on my stomach, while the OB grabbed and pulled DD. I tore very badly because it was an emergency.
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On my back both times, sort of sitting/ reclining. With my first I tried a few different positions and that by far felt the best and most productive. Longish labor, not very long pushing, some minor tearing requiring a few stitches but nothing major. I also had a vacuum assist with that one. No drugs.
Second one was a very fast labor and pushing, same position, similar amount of tearing.Both girls were fairly big (8+ lbs) with big heads.
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@oldschooolmama:
LO1: Not a positive story. Feel free to skip. I labored for days on hands and knees. I flipped to my back for a second when I reached 10cm to give my knees a break before pushing. LO’s heart rate dropped. The midwife wouldn’t let me go back to hands and knees. She chose a position at a 45 degree angle that she thought was best for baby. My body was screaming to me to flip over. I had never gotten a signal so strongly from my body before. I was pleading for it. Delivered cocked to the side 2nd degree tear. Ended up with some birth trauma over ignoring what my body was telling me. Logically I know LO is fine and I’m sure the midwife did exactly what she was supposed to do but it took a long time to process.LO2: I arrived at the hospital at 10cm, climbed up on hands and knees and announced it would be done that way. I didn’t turn around to meet the staff or sign my admitting forms until DS was born.
ETA: Both were unmedicated.
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Pushed for 3.5 hours on all fours and on my side. I had an epi so I guess they usually won't let you push like that. LO's heart rate would plummet on my back, though, so they let me try other positions which were better for him.
They had me actually deliver him on my back, though. I wish they would've let me stay on my side, but for whatever reason wouldn't.
Second degree tear. I was sore for a few weeks but nothing crazy.
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On my back. I wish I knew the specifics of my tearing, but all I remember is that the doctor said, "You've had some tearing." Hahaha. I did push too fast at the end, so that could've done it.
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Both of mine were on my back, both with Epis (turned off at that point), both 3rd degree tears and internal scraping...the tearing was more attributed to the speed I delivered them. DD1 was about 3 contractions worth of pushes, DD2 was maybe 2 pushes total...
My Dr said I stood no chance at not tearing with them coming that fast.
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@oldschooolmama: Have you read any of Ina May's books? I feel like she focuses a lot on how to prevent tearing (and staying comfortable in general)
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On my back, holding my own legs. I had an epidural.
Third degree tear. (95th percentile head, 8 lb 1 oz baby).
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On my back for my first (epidural), 2.5 hours of pushing and I ended up with episiotomy, I was standing up to deliver my second and he practically dropped out (i barely pushed!) but he was almost ten pounds so I had quite a bad 2nd degree tear.
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On my back with a strong epidural so it was the only position I could do as I couldn’t feel from my thighs down and couldn’t be manoeuvres any other way as my legs weighed 5 million pounds...The Mcroberts position is in my notes. Midwife said I’d have to lie down to push the baby under my pubic bone. 1.45 hours of pushing.
Had a 2nd degree episiotomy done by the midwife to prevent what she said would be a really bad tear, she thought 4th degree.
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On my back, epidural, small babies, fast pushing (10-15 mins) -- tore a little with my first but only had what my OB described as "a little road rash" with my second two. I did have stitches with all births.
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I made it to 9.5cm then got an epidural. So I pushed on my back. I had one "microtear" and no stitches. 8lb 13oz baby boy.
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on my back, naturally with each girl. 45 minutes of pushing the first time, maybe 5-7 the next time. just needed a couple stitches each time.
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I labored standing up and on hands/knees with my first. Delivered on my back and had a first degree tear. I labored standing with my second and she came very quickly. I delivered on my back because the OB made me and I did not have any tears with her. I did hemorrhage though, as she came too quickly to expel everything.
Fingers crossed the baby doesn't get those genes 
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