To tear or not to tear

Frances - posted on 05/07/2012

Tearing or getting cut is usually not an option. Many times the woman is cut and she also tears. I had an episiotomy and a second degree tear with my first birth. Getting cut does not prevent tears at all.

Elizabeth - posted on 05/01/2012

Picture this: try to tear an intact towel. TUG TUG TUG no tear.
Give it a little cut. Try to tear it then. RIIIIIIIPPPPPP!!!
How could anyone possible think a doctor slicing your perineum open with a scalpel (or actually it's more like a bolt cutter.) Could be OK???????? A good idea???

I had "routine" episotomies with my first two babies. Not with my third & 4th. My 4th baby was the biggest was posterior, very difficult, 4 hours of pushing and I had NO episiotomy. With preparation, proper care, warm compresses, gentle, patient non-intervention birth tearing is minimal and not painful. Heals quickly stitches or not. The episiotimies were HORRIFIC. I would never, EVER consent to be cut like that if I had only known then what I know now. It's not EVER necessary and does harm rather than any good whatsoever. I just wish I and my doctors knew better back then. Good luck.
God Bless.

Abi - posted on 01/07/2011

With both of my previous births i was so lucky to only graze with my little lad and had nothing with my little girl. I actually requested that they didn't do an episiotomy in my notes unless extremely necessary as i have heard that if they deliver you properly you shouldn't tear at all. Not sure how true it is but i also heard that episiotomies are performed a lot of the time toget the baby out quicker rather than letting nature take it's course.

Nicky - posted on 01/05/2011

I only tore a small amount, not even enough for stitches. I was slightly sore for about a week, if I sat in one spot too long or sat on a hard surface. Other than that I was fine. I was very lucky to have only minimal pain.

Gotsome - posted on 01/01/2011

I think that it has to be personal choice - I don't believe that my body will do only what it can handle - what I experienced is far beyond the standard recovery based on my discussions with other women, doctors & midwives. I believe a strategic cut could have helped me shorten my recovery & dramatically minimized my pain. Having said that I know women who tore & healed very quickly, all I'm saying is that isn't universal. One very last visual - as awful as it is - visualize a pencil/pen breaking a whole through a sheet of paper - it doesn't always tear cleanly or straight through. If you trust your doctor/midwife to make a cut at the right time and in what they believe is in your & the baby's best interest then it can the the right thing to do.

Kaleigh - posted on 01/01/2011

A tear generally heals better, I tore pretty bad and had to get stitches but even still if they had cut me I still would have torn and that is worse than the both of them. I've been wondering as well if I should ask for an episiotomy since it is likely I will tear again, but then again I'm a firm believer that your body will do no more damage than you can handle. If you think it unlikely that you would tear I'd tell them no for sure let your body do what its gonna do, if you have already torn I guess it's just a matter of picking your poison wether you tear or get cut its gonna hurt and take time to heal either way.

Gotsome - posted on 01/01/2011

I tore - had 4 2nd degree tears - think about a compass & the 4 directions - that was me.... My recovery took 6 weeks before I was able to walk straight up, never mind pace with my son or care for him pain free, needless to say I wish that I had been given an episiotomy (cut). I had an epideral & some complications at delivery which I belive contributed to the tearing - but I can honestly say - if you tear naturally you can tear to smiterines (as my doctor put it). I still don't know how many stitches I had but it took my doctor 1 hr to put me back together. I can honestly say I am most afraid of this scenario again, not labour but the possibiliy of tearing again....When in doubt - have an episiotomy that's my moto!

Heather - posted on 01/01/2011

BTW.....I only hurt for about a week, maybe a week and a half, and I had a pretty rough delivery, lots and lots of pushing and they ended up having to use the vaccuum also....I am so sorry for you moms that hurt for so long, I hope I heal just as fast with this one too!

Heather - posted on 01/01/2011

I had an epidural and the doctor cut me to assist with the delivery of my son. I didnt know until afterwards that he cut me, he didnt tell me that he was going to and I didnt feel it at all. I believe the only reason I know is because after I had my son and they had him laying on my stomach I remember looking down and seeing the doctor stitch me up....It was kinda weird, but I didnt feel it. After the epidural wore off I felt it, and yes it hurt pretty bad, but from what I know, straight cuts heal better and a lot faster than a tear, because a tear is jagged rather than simply straight. I think Im pretty sure Im going to tell them this time around that if its needed I would prefer them to perform an episiotomy rather than letting me tear, I would rather know that its going to heal back right!

Danielle - posted on 01/01/2011

not every women will tear, but usually if it looks like you might then some doctors might cut, but i think they prefer not to do that these days unless they really need to.
i had a labial tear with my daughter, i was lucky to only get a perineal graze.
i didn't need stitches (but wish i had though- long story) and took probably 7 weeks to heal properly.
but at the time i didn't feel the tear happening but i think with being cut you would feel that and you know it is coming too which would make it feel worse in my opinion.