Worried about an episiotomy

[TRINITY25_99]

Your not the only one fearing this as well. My SIL told me to ask for one, because apparently they didn't ask her and she tore and it was much more painful then being cut. So it's on my list to make sure I ask (If I need it) because I don't want to tear. Afterwards you sit in a salt bath or a sitsbath as my mom called it to heal up the area cut, when you pee, just pat dry etc etc ... lol ... my mom is a ret. nurse I take ALL her info in.

 

[sue_88]

If you have to have one, you have to have one. It'll be out of your control so I really wouldn't spend time and energy worrying about it.

 

[summer rain]

I wouldn't choose to have one and I know that in most cases tears do heal better but with my eldest it wasn't that I was going to tear if I wasn't cut, I wouldn't have minded. But he was just completely stuck by the top of his head and were considering ventouse. They did a small episiotomy though and thankfully I managed to push him out ASAP. With my others I had minor tears and needed a few stitches that didn't cause me any bother at all afterwards xx

 

[newmommy21]

I am just sooo nervous it is going to hurt horribly! During and after when it is healing...but I guess birth will do that too (somehow I'm not afraid of that part)

 

[Angelmarie]

Im going for a VBA2C this time and I am nervous about this too. I plan on using Evening primrose oil towards the end of the pregnancy which is supposed to be very helpful in preventing tearing. You can just massage it in. Bit gross, I suppose but well worth it if it helps I reckon!

 

[newmommy21]

oh thanks for the tip!

 

[9jawife]

I too am terrified of this. I'm going to have it in my birth plan that I don't want one unless absolutely necessary (ie life or death.) My husband agreed to massage me in the months preceding birth so hopefully that will help.

 

[rachie2011]

I really wanted to avoid having an episiotomy because i knew in most cases natural tears heal better (provided they aren't too bad) When i'd been pushing for a while my midwife said she would like to do an episiotomy as baby wasnt moving down very fast. She wasn't in distress at all so i refused and actually explained my reason! Haha. Anyway, lo was born 10-15 mins later and i only had a 2nd degree perineal tear that didnt bleed much and only needed a few stitches. It healed fairly quickly. I'm dreading the birth of this lo as i've heard you are more likely to need an episiotomy if you have needed stitches in the past. If its absolutely necessary i'll just have to suck it up and let them do it.

 

[summer rain]

I think you're more likely to tear if you've needed stitches in the past but not necessarily an episiotomy. I have never needed another one and with my youngest though the midwife insisted on doing a few stitches after carefully examining down there with a torch they really weren't needed and all fell out in big loops almost right away because there wasn't really anything that needs stitching, the knotted ends took 4 weeks to come out though and kept getting caught on my pads and felt horrible, grr so this time if my tearing is that minor I will refuse any stitches. My SIL needed an episiotomy and forceps with her eldest, with her second eldest she needed nothing, not even a single stitch as she didn't tear at all even though she had a fast labour due to being induced and an epidural xx

 

[CaptainMummy]

my labour 2-10 was under n hour. after 2.5 hrs of pushing a 9lb 3 baby i asked them to cut me foofy

sounds very similar to me! I went from 3-10 in about 50 minutes and took almost 2 hours to push out dd, who was 8lbs 14oz and had a head circ of 38cm. Even the midwife was shocked as she looked at least 10lbs!

I didnt get cut, but she did say she may need to use vontouse as i had been pusing for forever. But i.managed to get her out myself and with a lovely 2nd degree tear with a huge graze right through it! It healed fine but I would have definitely let them cut me if she wasnt budging!

 

[Dtswife]

This is something I'm worried about as well. I don't want cut or to tear! I watched my sis deliver and the nurse....er....massaged and stretched my sis out the whole time she was pushing and she didn't tear or need cut.


I wonder if there's a good and proper way to ask for that to be done....

Yes. Request Perineal support and massage during crowning. I really really really do not want to tear (tearing is generally SAFER than an episiotomy however) so I have been looking for every possible way to make this happen. Just google "How not to tear during childbirth." TONS of info!

 

[aliss]

I've had 2 births, one with an episiotomy and one without. Both large babies with shoulder dystocia. All I can recommend is to not get an epidural, it makes it easier to feel the baby coming out (obviously) and you can control it better. I had the episiotomy with my 1st dystocia baby because the epidural impaired my ability to push properly and she had to dislodge his shoulder with her hands inside. With my 2nd, I was able to feel properly and to get into physical maneuvers (ie legs up, around etc) and he popped out without a tear despite shoulder imapct.

 

[floatingbaby]

I am in the camp of I would rather tear than have an epistitomy too! Though, of course, neither is preferable! I will be looking into and applying everything about how not to tear

 

[DLA]

I was super freaked out about the thought of an episiotomy the first time I was pregnant. Talk to your doctor or midwife. When I actually spoke with my doctor she said it's pretty rare that they do them. Then the doctor that delivered me, I said to him while I was in labor that I didn't want one and he laughed and said he's delivered over 2000 babies and had to do maybe 9 episiotomies. This was a relief and I didn't need one. The doctors at my practice all had the same idea that they only do them if you absolutely need them, other wise it's better to tear naturally. I had a little tear. All I can advise is to voice your fears/concerns with your healthcare provider

 

[CBF]

I know it seems scary but whats scarier is tearing from hole to hole! I know someone that had to get 18 stitches b/c they tore so bad. During my delivery my doctor told me she had to cut otherwise i would tear REALLY bad, so I gave her the ok. She froze things down there beforehand (that burned alot) but after the episiotomy was done, baby was out in a push. 4 stitches afterward and things healed fully within 4-6 weeks. Seriously, it seems scary but its peanuts compared to everything else going on at that moment. Everything is done with good intentions of the doctor, they wont cut you if its not necessary. And hey, you might not need one anyway, just do lots of kegals in the next few months and that should help alot.

 

[Dtswife]

The problem with a prophylactic episiotomy is that they frequently make a tear WORSE (google it, I'm 100% serious). I would much rather year than be cut, because 1.) it will probably be a smaller tear than an incision and 2.) tears tend to heal faster for some reason. I am planning to deliver on hands and knees or squatting to minimize pelvic floor trauma.

 

[Rafferty]

I was one of those women that tore from "hole to hole". I do sort of agree that it was from not feeling that I was pushing too fast with the epidural. And she wasn't a big baby, under 7 lbs. But there is still no way I'd have skipped the epidural! I had horrible back labor for 6 hours and wasn't progressing. It was miserable!

All to say, even with significant tearing and stitches it wasn't a big deal. I healed quickly and was working out 2 weeks after she was born!

 

[tlh97990]

you can ask to not have an episiotomy. your body will naturally tear on its own if there's not enough room for baby to come out. last time my doctor said he refused to cut unless it was absolutely necessary because your body heals better when you tear than when you are cut. i had a second degree tear didn't feel it when i tore or had many issues after. witch hazel and lidocaine was my best friend for a couple days but i've heard people that were cut took longer to heal. not sure the truth in it but this time i'm hopin to tear naturally again instead of the episiotomy

 

[xsadiex]

You won't necessarily need one, using gravity and hip opening pushing positions can help make pushing easier. My baby was 9 pound 7 and there was no tearing or stitches.

 

[babyjan]

This was my main fear during pregnancy, I asked friends who had it and they all said you don't feel it as they do it during a contractions, well I had the epidural but ended up with one, I got so frightened when she brought the scissors out (ouch!)
I had to look away even though I didn't feel it but it helped bring my baby out cause before it he was stuck in the birth canal and I was pushing for 2 hours.
Don't worry too much about it x