When you give vaginal birth....?

Question

Do they really have to cut you? Do you feel them cutting you? Is there pain after they cut you? 1st time mommy

Answer 1

No, they don't HAVE to cut you-I got cut both times, though. I have heard that midwives do a better job of peritineal massage so that cutting is not necessary.

With baby number one, my OB gave me a HUGE episitomy. It hurt for weeks after (but not a bit, during as I had an epidural). With ym second, I asked them to add to my chart that I did not want one, they had to do it but this time (with a female OB FWIW) she did massage ahead of time, it was a much smaller cut, and healed mroe quickly.

Answer 2

No, they don't have to cut you. You can tell them when you get there that you feel really strongly against it. The only reason they cut you is to help the head come out, but most of the time when they do cut you, the head would have come out just fine without tearing you anyway. Yes, tears hurt worse, and you could get an infection... but, why get a cut ahead of time as a precaution? Seems silly to me.

Yes, the cut hurts, but not till after. When the head is crowning, the pressure of the head trying to come out kinda numbs the area. It is scary though, because then you are just bleeding all over while your baby comes out, and you could freak out thinking, is all that blood me or baby?! The cut does close up a lot lot nicer, and is less painful in the aftermath compared to a tear. Of course, nothing at all hurts the least.

Answer 3

If they doctors thinks you are going to tear he will make a small cut to let the baby through and not let the skin rip, which is much worse! The doctor will numb the area and you can't even feel it, especially because you are pushing a baby out at the same time, LOL. That area is VERY sore afterwards but would be no matter what if you had a vaginal birth. The doctor will give you pain medications to help though. But it is all worth it, trust me! Good luck :]

Answer 4

They don't HAVE to cut you, but there is a chance that you will tear on your own. If you have an epidural you won't feel anything. If you go with just pain killers of some sort they will freeze the area before you deliver whether they are going to cut or not.
Some doctors just prefer to cut rather than let you tear. Talk to your doctor and let them know how you feel. There is also a chance that you won't tear at all.

Answer 5

NO, you don't have to be "cut". I'm amazed at the amount of wrong information you are receiving concerning this. And alarmed that some women still think that being cut is better than tearing. Recent studies have shown that tearing heals faster than an episiotomy and that the risk of infection is much less! Also, there are things you can do to prepare the area for the birth so neither happens.
Here is a great article about getting through labor and birth in one piece! :-) http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/childbirth/episiotomy.htm
Birth blessings to you!

Answer 6

No, they don't have to cut you. It was once thought that cutting reduced the risk of tearing. That has proven to be false and that it actually increases your risk of tearing, but some hospitals still frequently use this outdated information. They should only cut you if necessary, as in cases of fetal distress. It does hurt, a lot more than tearing(except in extreme tear cases), because they cut through the muscle. Unless you have an epidural, you will most likely feel it. And the healing is harder and more painful than a natural tear(again, except in extreme tear cases). I would talk to your Dr about perineal massaging. I would tell him not to cut unless absolutely necessary and put your foot down on that.

Answer 7

I had a bunk epidural that didn't work after 5 minutes... So I felt it, and felt it bleed, BUT, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't that bad. There was too much else going on.

Some women have massages to STRETCH that area during labor so they don't have to have one. all of the people I know that did this from my child birthing class still tore. In comparision to what they went through vs what I did for healing, I'd rather be cut and have a nice even incision stitched up to heal any day. They took much longer to heal. Trust me, getting together afterwards, I was the only one that could just sit down!

Answer 8

I gave vaginal birth, I did not have to be cut, or get any stitches. But if you get an epidural you probably wont feel them cutting the thin layer of skin. I don't think the pain after you get cut is what you should worry about, nothing will compare to the pain your going to feel when giving birth, and going into labor, with the epidural or with out. I had an epidural and I could feel my baby coming out, it feels like a burning, constipation sensation, but you will get through it. It'll be alllllllllll worth it.

Answer 9

not everyone has to be cut. It used to be routine, but many dr's are working to reduce episiotomy rates. No one can tell you if you will have on until delivery. If you have an epidural you will not feel it, but recovery will hurt. Of course, everything hurts after you have a baby so you really don't care about one more pain!! I have heard that if you have an unmedicated birth and have to be cut it does not hurt, since the skin is overstretched and the nerves are already maxed out.

Answer 10

They don't HAVE to cut you. With my first they did, and with my 2nd they didn't. i tore a little bit with my 2nd but I have known those who didn't at all. And you don't feel it. My epidural wore completely off and I could feel everything from about the 2nd push on and I didn't even notice. It's irritating and a little painful afterwards, especially when you pee, but overall it's not so bad. You don't even think about it much, you so enthralled with this new little life in your arms and later it's just kinda irritating rather than painful. It stings a bit for a couple of days and then it's over.