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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

If you had an episiotomy with first birth, what happened second time?

134 replies

CoteDAzur · 06/02/2009 17:12

Please tell.

Obstetrician said that there is a 50% (!!!) chance I will need/have an episiotomy this time because I had one last time. Something about the scar tissue not stretching.

I'm freaking out like you would not believe

OP posts:

muppetgirl · 06/02/2009 19:21

ah, ds 1 ventouse also tore despite the episiotomy.

Ds 2 (3rd degree tear) incontinance both bladder and bowel for about 6 weeks. No control and had to take clothes out for me and ds 2 in cas eof accidents. Farting through vagina then took over (Very VERY about this) was referred back, barium enema and other such lovely things but nothing found. Things better though not perfect 15 months on. Am prgt with dc 3 and are having an elective c-section. (I'm size 8 and are 8 1/2 stone) as 3rds can be bigger!

Original poster

CoteDAzur · 06/02/2009 19:23

So doctor not entirely full of it when he says episiotomy is better than a bad tear.

OP posts:

pointydog · 06/02/2009 19:23

yes, it must depend so much on the individual. I had no problem recovering from my episiotomy. I became infrected after the tear. So you cannot generalise.

It might be helpful, though, to realise that a positive experience can follow an unpleasant one.

muppetgirl · 06/02/2009 19:27

Different in different ways.
Ds 1 I had severe pnd and had to see a psychologist, leave work etc but kept having flashbacks about the birth...

ds 2 was an awful birth but mentally felt on top of the world (I bonded with ds 2 from the word go and loved him like I'd never loved anyone else before, ds 1 I didn't b-nd with for quite some time )

I was on about 5/6 different painkillers for ds 2 the brusing was horrific as was actaully looking 'down there' sitting wasn't great walking wasn't great and the incontinance was horrible. But I had my wonderful ds 2 (and by then wonderful ds 1!!) so I didn't mind as much.

I am having a c-section as I seem to grow lovely big boys that I just can't deliver and I am worried about further tissue damage and trauma 'down there'. They also want me to finish the investigations from the ds 2 (I was referred to a general surgeon but the app never arrived and I didn't chase it up as I'd had enough of being poked and prodded) and get anything fixed 12 weeks after dc 3's birth.

Original poster

CoteDAzur · 06/02/2009 19:27

My episiotomy got infected as well.

OP posts:

Northernlurker · 06/02/2009 19:28

I think that if you don't stretch well and have scar tissue then yes a cut is better than a tear. I know after dd2 - when they cut quite late on to avoid trauma it took quite a lot of putting back together again. In fact the midwife called a doctor to see if they needed to stitch it rather than the midwife doing it. She walked in and said 'oh no it's not that bad - you can manage that' leaving me feeling more than slightly apprehensive. Midwife did a good - if long - job though. With dd3 - which was just the cut it was definately a less dramatic repair job!

Northernlurker · 06/02/2009 19:30

And muppetgirl I think you are totally right to have a c-section. There's only so much trauma that part of you can take and knowing that my arse has had more stitches than the Bayeux tapestry was certainly a factor in encouraging dh to (ahem) do the decent thing

muppetgirl · 06/02/2009 19:30

bearing in mind I had a episiontomy with ds 1 and no infection whereas ds 2 I didn't have an episiotomy and then had a 3rd degree tear.(with cytisis the following week + ab's)

If I were delivering naturally again I would want an episiotomy.

muppetgirl · 06/02/2009 19:33

yep northerlurker this is definitely our last!!

DO bear in mind ds 2 was 14 1/2 ozs bigger than ds 1 though and that has to be taken into consideration. He has massive shoulders and a large head (but I love him )

broguemum · 06/02/2009 19:34

I'm in Luxembourg which is also doctor driven.

I had a episiotomy with my first (horrible labour) and tore badly (twice) as well. Took a while to heal but no problems otherwise. My second labour was so much easier and better and although I had an episiotomy again I did not tear and healed much more quickly.

I have heard from several people that second labours are better / easier mainly because you know what is going on!

Good luck!

Flightattendant12 · 06/02/2009 19:34

It's Ok. I had an epis. the first time, becuse of epidural, etc etc, and just a 2nd degree tear the second time which healed fine and wasn't too bad at all. I hardly noticed it.

You'll be Ok cote,

Original poster

CoteDAzur · 06/02/2009 19:36

If it looks like I am having another 4 kg baby, I am getting a c-section as well. Already got the doctor to agree to it.

