Episotomys Questions for the Moms

I was wondering if any of you Moms who had an episotomy can share your experience with me. My friend seemed to be in real pain recently when she just had her baby. She would be in the bathroom for 30 minutes....but I also heard from a friend who told me that i should state to the doctor befor i go into labor whether i want one or not and to only do it if necessary(she told me a lot of doctors do it automatically) and then i have another friend who never said anything and never had it done for either child.

So my questions are this:

Did you say anything before the labor?
How painful was it to you when they were stitching you up?
How long are you in pain / discomfort afterwards?
How is going to the bathroom (1 and 2)?
How long do you wait to have sex again and did it hurt?
Did any of you "lose a stitch"? And if so did you have to go back to the doctor to get another one???

TIA - Trying to cover all ground

And FYI - I am not pregnant yet, just a very prepared TTCer!

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

Before youread my answers..as awful as it seems, I would do it again in an instant! IMO it was a small price to pay for by darling boy!


Did you say anything before the labor?

Nope--not sure if it mattered because I would have rather been cut than naturally torn.

How painful was it to you when they were stitching you up?

I didn't feel anything. He numbed me down there prior to the procedure.

How long are you in pain / discomfort afterwards?

I was in a TON of discomfort for exactly one week after giving birth. It was difficult to sit, stand up, and to move quickly. Whenever I coughed or sneezed, it hurt like hell. By the second week I wasn't 100% but so much better.

How is going to the bathroom (1 and 2)?

1 was easy, no problem, but as far as number 2 I had a hard time going because it was painful to sit for it, I had hemorrhoids due to the pushing, and I think my body was in a state of shock where it didn't want to push anything out again. I just started going number 2 regularly at around 5 weeks. Sorry if TMI.

How long do you wait to have sex again and did it hurt?

No sex as of yet....I'm 7 weeks post partum

Did any of you "lose a stitch"? And if so did you have to go back to the doctor to get another one???

Nope.....no stitches "lost".

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

Having an Episiotmy is 10000x's better then not having it and ripping
Thats what happened to me. My Dr. didn't think I needed one and I wound up ripping. The pain was un real ( after the fact not during since I couldn't feel a thing) It took WEEKS of recovery,,, I couldnt sit right, go up and down stairs, etc.

I rather go through the process of giving birth 100 times then deal with the weeks of pain after

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

I never discussed the topic with my dr. I didn't care much about it. If it was necessary so be it. During the process of childbirth, it was deemed necessary and I didn't feel a thing because they numb the area before. Didn't feel anything in stitching up.

Honestly my recovery was not bad at all but I have a high threshold for pain - I think. I only took motrin once or twice but that was more for sore boobs! Of course I was sore but andit was a little painful at times - just had to be careful how I would sit or move at times or even hold the baby. But I was in and out of my SUV like 500 times the week after baby was born and that was uncomfortable (high step) but fine. My baby was in the NICU and I could care less about my own pain and discomfort as well. I didn't lose a stitch. Going to the bathroom was fine. I heard it could be painful but it wasn't. Actually the nurse laughed when I asked that question. They will give you stool softners if you ask to help out if it is painful but dr said 9 times out of 10 it isn't. Of course not pleasant but the bleeding was far worse and more annoying than the pain for me. At my 6 week post partum visit, my dr said i was healed.

Message edited 9/23/2005 3:21:54 PM.

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

I had an episotomy and tore in addition. The recovery was uncomfortable but nothing excruciating. Going to the bathroom wasn't bad, I was nervous that I would pop a stitch but didn't. The only time I was in the bathroom for 30 minutes would be if I was on the sitz bath. At my 6 week checkup I was totally healed.

I agree with Denise, the bleeding was much worse IMO than the stiches. It seemed to go on forever and was really heavy.

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

I never discussed with the doctor but my daughter tore me I think I would of rather had the episotomy.

I never said anything about the episotomy during labor cuz I just wanted the baby out.

