episiotomy or natural tearing?

brooksidebride

Which way do you "plan" to go? I know you can never plan for exactly what will happen or what is needed, but what's your opinion on an episiotomy?

We weren't going to do a birth plan, but we covered a few things in our birth prep class that we decided we did want to stipulate to our nurses and doctor for L&D, so we're going to do one. Not one of the long survey things you find online and such, but just a simple document with a few notes such as lighting, wanting to snuggle with the baby before the vitamin k and hep B shots, and a few other simple things along those lines.  DH said "Let's add that you don't want an episiotomy and prefer to tear naturally."  The birth prep class instructor did a demo tearing a piece of paper and it totally convinved DH that natural tearing is the way to go. I really didn't have an opinion at that point either way.  What about you? 

BabyButler2010

I'll be checking back to see what other people say...Honestly this is one thing I'm a bit scared of!  Thanks for asking

rohansmom

I rather tear than be cut

betsnup

The hospital I deliver at prefers to not do episiotomies unless they need to - they prefer that you tear naturally, because your body is basically doing when it is meant to.  I had a 2nd degree tear with my first.

AllieNC

I would much rather tear than be cut.

anabell0920

Natural tearing! Episiotomy are getting done less and less thank goodness. Think about it like this, take a t shirt and try to rip it, now take that shirt and start to cut it and THEN try to rip it. It's gonna rip way easier. With an episiotomy you can STILL rip or you could get one and never have even ripped at all! I will be letting my body do what it needs to. Now say there is an emergency and they need to cut me to get the baby out then I trust my doctor but otherwise let me rip.

AlisonLynn

From what we learned in our birth class, tearing can heal better. Apparently they used to just automatically do an episiotomy but not anymore. I guess it depends on the situation. I'd definitely rather avoid having one but if the doctor finds it necessary then I will listen to him.

kpt

I dont really care either way. I'd almost rather the episiotomy. i didnt find it to be so bad. if you really work on getting moving afterwards and getting back to your normal self I think its ok. I was fully healed in less than 2 weeks. so if the dr. wants to do it I'm all for it. plus i think the last dr. stitched me up a little extra tight so i am not sure how I will stretch down there

jmarie17

Is it bad that I'm more terrified of tearing then having a natural birth?  I'm sure that's the last thing you think of when you're pushing the baby out but, ugh, something about it makes me cross my legs and squirm.  Eeek.

Eviebee

I had an episiotomy and I tore too.  I think my doc was just in a hurry to get her out b/c there was meconium in the fluid.  I don't care, either way hurts like hel l and requires stitches and you're scared to poop after. 

babycrane

The hospital where I am going doesn't do episiotomies. They don't like doing them anymore. So I am going to just tear on my own. I would want that anyways.

ColleenandKen

I would prefer to tear, I think, but I am also curious to hear everyone's responses. This is one of those things that really scares me and that before pregnancy that I never even knew or thought about!!

Lyssapee

From what I hear recovery from an Episiotomy is MUCH better than that of a tear.

It's also easier to repair a straight cut than a jagged tear. 

BelhurstBride

I'd prefer to tear naturally than be cut, and my OB prefers to avoid interventions so it works out!

Erin&Ryan

While the doctor who delivered Zach tried to stretch me while I was pushing (and I tried to tear myself by pushing will all my might), he still got "stuck" right at his eyebrown level (the largest part of his head) and the doc had to cut me because I just wasn't tearing. While it wasn't pleasant (I went natural, so I could literally feel her cutting me) I guess I don't really have a preference. If you tear or if you're cut, you're going to end up with stitches either way (chances are).

This time around however, I do plan on trying to get DH to help me with some perineal message in the month before my due date so that hopefully I won't tear or need to be cut this time.

GL!

mrstice

I did not want an episiotomy with DS, but 'needed' one. (Looking back, I think different positioning would have been better, but it's hard to demand that in the middle of pushing.)

I had no problems with my episiotomy and healed very well, but I am still choosing to tear over an episiotomy this time around (and with a HB midwife, it's very very unlikely that I'll have an epi). Hopefully the scar tissue will not cause too much problem.

RadicalDreamer143

This was a question I asked my OB.  She said she prefers to let it tear naturally, unless she can see no way to avoid it.  I agree with her approach.

knedell

I will take my chances on tearing, thank you.  My OB practice does not do routine episiotomies anymore because all the research proves that they are unecessary and can cause more harm than good.  Also, there is plenty of research to support the fact that a tear heals better and faster than a straight cut  They also do perineal massage while you are pushing and since I am going natural, they will let me push at my own pace to help stretch the perineum and avoid a tear and I will actually be able to feel what is going on down there.  I figure if I get an epi, I will definitely have to have stitches, but there are plenty of women who don't tear at all or only tear a tiny bit, so I would much rather take my chances that I dont.

Starfish113

Hey I'm from Cape Cod too!

