Natural tearing vs episiotomy

[*Christina*]

I just finished my Lamaze classes and got to thinking about this: the midwife had explained that current research supports a woman tearing naturally at birth because it's physiological & will heal better, versus getting an unnatural cut made by an episiotomy. I'm thinking about this mostly because my pregnancy has mimicked that of my mother's (I was her first & a daughter, and I'm expecting my first who is a daughter.) quite considerably, and my mother had an episiotomy with me. Obviously, I'd like to avoid tearing if I can, but I certainly don't want an episiotomy, either -- but of the two, I'd rather tear if it facilitates easier healing. What are your thoughts?

[JennM17]

i can't vote. i did not CHOSE to tear but that is what i did. they told me after that i tore some. i liked that better, i think i would have freaked out if in the middle of labor they cut me. i needed one stitch. i didn't find it to be very painful.

good luck

[PurplePasion]

I would rather tear.

[MamaKat]

I didn't choose to tear, but the doctor I had prefers women tear. The doctor I had before the shift change would have wanted to cut me and I wouldnt have wanted him too. I'd like to tear next time also rather then be cut.

[11-12-06]

I NEEDED an episiotomy - PJ wasn't coming out without it...I know you will say that I am sure I ould have just let a tear happen, but nothing was coming out without a HUGE snip snip. With J she came so fast, we chose to do it gain to expidit, since she had big old melon head likeher brother. I had no issues with healing - in fact I was more bbothered by my hemis than my episiotomy...

[Bruiser'sMommy]

At that moment the doctor made the choice for me and performed an episiotomy which wasn't what I wanted going into labor. However, it wasn't a big deal and the recovery wasn't horrible. It's hard to say which would have been better though.

[RachEM]

Research supporting tearing nearly 4 years ago when I had mine DD, but my OB just kept saying if I need one I need one. It's messier for them to stitch up a tear. It was explained to us like this.. if you cut a piece of fabric it's easy to tear it all the way to the end, if you just try pulling on it it's less likely to tear at all and so might take more for it to get to that 4th degree tear. Also, supposedly if the doctor directs you on really taking your time they can minimize tearing that way.

Your pregnancy, labor and delivery really aren't related to your mom's any more than it's related to that of any other pregnant woman. You might have every single pregnancy symptom she did but it really doesn't matter once you get to L&D so don't go off of what happened to your mom (who had a different doctor many years ago anyhow).

[GA1977]

I didn't need one and I didn't tear either. I think my doc would have given me an epi if I had needed one...they had mentioned this at one of my appointments. (they said I was going to have a 9 lb baby....she was only 7 lbs).

[Callycat]

I chose to tear verses beening cut and will probaly chose the same this time around.

[Marquette Fan]

My OB's office prefers to let women tear naturally rather than do an episiotomy and that's what I would have preferred anyway. I did tear but since I've never had an episiotomy I'm not sure if the healing was better or worse with the tear.

[carriek]

I tore and OMG the healing and pain has been horrible! I've never had an episiotomy so I can't compare the two.... I've heard it's better to tear, but I can't imagine an episiotomy hurting more than my tear did for those first two weeks after delivery.

[Amanda0102]

I chose the episiotomy. It was fine, as was healing.

[eenchoo]

Next time I'll definately try to tear naturally, it hurt to have sex after 8 mos pp for me after the epi:shocker:!

[Mom2Faith]

My OB does not do epi's. I was very excited about that. They have the nurses sit and stretch you as you are getting ready to push so that helps. Unfortunately my doctor was not available when I delivered so I got the oncall doctor and the first thing he did when he sat down was snip me. By that time, I just wanted her out, but was a little disappointed as I think I would have been able to do it with a small tear, if any (I only had like 2 stitches at the end). Anyway, next time I hopefully will be able to do it with no epi....but my recovery wasn't too bad....but I have nothing to compare it to either.

[ColtsFan1912]

I just tore naturally. I honestly never even thought about it.

