I'm really, really hoping to not need / have an episiotomy, and I've talked with my OB about my preference to tear naturally vs. be cut. HOWEVER, since birth is so unpredictable, I know there's a chance, and I'd like to know if there are any positive episiotomy stories out there so it can calm my mind if it happens....?
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I had one due to fetal distress. They were going to use vacuum extraction next but the episiotomy alone wàs enough I could push her out. She was fine (cord around her neck) and I was much happier with this outcome rather than csection. Healing was pretty easy although I can't compare to natural tear. Also I had an epidural during all this.
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I didn't have a birth plan written and before I had my first child I had an idea in my head of what I wanted. No episiotomy, no epidural, etc. I did have a med free birth but honestly when it came time to give me an episiotomy they never asked me if it was what I wanted and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to answer anyway because they had to do whatever it took to get the baby out asap.
I didn't need an episiotomy with my second child. Recovery was really hard with my first, but it kind of just was what it was.
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@mamabolt: I had the same happen. I was about to rupture my cervix, lo had cord wrapped around neck and was sunny side up. They didn't even have time to get me to an or for a C so used a vacuum to get baby out.
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No personal experience, but one of my good friends had one because she was tearing the wrong way. She said recovery was ok. She didn't need one the second time.
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I had one for ds1's birth after two hours of pushing (after epidural had worn off). He was out in one push after that! Healing was relatively easy, though I did take tylenol3 and Motrin 800. Everything was fine at my 6w pp check, we dtd the week after and our sex life wasn't affected at all.
Birth w ds2 was super fast (10 min pushing) and I tore naturally. No residual effects from episiotomy!
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I had one, I think my OB didn't like how I was tearing. It was totally fine, I healed well and didn't have a difficult recovery at all. My OB practice is a bit old-school I think, but I get the sense that they prefer episiotomies if they can see that there is going to be a decent amount of tearing.
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Well it probably saved me from having a c section. That's the only positive. The recovery was....not so positive . Good luck mama
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I had one. I had been pushing for an hour and the OB said she was giving me one. My DS was born a few pushes later.
I had really wanted an intervention-free birth, and that was the only intervention I received. At the time I was upset, but in hindsight, I don't care. Baby was fine, I was fine, recovery was great!
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I had an episiotomy, and my recover was extremely easy. I had an epidural so I did not feel anything at the time. I took pain relievers afterwards only because I felt pressured into it by the nurses, that I needed to stay ahead of the pain (which never came). 24 hours after birth I felt much better than I had in a long time. I took a long walk in the hallways the day after giving birth, and only stopped because I missed DS (I was not allowed to transport him in the hallway for security reasons). I was going on long walks within a few days, and in no pain by two weeks or so (besides nipple pain from nursing). I did not have any discomfort from sitting more than 12 or so hours after giving birth.
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My first baby was delivered by ventouse and my episiotomy healed like a dream (or at least I never had any issues!). I had a third degree tear with my second baby and didn't notice any difference with healing.
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I had one with DD and it was fine. Healed ok no issues or anything.
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I had an episiotomy because I needed one - they said they don't ordinarily do them anymore but that I had a "tight perenium" and it would help. So I got one and then later also had third degree tearing from a vacuum extraction. Neither of these were pleasant to heal from but one was not worse than the other. I think there is a whole thing about episiotomies being more painful than tears from the old style of care where they were routine. I don't doubt that episiotomies are more painful than lesser tears, but they are not more painful than serious tearing and that's the case they should be used in. The episiotomy was about 10th on the list of traumatizing things that happened during the birth - it really was not a big deal.
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I had one with L. I had been pushing for 2 hours and not making much progress and at that point I would have done anything to GET THE BABY OUT. 3-4 pushes after the episiotomy, he was out. My hospital has a very low episiotomy rate so I assume that mine was necessary to avoid C-section.
I got stitched up and my recovery was just fine, no easy but fine. Never took more than motrin during recovery and was up and walking around as soon as Epi wore off. Although I did not look down there or feel down there for awhile because I was scared. I do not regret getting the episiotomy
With J (my second), no episiotomy needed. Super easy birth, super minimal tearing, super easy recovery.
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I had one because of foetal distress. They were going to use forceps but I pushed her out with the next push. They administered anesthetic before they did the cut so, unlike tearing, I felt nothing. I didn't have to go through the ring of fire experience everyone talks about. They stitched me up and I healed beautifully.
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It saved me from a csection (with the vacuum). My son was large and in a bad position for a vaginal birth (posterior and brow presentation).
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I did not have one but was really freaked out about it like it sounds like you are, because you only hear scary stories!
@mamabolt: interestingly, I had a vacuum assist but no episiotomy- I think they would have if I didn't get her out on the next push. No pain mess so the vacuum hurt, but everything hurt at that point- but then it was over!
Minor tearing both times, easy enough recoveries.
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I had one after two hours of pushing (my epidural had long worn off). He was posterior, and his heart rate and my blood pressure were erratic. D told me the OB had tried several times to massage my perenium with oil before cutting to avoid a c-section (episiotomies were rare at that hospital). I still ended up with a second degree tear on top of the cut, and I don't know how many stitches. It took mine closer to 8 weeks to fully heal, but it healed well with no long term side effects.
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I had one, it took a few weeks to heal but it's fine now. I was quite sore the first few days.
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I had a large episiotomy almost down to my rectum. It was pretty bad. My baby was in distress and I couldn't get him out. After the episiotomy, he was born after a few pushes. He was born with his hand up next to his head - that is why I couldn't push him out!
I won't lie. The healing has been pretty slow. I really needed to stay laying down as much as possible. Sitting and standing were both pretty painful. But, I'm 4 months pp now and it's almost completely healed- sometimes still twinges a bit when I have a bowel movement.
But it means my baby was safe!
Edited to add: I was also majorly freaked out about it before labor. I talked to my OB about it and everything. But when it was happening, it didn't matter. And I couldn't have done anything to change it. So try not to stress, and remember that most likely it won't be necessary. But if it is, you'll heal!
Edited AGAIN to add: I think most labors end in episiotomies when the pushing stage is very long. I only pushed for 20 minutes!! (with my 1st baby) so that's a huge positive!
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Thanks everyone for sharing your stories! I plan to get an epidural so I'm not worried about the in-the-moment pain; just about the recovery aspect (episiotomies usually go through strong tissue, tears happen naturally along the weakest tissue.)
I'd really like to avoid a C-section, and I really trust my OB sooooo if he thinks it's necessary I will defer to his judgement in the moment! But my OB is the only one in his practice so there is a chance I will be delivering with someone I have never met before
That's where I get sketched out.
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I had one and it was fine! I'm not 100% convinced I needed one as I hadn't been pushing long at all, but in the moment I honestly didn't care. Recovery was just fine and I didn't need one for my second.
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I had one, and was really worried about the idea, but in the moment my OB didn't ask she just said "and now I'm going to make a little cut"; at the time I was confused and out of it, but it was later that I realized that she didn't ask bc the cord was around his neck. Anyways, the healing wasn't a big deal at all to me, but I have nothing else to compare to. But I felt fine after about a week. Never had issues with painful sex like some people complain about. Only complaint is a fairly large knot of scar tissue.
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I had one with DS, due to his heart rate being erratic and being in distress. He also needed a vacuum with the episiotomy also.
I didn't need one with DD, though I did tear.
Recovery for both was fine.
That's where I get sketched out.
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