Ugh, neither of those options sound good. But since tearing is inevitable, I guess I will want it to happen naturally....

pandagirl15

jmarie17:

Is it bad that I'm more terrified of tearing then having a natural birth?  I'm sure that's the last thing you think of when you're pushing the baby out but, ugh, something about it makes me cross my legs and squirm.  Eeek.

I feel the same way!

CalMum_Momma

My OB does not do episiotomies.

SissyKate21

I would prefer to tear naturally than have an episiotomy.

Many of the reasons I decided that this was my preference are listed in previous posts. 

I am going for a water birth, and I've heard that the incident of tearing is greatly decreased (but not eliminated) when birthing in water. In fact, my MW said that in 9 years of attending births, she has never seen an episiotomy done. She feels they are unnecessary...and I'm with her.

Keep your scissors away from my vag. 

sarahwoodworth

I'm thinking that I'd prefer to tear naturally.  I've read some books and articles that say that episiotomies possibly lead to 3rd or 4th degree tears that wouldn't have been so bad otherwise.  However, my mom swears that the episiodomy was the best thing that she did during her labor and has advised me to definitely get one if it's offered.

 

Kim B.

A pair of scissors, medical or not, is not getting even somewhat close to my nether regions. Whatever my body needs to do to get this baby out, it will do so naturally. I'll heal a whole lot better that way!

amberose83

I had an episiotomy with DD and the cut was pretty deep. However, she had a huge head and they had to use the vacuum on her so the OB felt it was best to cut me. It completely traumatized poor DH (he still talks about it and it was 2 years ago), he saw it and heard it, I just heard it but didn't feel a thing. I healed pretty fast from it but then I am usually a fast healer and I made sure to use my sitz bath religiously. My mom had an episiotomy and tore anyway and where she tore took her a very long time to heal. She said if she'd ever had more kids she would have requested to be cut because her tearing was awful. So, everyone is different. I trust my OB so if she feels an episiotomy is better then I'm fine with it.  

summerne

 This is the one subject that makes me feel certain that I will have an epidurral! Either way, you have to get stiches, but I would think that having the cut or the stitches without any numbing would really upset me!

MrsWindyCity

Natural tearing, for sure. My practice/hospital doesn't really do episiotomies as standard practice, anyway. It is much easier to heal from a natural tear, and I trust my body to do what it needs to do to get this baby out!

MTClaire

Ahhh!  This thread makes me want a c-section!!! 

mitchelltheojua

As others have said, episiotomies are done less and less ... apparently, people have less healing time, etc. with natural tearing. My doctors rarely do episiotomies unless they think you're gonna have some "crazy" awful tearing ... then they might do an episiotomy. But my doctor and I discussed the research about them at my last meeting ... research indicates that natural tearing heals much better than episiotomies ...

homebird

I don't want an episiotomy unless it's necessary. Sometimes they make everything worse, so I'd prefer to tear naturally.

Our birth class teacher did the paper-tearing analogy too.

BottomStar

It's not really a choice of which you want, it's about what the doctors feel is necessary in a particular situation.  I'd talk to your OB at your next appt to ask them under what circumstances they'd consider an episiotomy necessary.  Most of the time, doctors will allow you to tear naturally unless the baby is under duress and there is an immediate need to remove the baby.  Also, if forceps need to be used (not a common practice nowadays), then that usually means an episiotomy is necessary. 

 

Marc's Mrs.

betsnup:

The hospital I deliver at prefers to not do episiotomies unless they need to - they prefer that you tear naturally, because your body is basically doing when it is meant to.  I had a 2nd degree tear with my first.

This.  The RN that gave our childbirth class said that more and more hospitals will not do episiotomies because the body heals better following a natural tear.

laumholl

most doctors will do an episiotomy  because they're easier to stitch up than a natural tear and it doesn't take as long to heal a clean cut.

amykins1283

I've been told that episiotomies are going out of fashion now because they have found that a natural tear actually heals better than a cut.  I'm still not entirely sure what I'm going to do but I'll definitely be asking my doctor his opinion. 

jacquelinethorne

My doctor is under strict instructions not to do an episiotomy unless it is absolutely necessary. I tore pretty badly with DS2 and recovery wasn't too bad. From what I understand a tear heals faster than an episiotomy.

Jennicap

Yes a natural tear will heal easier and quicker than if your cut. Now if it looks like your going to tear down to your anus I would request a cut to the side to relieve the pressure... my plan is to work with my midwife in pushing so I hopefully don't tear at all.

cajungirl0717

I would prefer an episiotomy rather thn tearing, and so does my OB. She told me that of all the babies she delivered last year (over 150) she only had to do 5 episitomies. None of the others teared. I am not sure if they do the massaging while there or what. But it's on my birth plan that if it looks like I need it, to go ahead with the episiotomy.

Timeg

I tore naturally last time to the 3rd degree, While it was a deep tear, I would still go naturally. I've been told that it heals better and more properly. Besides, I figure we women have been giving birth since the beginning of time and are designed to heal from those things