[virginia+3]

For ME, the episiotomy I had with my daughter, healed faster, and was totally less painful, then the tear I had with my son. So for ME, I would prefer to be cut. Luckily, I didnt need that and I didnt tear with Nathan. He had a small head :lol:

[sarahlynn]

i had an episiotomy..wasnt a big deal to me so i cant say ide do it differnt..

i think i would have to experience both to know whats best..

[virginia+3]

Next time I'll definately try to tear naturally, it hurt to have sex after 8 mos pp for me after the epi:shocker:!

That was me, after I tore with Garrett, and now I have a nasty scar in that spot too. I had sex at 5 weeks PP with Caitlyn and there was NO pain in my epi spot.

I think it really just depends on each person :D

[kenzie]

My doc said he preferred to let women tear naturally (this was with dd's birth). So, he let me tear and I TORE Big Time! It took ages to heal and I needed additional surgery b/c it wasn't healing correctly. It was 6 months before I was given the go ahead to resume sexual activities, which were then excrutiatingly painful for an additional 3 months. I cannot imagine that it would have been that bad if he had just given me an episiotomy.

Next time, I want another c-sect which was a piece of cake to heal from! But, since that wasn't an option I put that I'd like the episiotomy next time.

[lawchickasaw]

new research shows that you tear less and heal faster with episotomy. period. so much so much so that i would question the education everytime of any medical person who says otherwise. i did my own research and my doc at a major (emory) research universe said the same.

[hollyn]

With my first daughter my ob's office did them if it looked neccessary and I ended up with one. It healed very quickly and wasn't really all that painful. With my second daughter that I just had my ob's office doesn't do epi's. Well miss Leah was caught at the shoulders and they pushed and pulled for almost a minute before she came out. So I had a nice tear right up the front. I now have part of my labia missing and if we try certain positions during sex I can't stand the pain. So if you ask me I would of prefered a episiotomy. But according to dh I didn't tear until she got stuck at the shoulders, her head came out fine. So I don't think there would have been anything ahead of time to cue the doctor to do a epi. With my first her head wouldn't crown because she wasn't fitting and that's when they did the epi.

[macksmom]

I had an episiotomy and the healing was AWFUL. I literally couldnt sit for 2 weeks - yes I nursed STANDING. Since I don't know what tearing feels like I can't say which I would prefer. Neither?!?!:P

I sort of chose the epi because she wasnt coming out. As soon as he did it she flew out so I was thrilled at the time. I would imagine it's easier to stitch than a tear. I bet they are both really painful!

[csmith981]

I had an episiotomy and I am still sore. I wish the doctor would have let me tear.

[SammiB]

When Dylan came, It was like trama down there with his super big noggin. I tore internaly and needed about 6 stitches. It all hurt. it took about 4 months for it to really heal. Sex was horrible. and even now I can still feel a little bit of discomfort when I sit on the toilet sometimes. Dont ask me why or how, I dunno. With all that said, I probly still perfer to tear next time. I think if its gonna hurt, its gonna hurt. And there is no way of predicting what is going to feel better.

[eireali]

I had a terrible tear from hole to hole (sorry if tmi) and it's still sore to take a poop (though not to dtd??). I can't say if it would be better or worse to tear or be cut but the ob put a note in my chart that i'm to be cut next time. I would seriously consider having a c-sect to be honest to avoid the whole stitches in my nether regions again it was that sore!

[maine06]

I chose to tear naturally. The healing process is supposedly faster, as you tear in a weakend spot, where the body 'wants' to tear, instead of thru a thick, musclular are.

I don't want an epis. and would prefer to NOT tear this time around. We'll see if my body cooperates :laugh:

[Corrie]

I wasnt given an option lol. My doc gave me an episiotomy without telling me. I guess its better than an uncontrolled tear.

[missmc]

I chose to tear naturally, which I did. Then my OB decided to give me an epi. It was sore for about two weeks. DTD was uncomfortable until about 5 1/2-6 months.

[BubbleGum]

During my first delivery, my doctor did give me an epi. It was just his procedure, and I was so young that I didn't know better. I was sore for a LONG time, and had to do all this extra stuff.
With Kenna, my doctor was very careful and assisted with stretching. I did not get an epi and I did not tear, either. We had discussed it before hand to make sure there was a plan if something else would be needed. I told him than an epi was a LAST resort.
I healed wonderfully. Very little pain.

