what can you do to prevent tearing during birth...if anything?

Kegel exercises (at least 3 sets of 30 per day) and perineal massage (start at around 32 weeks or before). This is the best way to avoid it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4868427_massage-perineum-d...

There really isn't anything that can DEFINITELY prevent tearing during birth that I know of because It depends on how the birth goes and the force of pushing and size of the baby. The only thing I could suggest is to do kegel exercises which help strengthen the area down there. I was told to do them just every so often, and when you go to the bathroom i was told that if you stop and go with your pee about ten times and each time you stop it you hold it for like three seconds it works.

For instance, with my baby I had an easy pregnancy and labor and when it came to giving birth I only tore a small amount and needed two stitches but I did kegel exercises for the last few months up until birth. But then I know someone who did them from the start and tore a whole bunch. So I think it just depends on your body, and your baby.

Good luck though! And congrats!!

Preventing tears & Episiotomys during childbirth

Make sure with your hospital that they do median rather than mediolateral episiotomies (a cut from the bottom of the vagina straight down the rectum rather than oblique cut from the bottom of the vagina towards the buttock)

Push ONLY when the urge comes, not when someone is just telling you to. Some women like to push two or three times, taking a quick breath between them.

Perineal Massage-it helps by improving the stretch and give of the tissue, improves circulation of blood, relaxation of the tissue and the elasticity. Use warm cold-pressed olive oil or apricot oil. This can be started about from four to six weeks prior to your estimated due date

During pushing frequently apply by hand some cold-pressed apricot oil (or any cold-pressed oil) on your perineum and surrounding tissues to help keep it soft and supple

Position can play an important part in labour including a more progressive labour, less tearing and less need for an intervention. Being upright or on all fours would be the best suggested positions as lying flat on your back makes the entrance of your pelvis the smallest possible which is NOT ideal for a mother or baby during birth. Look up on active birth.

Warm compress, have a warm compress on your perineum during crowning either with comfortably [warm enough that it's bearable on you forearm] warm water on it or some warm cold-pressed apricot oil. If you're in a hospital the water will often won't be warm enough so you may need to make a trip to the kettle and and a dash of cold. Make sure you always test the temperature on your forearm, if you can keep it there comfortably for a moment without burning then you're good to go.

Relax your face and jaw muscles as much as you can during pushing

When the baby's head is about to come out, you slow down your pushing as much as possible- Make sure the midwife you will be getting will be "guiding" you through it to help prevent a tear

This is probably a long shot for any hospital births as there is normally a bunch or strangers there you've never there watching you BUT if you feel comfortable you can stimulate your clitoris as the baby emerges. This seems to increase vaginal engorgement, which may explain on "The Farm" they have NEVER seen even the slightest laceration in a woman who has used this method of relaxation during birth

If making noise helps you as you push, keep your sound in the lowest register possible, so that it vibrates the lower part of your body.

An Epi-No is a great device that does the perineal stretching for you, so if you don't feel comfortable doing it by hand or feel you can't do it "properly" then this is probably better, although they do come at a price BUT you can get them cheaper on eBay for NEW and second-hand. Take a look at there site for free information packages and a statistics graph comparing to general perineal stretching by hand and other Epi-No devices.

Now don't quote me on this, but I do recall someone telling me (I think it was a doula) that massaging vaseline in that area softens it and prevents excessive tearing. However, tearing is inevitable, I believe. And this massaging of the vaseline must be done on a consistent basis for days (maybe a night time ritual before going to bed), not just the night prior going into the hospital.

Im 36 weeks pregnant and in my childbirth class I was told to do Kegel excersises I think she said to do a 100 or 1000! can't remember but she said they help alot to prevent tearing so im doing it!!! Good luck you should try doing them

There isn't anything you can do to prevent it. But it's really not a big deal. You get sewn up and within a few weeks, you're good as new.

Kegel exercises and squats! They aren't a guarantee, of course, but it'll lower your chances.

you can massage the perinium (sp?) area and when the babys head is coming out, let it stretch teh area out a little bit before pushing too hard