Tearing vs. episiotomy..your experience?

[Accounts2010]

Well they cut me to stop me tearing, but I tore anyway!

The cut took about 2 weeks to heal, and was the most painful of the lot. Was about 16 days before i could go to the bathroom without taking paracetamol before hand. It was uncomfortable, and walking for the first week or so was so tender, but its worth it!

The tear healed more quickly, think it was about a week.

 

[staralfur]

I think there's definitely a reason that episiotomies are becoming less and less of a common practice. They didn't do them at my hospital unless absolutely necessary.

I tore, had inner and outer stitches, and felt good enough to go for a 4km walk four days after giving birth. Admittedly, I probably SHOULDN'T have, but the point being that the healing process was pretty quick and not terribly painful.

 

[thankful2012]

I tore from one hole to the other, but it was only first degree. The first pee was painful but after that I just moved slower but didn't really notice anything until the stitches started healing then they were a bit itchy.

 

[BunnyN]

Ooo, itchy stitches down there must be nasty! From reading every ones experiences it seems like usually tearing is better. I will say I definitely don't want an episiotomy, unless it's actually a case of getting the baby being in distress and getting it out in a hurry.

 

[Dawnlouise30]

I had to have an episiotomy as i had a forceps delivery, i also had a first degree tear too. I don't really have anything to compare it to as he was my first child, but he weighed 10 lbs 7 ounces so i tore with him before needing to be cut. I would say that now (8 days on) i am starting to feel more comfortable after the episiotomy. It is managable with pain relief and sitting on lots of cushions, but do bear in mind i was also quite bruised from the forceps so that may have added to my discomfort.
I did not find urinating after the episiotomy uncomfortable at all, but i would say drink plenty so your urine is always quite dilute.

 

[GreyGirl]

Really interesting read, thanks ladies I always thought epi was better cos neater, but now I see the majority have had the opposite experience Now I can be more prepared for my first labour and what could happen

 

[dragonhawk]

Oh wow GreyGirl, you're due date is my ds's first birthday.

 

[Gumpyttc5]

i would def choose to tear any day. i had an eppisiotomy with my first as he was 10lb 7 1/2 and suffered shoulder dystocia so they cut me to help him out and i had 7 stitches, for the first week i had to sit on a rubber ring to ease the pressure down there. going to the loo was agony and so was getting in and out of the bath but thankfully only lasted about a week. as for sex after was atleast 6 weeks but used lube to make sure it wasnt too uncomfortable.

with my other 3 i had a minor tear on each of them all needing 3 - 5 stitches even though number 4 was 10lb 5 and also suffered shoulder dystocia. but recovered a lot quicker and and was back dtd within 4 weeks.

so i would def say tearing heals better xxx

 

[goddess25]

It really depends on the level of tear.

I never had an episiotomy..

however i could not get my son out, he was stuck with shoulder dystocia and eventually helped out with forceps that resulted in 3rd degree/borderline 4th degree tearing. It took awhile to recover from and I have a tonne of scar tissue still that can cause some problems.

 

[Dahlia2007]

I had a small epi w my first. Took weeks to heal, andcaused discomfort during sex.

This time I tore a bit along my old epi line, but I'm 8 days past delivery and feeling great. I wasn't in pain afterward either.

If its a small tear its much easier to heal

 

[charlie_lael]

I'm personally very glad my doctor gave me an episiotomy. It was a lot more controlled than a tear and I really don't think I would have torn anyway (had been pushing for quite awhile). He did it more to prevent a c-section, which I'm really happy about.

 

[ILoveYouZandT]

No episiotomy for me. My first was a c-section. My second was a natural drug free VBAC, and I didn't tear. I would rather myself tear on my own if I'm actually going to than have my midwife cut me when the chances were I may not have tore in the first place. Ya know what I mean!

 

[Dawnlouise30]

I was the same, only just avoiding a c- section thanks to episiotomy and forceps. Of course i was sore but it healed well. Still three weeks on i feel bruised but not as sore as straight after x x

I'm personally very glad my doctor gave me an episiotomy. It was a lot more controlled than a tear and I really don't think I would have torn anyway (had been pushing for quite awhile). He did it more to prevent a c-section, which I'm really happy about.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I haven't had an epistiotemy but I did have a 3rd/4th degree tear and it was fine. It didn't feel like I imagined tearing would, I didn't know I'd torn- it happens when you're pushing so the whole area is on fire (not as bad as it sounds, just the only way I can describe it) and stretching anyway. I had 50+ stitches and healed up really quickly, I was back on my feet once the spinal I had for getting stitched up wore off and it was fine to go to the toilet etc. I'd much rather tear than have an epistiotimy as statistically the recovery from being cut is more difficult.

 

[Bay]

Oh wow ... I did not even know there was such a thing as a 4th degree tear.

Eleanor ace - if you don't mind me asking, was your baby a really big one for you to tear so much?

 

[Eleanor ace]

Oh wow ... I did not even know there was such a thing as a 4th degree tear.

Eleanor ace - if you don't mind me asking, was your baby a really big one for you to tear so much?

A 3rd degree tear extends from the vagina and perineum to the anal sphincter whereas a a 4th degree tear extends to the anal canal as well as the rectum. Mine only just reached my rectum (tmi, sorry!) so 1 consultant calls it a 3rd degree, the other calls it a 4th. He wasn't that big, he's counted as having big baby syndrome because he was 9lb 15oz, but if he was an ounce less he'd have been in the average range! He had his hand up by his face though and his elbow just went to town on me as he came down

 

[summer rain]

I think in some cases an episiotomy is the safer option, not many but it can limit things that could be worse if allowed to year naturally. I do know some ladies who had a third or fourth degree year who have permanent continence and other issues so it isn't always well recovered from. I was reading an article in Juniors magazine a few years ago (highbrow, twee, science based parenting magazine) and it had an article saying while in most cases it is better to tear than to be cut consultants were seeing more serious problems from 3rd and 4th degree years now episiotomies were more taboo. I had an episiotomy with my eldest and it wasn't nice and took 6-8 weeks to recover fully from but after that I was fine. It was unavoidable anyway as he had some extra bone growth on his skull which meant his head just wouldn't mould at the back and he was well and truly stuck, tried pushing him out but he just wouldn't come out. I didn't need forceps or ventouse but it just gave that bit of extra space needed. With my subsequent babies I have only had minor years or grazing which have needed stitches but not many xx