[monkeymom]

My doc knew that I didn't want an epi and she and the nurse did everything under the sun to stretch me, but when she realized how HUGE DD's head was going to be (turned out 95th percentile :shocker:), she said, "Honey, either I cut you or you're gonna tear from end to end." At that point I had been pushing for 3 hours, and if she'd told me that she was going to have to rip my arm off and feed it to me to get DD out, I probably would have gone along with it. The healing sucked, but I can't help but think of what that big ole head would have meant in terms of a tear. It makes me shudder. :doh:

[CDingMama]

I couldn't vote, b/c I 've been in all 3 situations. With my first I had an episiotomy (not by choice the doc just did it). With #s 2 & 3 I tore and with #4 neither happened. I would much rather tear naturally though. The epi stunk.

[LisaMLS]

i tore. the healing wasn't bad at all.

[haydensmom]

Absolutely tear! I had an epi with my first and took at least 3 months to not be tender. With my second, I tore and I had no discomfort. Shocking for me, but true.

[bryans_mommy]

i can't vote. i did not CHOSE to tear but that is what i did. they told me after that i tore some. i liked that better, i think i would have freaked out if in the middle of labor they cut me. i needed one stitch. i didn't find it to be very painful.

good luck

same here, I tore with my first but it wasn't much. I definitely would have freaked if they'd asked to cut me - stuff like that just phsychologically affects me. afterwards it healed well and pretty fast so honestly I'd opt to tear again because not knowing its tearing as its happening seems to me in itself a better option than knowing beforehand that you're going to be cut. :shocker:

[HappyNewMom]

I had BOTH!!! The doctor cut a small epi AND I tore (3rd degree). It was sore for about 10 weeks, and sex was painful for at least 15. I'm not sure I'd choose to tear naturally - I think the epi helped to "guide" and control how bad it was.

[Kitty]

Epi's are standard practice here, but I requested in my birth pland that I would rather tear, which I did. Not a big one, just 3-4 stiches. The doc did kind of give me an ultimatum, though. He said "If the baby's not out in 3 more pushes you're going to need and epi." Boy, did I push. I healed really fast afterward.

[wannaBmomma]

I chose to tear naturally and I did.. Internally. It was HORRIBLE I had to be stitched on the inside but healed so quickly (and painlessly!!). I will not have an Episiotomy with any future births unless there is a medical emergency.

[caligirl07]

I had the episiotomy... I just wouldn't tear and she wasn't comming out. I hurt alot and took quite awhile to heal. Also it made sex not so much fun for about 6 months.

[alikatgrrl]

ouch ouch ouch. I tore soooooo bad, it STILL hurts. It took my dr. 2 hours to stitch it up! I have never had the two... but I don't ever want to tear like that again!

[lovely]

I didn't vote, I didn't want or choose to tear, I just did. But I also healed up very quickly.

Oh..and about you mimicking your mom, I am the firstborn of three and I too had a daughter. But my mom had a cesarean and I had a natural birth...even though everything throughout pregnancy was the same.

[Mom2Grace]

I had an episiotomy with my first and tore a little with my second. The tear was easier healing most definitely. It took me quite a while the first time before sex was comfortable. I'll see in a couple weeks if it's easier this time around :)

[LuTruPeMo]

I tore all three times. I tore pretty bad with #1, because she was face up and my first. That tear took a long time to heal from. The other two natural tears were no big deal at all. I think personally I'd choose to tear naturally. My feeling is, you will only tear as far as you have to, but a cut might go a lot farther than what you really need.

[Alecia]

I didn't "choose" - my OB does not do episiotomies, so what happened, happened. I did tear on both the top and bottom and took several stitches in each place. It hurt like CRAZY for about three weeks, then it went to mild soreness unless somehow aggravated. But the pain of DTD ended after just a couple weeks of discomfort/wondering if I was going to re-rip (sorr, TMI). I have never had an epi to compare it to though.

