Tearing vs. episiotomy..your experience?

[Grace1954]

Hi ladies,

First timer here

I'm wondering if anyone has an opinion on whether tearing naturally or getting an episiotomy is better..as in easier to recover from? Has anyone had experience with both? Or requested to have one over the other?

Maybe this is a silly question but I am super nervous about recovering from labor (lol doing kegals as I type this) so I'm wondering if I should put a preference on this in my birth plan..

Any input would be appreciated!

 

[Harley Quinn]

I was glad to hear that my doctor(s) and the hospital in general try to avoid episiotomies. Everything I read said that tears heal better.

That said, after about two and half hours of pushing I wouldn't have minded at all if they had cut me just to get him out faster! lol! Luckily, he was able to fit through after all. I believe I had a second degree tear, and I didn't have any complications with healing.

 

[nov_mum]

Natural tears are better according to the literature. I have had three babies. A small tear with my first that didn't require stitching, a second degree tear with my second that did (he was nearly 9lb so not all that suprising) and just a graze with my third. I believe that perineal massage with your first is hugely beneficial. Sometime with super fast births tearing is more of a risk. My friend's epi was a long recovery that she needed surgery for months later to repair the tissue. Another friend's was sewn up horribly wrong but I guess that was the repair rather than the tear.

 

[MalcolmsMiss]

I have just had my booking appt with the hospital, and this was one of my concerns! Midwife told me that, unless it is absolutely necessary, they try not to episiotomy, as small tears heal much nicer, quicker and less painfully. BUT she said, if in their expert opinion, they need to cut, then definately let them, much better then a horrible 3rd or 4th degree tear They can see if you will stretch well enough on your own or not...

Im a first timer too, and was really worried about it. In my birth plan, i will say to give me the episiotomy if in their opinion, i will not stretch enough to avoid a 3rd or 4th tear degree, or for any reason that baby's health/delivery relies on it. Otherwise, please do not cut!

Hope that helps a little bit

 

[Amygdala]

I requested they avoid an episiotomy if at all possible, because of the evidence that natural tears heal better. I also did perineal massage for a good 5 or 6 weeks before the birth but still had a second degree tear. Saying that, I never had any pain at all during recovery, not even when peeing or sitting down and I healed very quickly. So I'd do the same next time.

 

[lindblum]

I had an episiotomy with my first and a 2nd degree tear with my second child.

With the episiotomy, after I went home I was swollen down there for at least two weeks and it was very sore and uncomfortable to sit down. When they cut you it feels like a little pinch and that's all.
With the tear, I didn't even feel the actual act of tearing. When the midwife examined me I felt a mild paper cut like sting and that was it in terms of pain. After I was stitched up and went home, I felt no pain or problems with it.

In my case tearing was better than the episiotomy.

 

[aliss]

That said, after about two and half hours of pushing I wouldn't have minded at all if they had cut me just to get him out faster! lol! .

This made me laugh b/c after 4 hours pushing I remember "bring it on!!!" when she pulled out the scissors.

I had an episiotomy as a medical necessity (shoulder dystocia delivery) and it sucked but it wasn't really a choice at that stage, he just wasn't coming out and it was crossing into oxygen deprivation.

BTW small word, I'm originally from Abby and had my baby in Langley!! Moved last year...

 

[Sarahcake]

This thread makes me queezy.... Im at peace with the whole labour thing...but tears/episiotomys scare the hell out of me and make me feel really quick sicky. But im forcing myself to read peoples opinions on which one is better as knowing me, ill inevitably have to have one or the other as im having a big boy!

 

[dizz]

I had a delightful combination of both... worst level of 3rd degree tear/cut - she'd started to come "flying out" leaving things shredded in her wake so they cut me halfway through the nice tear. I wouldn't mind but she was only bloody 4lb!

I can honestly say, apart from the horrible bit lying there while they were having a long involved conversation about what colour thread to use to stitch me back up and wouldn't tell me what had happened... the idea of being torn down there was much worse than the reality of it - very little discomfort really, even the first poo of doom wasn't too bad (just sit back and let it happen of its own accord - take a book in with you and don't rush) and it didn't even sting peeing with the stitches... itched like mad when it started to heal though.

If you want a laugh - youtube up the Dara O'Brien NCT sketch with the tear or cut routine - I was crying with laughter watching it.

 

[Amygdala]

This thread makes me queezy.... Im at peace with the whole labour thing...but tears/episiotomys scare the hell out of me and make me feel really quick sicky. But im forcing myself to read peoples opinions on which one is better as knowing me, ill inevitably have to have one or the other as im having a big boy!

