I've been doing lots of research on skin integrity and episiotmies -vs- tearing, so I just thought I would ask what women prefer?!!? An episiotmy that could permanently damage your skin integrity and/or extend with a tear or tearing? Also does anyone who has had a previous episitomy have experience with a health care provider who has been able to keep her from any adhesions to the perineal area the 2nd time around by using warm compresses, controlled pushing and/or counterpressure?
2007-10-05 03:39:32 · 13 answers · asked by Songsdeli 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
For anyone interested in the actual newest research and not the horror stories or what your Dr. tells you.. here is some great evidence-based research from lamaze.com
http://www.lamaze.org/ChildbirthEducators/ResourcesforEducators/CarePracticePapers/NoRoutineInterventions/tabid/483/Default.aspx
2007-10-05 04:14:08 · update #1
An episiotomy is by no means safer, it's just easier for the doctor to stitch. They were invented long ago when doctor had the mind set that pregnancy was an illness and women were not capable of giving birth. They made the cuts because these women were pinned on their backs fighting gravity and froceps and other interventions were used in nearly every birth.
Many midwives have virtually no episiotomy rates and almost no tearing or stitches. Just because the baby's reached the right place doesn't mean you have to "push push push" like it's a race. My midwife had only put in two stitches in the two years she'd been running her birth center.
I plan on neither and will opt to tear rather than be cut and set up to tear farther once the integrity of the area has been weakened.
2007-10-05 06:50:46 · answer #1 · answered by emily 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Check out prenatal perenenial massage. You start it 6 weeks before your due date. It helps stretch you in advance. Actually, a lot of episiotomies cause tears. It is like pulling a piece of cloth tight and then snipping it. It is more likely to tear after it is snipped instead of before. I had an episiotomy and a tear with my first one because of fetal distress. The next three I did not tear or have an episiotomy. I think the prenatal perenenial massage helped. I was not even sore after the last one. A lot of it depends upon the skill of the doctor or midwife. Where I had my last one, a lady had an 11 lb. 4 oz. baby; she did not need any stitches!
2007-10-05 07:56:18 · answer #2 · answered by pennypincher 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I tore pretty bad during the delivery of my daughter. she was 10lbs and ended up getting stuck, the dr had to do a vacuum extraction to get her out so with all that going on I don't think there was time to do an episiotomy. Although I think I would have preferred one. I'm pregnant again and I'm terrified of going through that again. Delivery itself was not bad, the worst part was recovering from the stitches. My opinion is I would rather have an episiotomy than to tear.
2007-10-05 03:49:14 · answer #3 · answered by browneyedgirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've had an episiotomy and tore anyhow (it was forceps), and also just torn. Both healed very well after a while.
My OB didn't do my first delivery, as she was due with her own shortly after (and wasn't on call for weekends anymore), and she couldn't even tell that I'd had that first episiotomy and tear...she assisted with a tear to get my second monster (9 lbs 6 oz) out, before I tore on my own.
Tearing uncontrolled, on your own, can be worse, as it can go very quickly and deep. My uncontrolled tear that came after the episiotomy (when the forceps were in there) was a 'bi-lateral near complete tear'...it wasn't fun. Recovery was tougher after that one.
2007-10-05 03:51:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Episiotomies suck. I've had 2, and they were the most painful part of the healing process. My second one was small. My first one was huge. I didn't really want one, but the doctor and my mom (a nurse who is not a big fan of episiotomies) saw that the natural tear I would probably get would be massive. We tried counterpressure, massage, oil, etc. There was simply no way the baby's huge head was going to fit without mangling me.
Plan for a natural tear, but if the doctor is insistent, you may want to listen. My son's head was pretty large compared to most newborns, and he was sunny-side up, so it was not an easy fit.
2007-10-05 03:50:19 · answer #5 · answered by Kellie W 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the stiuation. I would hope to trust my obgyn to make that call. If it was a little tear, then sure, that would be better. But an episiotomy would be better than a serious tear and resultant future problems with going to the bathroom.
2007-10-05 03:49:05 · answer #6 · answered by ad 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
how weird, you dont need either, people give birth to babies everyday without doing either, i didnt have stiches after i gave birth. they never thought that the perineam would stretch and used to do an episiotomy anyway, my mother was given one automatically when she had me and my brother. the trouble with tears is that they can go from one hole to the other and this is the most extreme, so i think the episiotomy would help prevent this, as it is more controlled than tearing.
2007-10-05 03:49:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
My doctor never gave me a choice, she just grabbed her scissors and snipped. She never even talked to me about my other options. If I HAD to choose I would prefer the episiotomy simply because it is usually the safer choice. Since it is a strait cut, it is easier for the doctor to control bleeding and stich it together when the baby has been delievered. A tear may cause too much blood loss and may result in more stitches. Either way, for my second child I intend to discuss my other options.
2007-10-05 03:48:20 · answer #8 · answered by manderstwin1 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Lol, I in basic terms asked an identical question. I had an episiotomy. The wellness practitioner in basic terms did it without notice or asking. i think of he numbed me first and it incredibly did not harm. i for my area stated "grew to become into her nostril sharp?" because of the fact it in basic terms felt like a poke or scrape as she got here out. i don't understand how some distance he decrease, yet I at the back of my anus each and every of ways as much as my clitoris. i don't understand if it grew to become into so undesirable using episiotomy or what. The wellness practitioner grew to become into sewing me up for an hour and stopped counting what proportion stitches he had put in me. After wards it grew to become into so painful to even regulate myself in mattress, not to point out attempt to stroll. I had a terrible time attempting to poop for the subsequent week and grew to become into nonetheless in a great form of discomfort for the 1st couple months. It took 6 months to get decrease back to ordinary. All of that stated, you ought to not be demanding approximately it, in basic terms arranged. the certainly discomfort of the toddler popping out and tearing and stitches wasn't undesirable in any respect. i grew to become into so centred on pushing that i did not be conscious lots of it. Make it very sparkling on your wellness practitioner ahead of time which you do not want an episiotomy, I want I had.
2016-10-21 03:08:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I tore with my first one one end to the other, 27 stiches not a fun recovery but after reading some stuff about episiotomes I'm going to request that I be allowed to tear agian
2007-10-05 04:17:46 · answer #10 · answered by his wife 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