How to Avoid Tearing During Birth – The #1 Mistake Most Mamas Make

In today’s episode of Oh Baybee!, I’m talking to first-time pregnant mamas who are ready to give birth and start breastfeeding with confidence. We’re uncovering the #1 mistake most mamas make that increases their risk of tearing during birth — and I’ll give you the actionable steps you need right now to flip the script and prepare your body the right way.

• Protect Your Perineum, Heal Faster and Feel Confident in Birth
  How NOT To Tear During Birth: https://www.birthprepacademy.com/offers/cJxTFwFo/checkout

If you’re ready to move beyond fear and confusion and get real, actionable birth prep that works, go check out the Bump To Bundle Blueprint today. Share this episode with a friend who’s pregnant, and subscribe so you don’t miss Day 2 of the challenge tomorrow!

Transcript

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Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founder and CEO of Birth Prep Academy. I'm on a mission to help pregnant moms prepare for their first hospital birth. I'm sharing revealing conversations about what it really takes to successfully transition into motherhood. So join me. Here to discover things like what to expect in childbirth, how to prepare for your birth. We'll also talk about breastfeeding and so much more. I'm so grateful to share it all with you right here on Oh Baby, the podcast created for pregnant moms preparing for their first hospital birth. Let's get started. okay, let's be real for a second. Every pregnant mama has one major fear when it comes to giving birth tearing. Yes, and here's the thing, it's not just about luck or genetics. Most tears actually happen because of one huge mistake that almost every first time mom makes during pushing. So today I'm gonna tell you exactly what that mistake is and what you can do instead to protect your perineum. Also, what you could do to. Keep your recovery easier and to feel confident during birth. So stay with me because once you know this, you'll never think about pushing the same way again. Now, before I tell you what that mistake is, let me paint a quick picture. Imagine this, you're in labor, your baby is crowning. You've been pushing for maybe about 45 minutes, and your nurse or doctor is telling you to push harder to just go, go, go. So what do you do? You take a deep breath, you hold it, bear down and push like your life depends on it. It feels powerful, but it's also the exact thing that could be setting you up to tear. So here's what's actually happening in your body when you push like that. That type of pushing is what we call directed pushing, or I've referred to it in other videos as purple pushing. Now this kind of pushing causes a ton of pressure in your perineum and vaginal tissues, right before they've had time to stretch. And we like to say gradually, right? Your baby's head puts intense pressure on tissues that are already swollen and tight, kind of like stretching a rubber band too fast, and then that rubber band just snap. Research shows that women who practice spontaneous pushing, meaning that you are pushing when your body tells you to not, when someone's counting to 10. Those women who. Actually practice that have lower rates of severe tearing and better oxygen flow to the baby. So that whole notion of just push harder. All that advice, yeah, that's the one mistake that most moms are making, and it is totally avoidable once you understand your body's cues. So what should you do instead? Well. I'm glad you asked and you've watched to this point, because here's the game plan number one, I want you to listen to your body. When you feel that natural urge to bear down, that's your body saying, okay, now, go ahead, push. It's powerful, it's instinctive, and much gentler on your peria. Number two, I want you to change your position. Lying flat on your back actually makes tearing more likely. So I want you to try positions that push you away from leaning totally flat on your back and positions that will help your pelvis open up and give baby more space to come down. Okay, number three are warm compresses. Now a warm compress is simply a warm cloth that can be applied to the perineum during pushing. And studies have also shown that doing this reduces tears significantly. It helps your tissues to relax and it also increases the blood flow. So a warm compress, as simple as it is, could make a big difference. Number four, slow it down. Especially when you're crowning, when you start to feel that ring of fire, right? That's what we call it, the ring of fire. That's your clue to breathe through it instead of just push through it, right? Your care provider can help guide baby's head out gently, and also it will give your tissues a chance to stretch. And mama, listen. If you're sitting here and you're thinking, okay, but how am I supposed to remember all of this when I'm literally in labor? Well, that's exactly why birth prep matters because you can't learn calm breathing, proper pushing, and perineal protection while you're in the middle of contractions. You've got to prepare beforehand, like training for a marathon, not a sprint. Your body was designed to birth your baby safely, and you just need to learn how to work with it and not against it. When you understand your body's cues and you know exactly what to do during pushing, then you protect your body. You shorten your recovery, and you walk away with birth. Feeling strong, not sore, and not traumatized. Now, if this hit home for you, then I don't want you to stop here because I go way deeper inside of my mini course, how not to tear during birth. Inside, I'll show you exactly what to do during pregnancy and labor to protect your perineum, including three, pushing mistakes that no one talks about, the exact positions that make tearing less likely, and the proven perineal prep routine that helps your body stretch before labor ever begins. Doing this kind of birth prep says to everyone that you're not leaving it to chance, you're actually preparing with confidence. Head to the link in the description to grab your spot today. Trust me, you will definitely thank yourself later Now in the next episode, I'm gonna be talking about something that every pregnant mom has heard at least once. Kegels are good for birth, except what if I told you Kegels might actually be making labor harder? Well, in the next video I'm breaking down why Kegels could be working against you and what to do to actually prepare your pelvic floor the right way. So go ahead and click that video. I'll see you there. I.