The idea was that I would try hard to limit weight gain which would lead to a smaller baby & hopefully easier delivery with no cuts. But it turns out that (1) this baby is larger than DD although I put on little weight, and (2) doctor says 50% chance for episiotomy whatever the weight of baby.

So now I'm freaking out, have been referred to maternity ward's psychologist, and doctor is thinking about a c-section even if baby is 'normal' weight because he is worried about my mental health.

OP posts:

broguemum · 06/02/2009 19:40

Sorry, forgot to say, my second baby was 4.25 kilos and was born in less than 4 hours. No tears.

Guadalupe · 06/02/2009 19:43

With ds1 I had an enormous episiotomy as he was stuck and his heartrate dropped. The gp at my six week check said it was one of the biggest he'd ever seen and he wasn't surprised that I screamed when he put in the speculum.

DD was an emergency caesarian four years later and then five years after her ds1 was a vabc and I had two tiny tears that didn't need stitching. That midwife seemed to spent a lot of time with the head so that I didn't tear badly.

Obviously an episiotomy is a big deal and it was sore and I was really glad I didn't need one with ds2 but still, if it meant avoiding a bad tear I'd rather have it. Two friends have suffered 3rd/4th degree tearing and it's grim.

muppetgirl · 06/02/2009 19:44

I always thought that you couldn't limit weight gain? I thought the baby takes what the baby needs and your body suffers?

I am limiting my sweet intake though as with my 2 previous prcy's I ate like a total pig. Anything sweet and whenever I wanted too.

Cote I can totally understand your anxiousness (I am the same!) what birth do you want [smile} start from that point and work outwards...

Jojay · 06/02/2009 19:44

DS1 - episiotomy, forceps delivery. 8lb3oz

DS2 - 2nd degree tear, natural, quick delivery. 7lb7oz.

I found the recovery from the tear much more painful than the episiotomy

Guadalupe · 06/02/2009 19:45

ds1 was 6lb 11 and ds2 was 7lb 7.

Two friends have recently delivered a baby over 10 lbs, one of them 10 lb 11, without so much as a graze.

Original poster

CoteDAzur · 06/02/2009 19:51

Guadalupe - Was the cesarean better or worse than the enormous episiotomy in terms of recovery?

OP posts:

Guadalupe · 06/02/2009 19:55

The caesarian was much worse. Major abdominal surgery rather than a sore fanny.

Original poster

CoteDAzur · 06/02/2009 20:01

muppetgirl - I also thought baby's birthweight had little to do with mum's diet, but my doctor thinks there is a big correlation. I do admit I abused the ice cream quite a bit in DD's 3rd trimester

But now that I've put on only 5 kgs and baby is still bigger than DD was at this stage of pregnancy, it seems doctor will be proven wrong.

Re the kind of birth I want - Vaginal, quick, without a tear or cut. Or a small tear. But I don't want an episiotomy. Actually considering refusing the epidural (unheard of around here) so I can run away if anyone comes towards me with what looks like epi scissors.

OP posts:

plusonemore · 06/02/2009 20:02

episiotomy ds1
nothing ds2!
made huge difference to how i felt after, was up and around next day, feeling normal. good luck

muppetgirl · 06/02/2009 20:10

That's the kind I would like I know my problems have probably been caused by my over medicalsied births. I was induced with ds 1 and it was long and painful so I had an epi from then on, on back pushing uphill.

As I had pnd I was terrified of giving birth the second time but was adamant I wanted an epi, I had it and it only worked on one side so it was still agony down one side but agian, ds was descending at an angle which as he was a large baby (I'd had growth scans every 4 weeks from 20 weeks and at 36 he was measuring 41 I was terrified!!!)

I know that a natural delivery is best but I have lost any confidence in my body to deliver baby's without major painrelief.

I would love to be at home, with dh and a midwife but it just isn't realistic (and no one would agree with my history!)

Guadalupe · 06/02/2009 20:10

I wouldn't agree to an episiotomy based on size, especially after seeing the whoppers that small friends have pushed out.

I would do it again in the case of ds1 where I was too tired to push and they wanted him out quickly as he was in distress.

Northernlurker · 06/02/2009 20:11

I think periwhatsit massage is the way to go then Cote - there is some suggestion that it helps. Personally I tried it and din't really get on with it - but I hadn't had the bad time you've had so it was much easier for me to contemplate another cut.

Original poster

CoteDAzur · 06/02/2009 20:21

And if I expressly forbid an episiotomy and end up with a huge tear & incontinence issues?

OP posts:

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