Positive stories of birth after episiotomy

[BourbonBiscuits20]

Sorry for the long thread title but I couldn't really think of a more succinct name!
Feeling really hormonal and sad tonight and hoping someone might have some positive experiences to cheer me up!

I'm pregnant with DC3 and feeling a lot of emotion about my prev births.
EMCS with first, with my second I wanted a waterbirth and was told no because of covid. So the single request I had was not to give birth on my back.
During labour the midwife essentially forced me to be on my back and in the moment/with the pain and gas and air I couldn't really protest very eloquently (though I did try) and she ended up giving me an episiotomy although I said no.

I'm just feeling gutted that I feel my previous births choices were taken from me that may affect this birth. I'm despairing that I'll tear badly at the prev episiotomy site or be given another one!

Did anyone have an episiotomy and go on to give birth without it tearing open?

I don’t know, you would have to ask a midwife.

OP please try and be reassured they are very well trained and experienced professionals who will do their best to keep you and baby safe. I know there are horror stories in the press, but they are the minority.

It may be your wishes may not be possible, despite their best efforts.. the goal is a healthy baby and a well mum at the end of the day

As an extra.. my first was bloody terrible episiotomy with a subsequent haematoma that was bloody awful. My second was another episiotomy that healed with barely an itch.

I hope all goes well x

Ventouse delivery and an episiotomy with my first.
Water birth and a second degree tear with my second.
Had stitches after both and as far as I am aware both healed well.

Had one with first. Second one shot out a treat with no damage. I haven't given my episiotomy a second thought for two decades - until this thread .

I had an episiotomy for dc1. Dc2 was too fast for meds or anything but was nice and easy. A few stitches but nothing to do with the scar.
Midwife suggested that I write on birth plan to have a warm compress used during delivery on the perineum. I think that really helped.
Good luck!

I said the OP was worried that she will HAVE an avoidable episiotomy not that the one she has already HAD was avoidable (which clearly the OP feels probably would have been avoidable).

Are you always this obtuse?

@Cuppasoupmonster OK, will do! Thanks.

I had an episiotomy with my first, a nasty tear with my second (in a different place) and a graze that didn't need stitches with my third. The difference was I gave birth to DC3 in an upright position.

Thank you all so much for the replies and kind words. It's honestly really helped me get out of a bad head space tonight and I'm really grateful! X

Why say I’m ‘normalising medical childbirth’ for stating a fact that I have no part of?! If that’s not obtuse then I don’t know what is 🤷🏼‍♀️

DD was nearly 10lbs and got stuck so I had an episiotomy and third-degree tear. DS was much easier, no episiotomy and just two stitches-my old tear didn’t reopen.

I was recommended to buy a sitz bath and sit in it at least three times a day with warm water, it really eased the discomfort as I healed postpartum: www.amazon.co.uk/Sitz-Baths/b?ie=UTF8&node=2826331031

I had an episiotomy with my first as she was at a weird angle. I didn't even need a single stitch with my second. The experiences could not have been more different. I went from 0 dialation to baby on my chest in 45 minutes. It was a traumatic birth for my daughter. She had to spend time in neonatal. I barely felt like I had given birth though. It was really easy. The first time I felt like I had been hit by a bus. The experiences were very different.

I had an episiotomy first time, it didn't tear and I had quite a straightforward time next time.

Just joining in to say I had an episiotomy and second degree tear with DD1 and with DD2 just had a couple of internal grazes, they did get stitched but I had basically forgotten about them after a day or so, they were so minor.

Oh thanks for more replies! Feeling so much better, I had been feeling it was just going to be inevitable the old one would come ripping right open! So reassuring hearing first hand experience