to be ridiculously scared of episiotomy?

[RevoltingPeasant]

...And I do mean ridiculously, because I am not even pg yet.

It is honestly one of the things I dread most about the idea of having a child. Do they ask consent, given what stage things are likely at by the time they decide to do one? Can you refuse? (I have read that in some countries, obv not the UK, they routinely do them without maternal consent ). Do they anaesthetise or just figure you're in enough pain anyhow, so meh?

smarty and my2cents :(

but mycents, how come they do it with no anaesthesia? I don't get why they would do that, it just seems sadistic.....

I had one with DD1 as she was in distress and needed to be delivered quickly. It was fine and had healed after 2 weeks which was more quickly than with DD2 when I had a 2nd degree tear from a totally natural birth.

I had an episiotomy and forceps with DD. I had local anaesthetic. I'm bloody pleased I had anaesthetic as the cut extended into a third degree tear.

Probably made the manual placenta removal easier for the consultant though

Poor you fliss Can I ask, those of you who had nasty experiences like that, did they repair you okay afterwards?

I think I have a little nerve damage nothing major but DH says from his POV there's very little difference, if any

I didn't go to my gynae follow up - DD was born in March, in the December I realised I'd not had a proper check up, then found a letter with an appt for the perineal clinic the previous october - I'd been given the letter on the PN ward before discharge, forgot about it what with having a new baby to look after and wasn't sent a reminder. At that point i figured if I had a problem then I'd have noticed by December and would have asked to be checked anyway.

Oh fliss. I hope you are not in pain. You should go to the gyane thing, get your GP to refer you even now, say you are in ongoing discomfort and you want to see someone. Dude, you owe it yourself, you don't deserve to be hurting.

Oh no, no pain at all Not even on the postnatal ward, I didn't need so much as paracetamol once the spinal from theatre wore off which is what leads me to suspect nerve damage along with a little loss of sensation during sex. Am 21w with DC2 now do haven't been put off but would sooner tear naturally this time than be cut and have that extend.

Oh dear god.

I was terrified. I've had two kids and no stitches. Only push when they tell you too.

YANBU but as others have said they only give one if it's really needed ie baby in distress - or in my case - both twins being breech after a very fast labour and no theatre free for an EMCS! I didn't feel them do it - was in G&A la la land and then was given a local (which was surprisingly painful after labour!!) and stitched by senior consultant.
It's all healed well and I have had no problems since.

I had an epis. for both of my deliveries. Both my babies had 37.5cm heads and as they descended through my pelvis, their heart rates dropped for a prolonged period. The epis. expediated delivery. With my first I had an epidural and only felt the sensation: with my second it was done without local because there was no time. As a mw myself I admit I would rarely do one without anaesthetic but I didn't really feel it - it was bit like a paper cut! Things aren't quite the same down there but I don't have any major problems thankfully.

It is interesting to read perceptions and opinions about who should stitch - I have been qualified for 16 years and am interested in suturing. I have done loads and am involved in training others. I also wrote our trust guideline. My technique doesn't vary particularly but anatomy often does. There are so many other contributing factors to healing so problems shouldn't always be attributed to the operator. Interesting read.

Flabby it's not quite that simple. I had second degree tears both times first one they told me to push and stuck a ventouse on but out in 5 pushes ( doc said I pushed her out but he'd had to guide her head) with ds I got tge urge to push in fact it felt like he was about to fall out of me.

Oh and the second time felt very different, I was really surprised when they said I had tore

I did only push when told to Fabby as the epidural left me with no urge to push. The Consultant using the forceps didn't tell me when to STOP pushing until it was too bloody late

I pushed when they told me too, for a long time.

But forceps meant episiotomy. It can't always be avoided.

Ho hum.

Actually, saying that, I did avoid it second time round with a MARVELLOUS ELCS (fanjo stitches, anyway).

I didn't like the idea of epis either. Had one and have to say it was fine. Guess I was lucky.

Far better than waiting for my c-sec scar to heal first time around.

My epi healed much better than my emcs scar