Tearing or episiotomy?

Question

I’ve been thinking about this lately and what do you think is worse? With my daughter I had a second degree tear and took months to heal. At my 6 week appointment they even had to cauterize it to help it heal 😭 even one year pp it just seems like it didn’t heal right. Would i have been better off getting an episiotomy? The only thing is I didn’t get an epidural. Is that why they just let me tear instead?

Answer

Best practice now is letting the woman tear naturally unless baby is stuck and in fetal distress. With episiotomies they often cut deeper and longer than needed and sometimes not where the body “needs” to tear so best practice is allowing the women to tear. 
If you would prefer one, you can always ask because it’s your body and your healthcare and you get to dictate that but if a doctor is doing an episiotomy out of the gate then they are not following what has been best standards and recommended by research and American College of OB/GYN

Answer

Dang that sucks, I had an epidural and I didn’t get an episiotomy, I torn like on my labia and on the side of my vagina. I got stitches and they hurt for a long time afterwards, but they healed like “normally” I guess. I still have pain on that side of my vagina when I have sex sometimes, and it’s been almost three years! It’s just annoying. I’m not sure what’s worse or what’s better. It’s all pretty crappy 😰

Answer

i had an episiotomy when I had my oldest son. I had zero pain meds and the doctor did a numbing shot before doing the cut. I always healed fast.

Answer

My doctor says she sees no medical reason for episiotomies and will not do them. I’ve had 5 babies, I tore for 4 out of 5. Teas heals so much quicker and are less painful. I’d never allow an episiotomy to be done on me.

Answer

Some doctors would prefer a tear to an episiotomy because sometimes they could cut you more than necessary. It really depends on the doctor on what they do.
I also didn’t get an epidural, but I did get an episiotomy (and tore my labia). My episiotomy healed better than my torn labia. I’m not sure if that was just due to the location, though 🤷🏼‍♀️

Answer

Episiotomies aren’t done unless absolutely necessary anymore, at least at my hospital. As a labor and delivery nurse I see them done only on occasion when the head is no way coming out without one or the hr drops

Answer

getting the episiotomy is better just because it usually heals quicker. when you tear you have jagged pieces of skin trying to reconnect. a cut is a clean straight line that usually heals by 6 weeks after.

Tearing or episiotomy?

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