Episiotomy and stitches, who normally does the stitching?

[Kardelen]

Hi everyone,
my last birth the doctor did an episiotomy. Was in theatre so they stiched me up.

however, this time I’ll be having early epidural and will be in a room I’ve been told. So in this case does a midwife do the stitches?

heard horror stories so not sure if I should just go for c section instead. If any midwife’s stitched you, how was it?

Nothing wrong with having a MW do the stitching at all- they do it all the time, possibly more than doctors do.

My episiotomy stitches were done by a doctor, degraded and the wound still causes me bother. My stitches by a midwife after DS2 healed no problem at all.

Consultant did my episiotomy and stitches (forceps delivery). It took more than 7 years to heal (rendering DD an only). Every other doctor or consultant who looked at it afterwards asked where on earth I had had my baby as it was done so badly.

Midwife did mine, and it all looks and feels exactly as it did prior to birth. They probably do a lot more than doctors do I imagine.

Thank you everyone! Heard a few horror stories so made me really anxious.

Oh no, what was actually wrong with it ?

You can find horror stories about anything. Including C-sections.

I'd go for a midwife who does them all the time over a doctor or consultant who does a huge range of things, any day.

Over 20 years ago for me and the stitches healed quickly with no problems and no visible changes but it happened at 4am and the young male doctor was arrogant/offhand and I was literally only slab of meat in front of him. Not a single polite or nice word from him 😞

Midwife, 30 years ago. İt was fine.

I have had tears after all three births. My stitches after dc1 were done by a doctor following surgery for retained placenta. The stitches for my others dc were done by a midwife and never had any issues. Stitches were relatively pain free, healed nicely and no problems since

Trainee / early career midwife did mine under supervision. She did an ok job, but I'm 5 months pregnant and this time I want an experienced midwife doing it, as she definitely messed up a bit and it took nearly a year to heal properly - pain for around eight months and then scar tissue took time to soften. Not fun.

Midwife did mine both times. No issues.

Midwife stitched my tear. She did a great job, she was teaching a student midwife at the time as well.

2 years later same midwife delivered my second and I didn't tear at all. She was very pleased with her handiwork lol

Thank you so much. Did the retained placenta happen on your first, and the others were okay?
i had retained placenta on my first too. So worried about it happening again

My stitches were done by a midwife at 2 in the morning, she made a mess of it and I had a tender lumpy scar. I just lived with it. 30 years later the consultant gynaecologist who had done my hysterectomy said to me "I hope you don't mind. While I was down there I repaired that terrible episiotomy for you." It's perfect!

Some scruffy looking bloke (could’ve been mistaken for the window cleaner) no idea who he was but at that moment in time I didn’t really care 😆

(I would never chose a c-section just because of stitches. I’ve had 3 natural births, one c-section and the c-sect took ages to heal from, like ages and ages)

MW did mine, they are very experienced. If you are weighing up the possibility of a midwife making a bad job of stiches and having a c section I would risk the bad job of stiches.

I was stitched by a reg both times as I had to go to theatre for manual placenta removal. The first time it was too tight and I needed a small op 18 months later to refashion. Worked a treat and had my second child 18 months later. Was even better after my second.

Ah!
must’ve been scary. We’re you in a room prior to retained placenta? Worried may happen to me again this time round.
they said they’d take me into theatre to remove it, but last time I lost a lot of blood so don’t want that to happen again.

MW did mine. Normal for it to be a midwife. They’re probably more experienced. That said my first was a hatchet job. Extended into top of my thigh, split open, infected and didn’t heal for a year. My second didn’t need an episiotomy but midwife sewed me up and it was all fine.

@Kardelen it's apparently very unlikely to happen twice but I unfortunately was that person! Second time it felt much more controlled because I refused to be messed with on delivery suite and they took me straight to theatre for a spinal block. Really annoying because I had really quick inductions twice on only a hour or two.

Both births I've had midwives stitch me. First was great with the epidral and second for tears. Both great.

*episiotomy not epidural

Consultant did my stitches in theatre after forceps delivery. Community midwife, while checking the healing process, asked if I’d had it done by a consultant as, in her experience, the midwives will stitch more “thoughtfully”.

Also the stitches popped open after 8 days so, to be honest, I’m not wholly convinced I got a better job done from the consultant in a theatre environment over 3 hours with a spinal block and a big light shining right up my hoo-haa vs an experienced midwife in the delivery room.