Some questions about episiotomies?
For those who have had an episiotomy before:
How long was your recovery time? Is it as dreadful as it sounds? Is it better to rip naturally?
Thanks so much!
Mandy
Answers:
Episiotomies are not recommended except in cases where there is a need to help the abby get out really fast, or with forceps/vacuum extraction.
With a tear or an episiotomy you do not feel the actual tear or cut. You might feel doctor's or midwife's hand on your genital area and you wil likely feel the abby moving down and crowning, but the perimeum naturally numbs during crowning. You will feel the local anestetic injection afterwards, and some women can feel the stitches either all the way through or if the anesthesia wears off before the caregiver is done sewing.
The reason it is better to risk tearing naturally is becasue you might not even tear at all, or you might only have "skidmarks" (which don't require any stitches or maybe only one or two). Even if you have a more serious tear, like I did, natural tears heal faster and cause less damage to the tissues than an episiotomy. (There are many, many ways to reduce your risk of either tears or episiotomies. Take an independent childbirth class- one not hospital or doctor associated- and/or hire a doula.)
A physician's own practice determines how often an episiotomy is done. Some do not do them at all unless truely medically needed. Some have a very high rate of doing them. Most midwives have a low episiotomy rate.
Leila
Birth adn Postpartum Doula
Other Answers:
I have had four children and never had one. I don't think they do them on a regular basis anymore. But I could be wrong
Congrats!
believe me, you do not want to "rip" naturally, it's extremly painful, i would have an episiotimy if i were you.
Source(s):
personal experience It's horrible, and they are really not necessary, we are made to open naturally. I was given one without even being asked. What really sucked was that they did it before I was even fully dilated, and then ended up getting an emergency c-section. After 15 years, I still have problems, and I don't think I ever fully healed. Make sure you talk to your doctor, and if at all possible don't do it.
Honestly you don't even feel it, there is way too much going on already. Don't fear that. You see my fear was the baby coming out of me, ripping out of me. That was the least of it, it's the contractions they are like fire in your back in your legs. The delviery wasn't painful at all for me, it was those wicked contactions. Plus its the docs call.
Well, I had a different doctor with each pregnacie, the first time i got the episotomy, and it was not so bad, not as bad as it sounds anyway. I think it only took a about 2 to 3 weeks for it to heal. The second time the doctor just let me tear, and I think that was worse, maybe because my pain meds wore off. But it just seems like a better idea to me to have a straght cut than a tear. Now it hurts sometimes but i've heard that thats normal, my son is 15 months now. It took about the same time to heal. I think it depends on what your doctor thinks about them the nurse told me some doctors do them and others don't. I think its better to have one than to tear. So i hope that was helpful for you. Good Luck and don't worry it will be ok!Source(s):
mother of 2
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