[meggers77]

I didn't vote. I would have preferred to avoid an episiotomy, but my delivery was AWFUL and I ended up getting one (it's all a blur--I can't remember if I was asked or if they just did it without asking...). AND, to top it all off, I still had 4th-degree tearing on top of that. Lots of stitches...that opened up a week after delivery...and got infected...and ultimately everything had to be cauterized.

So fun.

But it was worth it, of course. (See photos of beautiful baby below.) :)

[shutterbird]

I tore in two different spots and had them stitched. It was uncomfortable sitting for a while, but I would rather tear again anyday than get a epi.

Oh, and the OB did mention doing one, but I screamed (or so I was told) that she was NOT to cut me. She did a peri massage instead and it worked - the tears weren't that big! :D

[carriek]

The delivering OB massaged and stretched me big time for the entire hour and a half I was pushing. Sometimes she was stretching me so much that it hurt more than the contractions did, and yet I tore anyway when Emmery's shoulders came out. I wonder how much worse I would have torn if I wasn't stretched out at all...eek.

[tri-girl]

My baby was NOT coming out, so I had to have an episiotomy. DH said it was more like facilitated tearing--like I would have torn anyways.
The worst part was that I didn't exactly take it easy in the first 2 weeks, so at my check-up, the OB had to re-open and re-stitch my episiotomy because it wasn't healing properly. So if you tear or get cut, don't overdo it in the first few weeks!!!!

[AmyRenee1923]

I didn't have an option because Eva was stuck... but if I could choose I'd tear naturally

[AmyM]

I didn't choose to, but I tore. I didn't know that I did either. After I delivered the placenta she started sewing me up, I was like 'what the heck is she doing? Am I STILL not done?' lol

[ILoveMyLittleOne]

I didn't choose anything, but had to be cut. Ella was stuck! When the doc cut me, she also cut Ella's head (and DIDNT tell me). She has a nice scar now.

I've heard it's really painful to tear.. isn't it?

[mamamanda]

None of the poll options works for me.

Olivia wasn't coming out after 3 hours of pushing, so an epi was necessary. And I had a 3rd degree tear on top of it. It hurt to sit for a long time. Now Olivia is almost 8 months and sex is still painful.

[Kimmeh]

I didn't read all the posts, but for ME with my daughter I had a third degree tear which means basically I tore into my bum- OUCH. The tear itself did not take that long or was very hard to heal from, however because it was in my bum I found it VERY hard for nearly a year afterwards to poop and it caused all sorts of problems. I NEVER want to deal with that again. I used to wish and wish when my daughter was a newborn I had just been given a c section istead because recovery time would not have been nearly as bad.

So this time my OB completely understood what a horrible thing is is to recieve a third and fourth degree tear and wants to prevent tearing into my sphincter at all costs- which lead us to the discussion of a episiotomy...not ideal however, it could very well prevent me from tearing into my bum again. Which I think sounds wonderful. So that is how we are going if it looks like I am going to tear they are going to do it. So I guess I am chosing to be cut (what I voted for).

sorry that was long, but its my experience with tearing.

[JennTheMomma]

My Ob only does episiotomies if needed, which was good, because I wrote in my birth plan I did not want one. I tore, and I perfer that.

[Heather J]

I had a very small epi with Aidan. He came so fast, that the OB thought that was best. With Olivia, I tore just a bit, athough she came fast too, but the recovery was faster with the natural tear.

[cali_mommy]

I didn't really "choose" to tear naturally, my doctor didn't give me any option- she doesn't believe in episiodomies.

[livegreen]

I had one of each. My first was an epi, my DD was 7.4 lbs. The pp pain was awful for several weeks. BDing was painful for about 6 months, then it was better than ever!! With my DS, he was 9.1lbs. My OB stretched me for a few minutes before hand and I had a very minor tear. Pain was minimal and the healing was quick and easy, in fact 3 days pp I took the kids for a one mile walk. However BDing still isn't right, its still painful. Its been almost 13 months. So voted for tear, but they both had pros and cons for me.