Labia ‘episiotomy’ instead of perineum, why?

[Stardust127]

Hi everyone,

I gave birth to my baby boy last Sunday 30/06. I was induced and all went well. They explained to me that they needed to do an episiotomy, which I was okay with. I had one with my previous birth of my daughter so I thought I knew what to expect. However, they did not cut my perineum, instead they have made a massive cut on the right labia Majora, and the cut goes into my vagina. I saw the scissors they did it with and they were huge, I’m having awful flashbacks of it. They have of course stitched it up. The pain is unreal and it’s bleeding. Various midwives have checked and said it’s fine and healing. One today said it is in an odd place. So I know it’s not the ‘norm’.

has anyone else had their labia or anywhere other than the standard perineum cut during childbirth? I’m going to contact the hospital to ask for a debrief of the birth; one of the midwives at clinic today suggested I do this. Just so I can find out why it happened.

Many yrs ago when I had DD.
I had flashbacks too and lots of stitches inside the vaginal wall so quite a raised scar for a while.
I think it is better than an anal tear which causes other issues.

I had the same, but not knowing any better as it was my first. If it's any consolation despite it taking a long time to stitch up, 5 weeks on it's healing well.

Hi , congratulations on your new baby boy!
I gave birth in January this year and had a mediolateral episiotomy. They cut from the vagina in a diagonal line rather than straight down the perineum.
Apparently if you have an episiotomy straight down the perineum there's more risk of the cut tearing further.
Didn't help me having a mediolateral episiotomy as I still got a 4 th degree tear 🙈

My only thought would be that there wasn’t the space to get the scissors in at the perineum so they did the best with what was available.

As for a debrief and congratulations

My old trust I used to work at always cut diagonally. Prevents the episiotomy extending to the anus.
I suppose it depends where whoever did the cut was trained.

The hospital I went to doesn't cut the perineum either, to prevent bad tears (although in my case I still got a 3rd degree tear and a longer, curved injury!). According to a consultant I spoke to they have a tool that ensures the right distance from the perineum.