I was the same. I think tearing or having to have an episiotomy was my biggest (maybe my only!) fear about giving birth. That along with getting stitches down there. But honestly, it was fine. Like I said, I never noticed the tear and the stitches were scary but not actually painful due to g&a and a local anestetic. I know it's scary but try not to worry too much!

 

[Sarahcake]

This thread makes me queezy.... Im at peace with the whole labour thing...but tears/episiotomys scare the hell out of me and make me feel really quick sicky. But im forcing myself to read peoples opinions on which one is better as knowing me, ill inevitably have to have one or the other as im having a big boy!

I was the same. I think tearing or having to have an episiotomy was my biggest (maybe my only!) fear about giving birth. That along with getting stitches down there. But honestly, it was fine. Like I said, I never noticed the tear and the stitches were scary but not actually painful due to g&a and a local anestetic. I know it's scary but try not to worry too much!

Thats really helpful, thanks a lot It is literally my only fear for labour (besides the obvious worst case scenario things). Its odd because if I was told I would have to have a C-Section...id be ok with that, but a cut/tear down there makes me feel ill!

 

[Harley Quinn]

That said, after about two and half hours of pushing I wouldn't have minded at all if they had cut me just to get him out faster! lol! .

This made me laugh b/c after 4 hours pushing I remember "bring it on!!!" when she pulled out the scissors.

I had an episiotomy as a medical necessity (shoulder dystocia delivery) and it sucked but it wasn't really a choice at that stage, he just wasn't coming out and it was crossing into oxygen deprivation.

BTW small word, I'm originally from Abby and had my baby in Langley!! Moved last year...

Good times. I love Abbotsford. I went to school in Langley (Trinity Western), met my husband there and immigrated 4 years ago. Love it here!

I'll echo what everyone has said about the actual pain of the tear not being as bad as you expect. Once you've been through hours and hours of contractions the tear is hardly a blip on the radar.

 

[teal]

Just wanted to mention that having an episiotomy doesn't mean you won't tear. I had an episiotomy (for an emergency forceps delivery) but I also had a seperate tear into my bowel.

For me the episiotomy healed quicker but I'm thinking that's because it was the tear was much more serious.

 

[AllyTiel]

I had both. My babies heartrate was elevated quite high so they were in a hurry to get her out. Her head started crowning about 8-10 minutes after I started pushing, but wasn't budging. They used the ventouse, and after multiple tries with that, I heard the snipping for the episiotomy. They aren't big on those at my hospital, but her heartrate had plummeted at one point. i heard it drop, and it slowly picked back up. I just wanted her out, so I was relieved I was getting the episiotomy. I didn't feel it at all. Her head came out with that, but when I pushed the rest of her body out, I had a 4th degree tear from that. Im so glad I had the episiotomy, because my tear took off from that and just went straight down.

 

[flashy09]

I had a second degree tear naturally and it was painful for 3 days and then fine.

 

[josephine3]

I also had a combination of both!! I had a third degree tear at the actual birth, but the skin was intact!!! (due to my perineal massage??) I bled heavily and after my natural gas n air water birth had to have epidural to find out where the bleeding was coming from.. it was coming from the internal tear! But they had to cut the outside of me to fix up the inside!! couldnt feel anything as needed the epi. but stitches healed well, mainly itching i would call it rather than actual pain. Next time I will be advised to have the episiotomy to avoid the tearing.

 

[kayyheyy]

I'm so scard of teraring to my ass! Omg seems so painful haha

 

[BunnyN]

This thread makes me queezy.... Im at peace with the whole labour thing...but tears/episiotomys scare the hell out of me and make me feel really quick sicky. But im forcing myself to read peoples opinions on which one is better as knowing me, ill inevitably have to have one or the other as im having a big boy!

I was 9lb 6oz and my mum didn't tear at my birth so you might be okay.

 

[Grace1954]

Thanks everyone for your input and experiences - so many conflicting opinions! I think I will put something in my birth plan about preferring to not have an episiotomy unless they suspect I will have a 3rd or 4th degree tear, like someone said. Kayyheyy I'm also scared of tearing all the way down!!! I've heard having sex again for the first time after birth is painful no matter what, but I would think it'd be way worse if you were all mangled down there.

I am seriously not scared for labor or pushing, but I'm SO scared for recovering from it.

 

[dizz]

Thanks everyone for your input and experiences - so many conflicting opinions! I think I will put something in my birth plan about preferring to not have an episiotomy unless they suspect I will have a 3rd or 4th degree tear, like someone said. Kayyheyy I'm also scared of tearing all the way down!!! I've heard having sex again for the first time after birth is painful no matter what, but I would think it'd be way worse if you were all mangled down there.

I am seriously not scared for labor or pushing, but I'm SO scared for recovering from it.

It wasn't

I did end up pregnant again after one bonk though.