If I had an episiotomy last time, will I need one this time?

[SydneyB]

Had DD in hospital, had what I now think was an unecessary episiotomy. Looking back on it I think they got me pushing too early and once they cut me she didn't come out any quicker. This time I'm thinking of a home birth but I'm wondering if I will tear along the episiotomy scar or whether they'll need to do one again? Also, do they do them at a home birth at all? It took ages to heal last time and I ended up with an infection. The birth was just fine, its the aftermath I'm not looking forward to..

I also had no idea that an episitomy cut through the muscle, you'd think they would have explained that to me at the time...

This is all so useful, thanks all. The reason I am dubious about the epi I had with DD was that it was done well before she came out and I remember the doc coming in and saying to the m/ws 'why have you cut her?'. Had a very easy birth though - only 4 hours from things beginning to happen until full dilation and then 4 hours of pushing. Eventually another m/w came on shift and found I wasn't quite fully dilated so they had me pushing way too early. Then the docs got all frantic about pushing too long etc although DD seemed fine and were threatening forceps and I think m/ws (and def not me) didn't want that and the cutting was kind of last ditch attempt to get DD before the forceps. That was a lot of detail, sorry!