I didn't feel anything when the doctor was sewing me up they numb you so you don't feel anything

I was in pain for about a week It was a little slow to get up or sit down you couldn't move to fast

going #1 was not a problem number 2 took a while cuz it hurt to push. Word of advice take laxitives or s tool softeners.

I waited 6 weeks to have sex again when I came home from my check up we had sex and yes it did hurt. It hurt for the first couple of times.

Never lost a stitch they dissolved on there own and that was pretty much it.

With me knowing allthis I would def. go through it all again

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

Did you say anything before the labor?
We never talked about it. The first time my Dr. mentioned it was when the baby's shoulders wouldn't come out, so she told me she was going to numb me then cut.

How painful was it to you when they were stitching you up?
She numbed that area before stiching

How long are you in pain / discomfort afterwards?
I say pain for about a week. Real discomfort for 3 weeks after that.

How is going to the bathroom (1 and 2)?
Urinating was no problem as long as I used the squeeze bottle at the same time. In the beginning, the urine would sting a little so using the warm water helped. I didn't #2 for about 2 weeks bc I was so scared to do it.

How long do you wait to have sex again and did it hurt?
We had sex a few days before my 6 week check up. We used some lube, so it wasn't too bad.

Did any of you "lose a stitch"? And if so did you have to go back to the doctor to get another one???
No

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

Message edited 9/23/2005 4:58:02 PM.

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

Did not have an epis. My doctor was going to do one but at the last second, I said no- let me push more. One more push out she came. I was told to try to avoid one because a lot of people I know have tears from front to back. I tore so minimally- it was the most minimal tear you could have supposedly. I swear I felt nothing. I am 2 weeks pp and have my drs permission to exercise, bathe, etc.... No sex yet though, not that I want it.

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

Having an episiotomy is not automatic with all doctors. It really depends on your practicioner to be honest. There is more and more research these days that says there is little to no reason for a doctor to have to cut a woman...almost all research shows that a natural tear is less traumatic on a woman and easier to recover from. The perineal tissue is made to stretch, so to automatically cut is to not allow the tissue a chance to stretch. Most woman just get a minor tear. Most (but not all) major tears are the result of either a woman pushing much too hard and too fast during crowning, or a result of an episiotomy.

With my first child, the baby weighed 8 lbs. 11oz and I had a minor tear. But my OB helped me with pernieal massage all during my labor. This helped the perineum to stretch so that the crown of baby's head wasn't severe for my body. I had only 3 stitches but was sore for several weeks and had a VERY difficult time having bowel movements. The very first BM was very painful.

With my second child, the baby weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. and I didn't have any tearing and no stitches. The recovery was wonderful! It was as if I never gave birth. My first BM was just a couple of hours after birth and I had no problems whatsoever. I barely needed the peri bottle and I was back to normal activities after a week.

Just have faith in your body's ability to birth the baby. Not even medical intervention is necessary or helpful. Episiotomies, IMO, are totally optional and really only useful in emergency or extreme situations.

Re: Episotomys Questions for the Moms

Did you say anything before the labor?
Yes, I didn't want one unless necessary.

How painful was it to you when they were stitching you up?
Didn't feel anything with local and epidural still was effective.

How long are you in pain / discomfort afterwards?
I had a 4th degree cut and honestly, very little pain at all. The worse was the next day with sitting, but I had absolutely no problems. I was up and about right away.

How is going to the bathroom (1 and 2)?
Fine. My hospital gives stool softners as routine until the first BM is passed. Honestly, didn't hurt much.

How long do you wait to have sex again and did it hurt?
It hurt for a while...a couple of months, but can take up to 6-12 months to completely heal.

Did any of you "lose a stitch"? And if so did you have to go back to the doctor to get another one???
Never lost anything. Only itched a little while they were dissolving.

Just want to add that my OB was really hesitant to do an epi. The only reason he had to was because I pushed for over two hours (even with laboring down on my own for well over an hour.) With so much pushing, blood begins to pool in the tissue around the area which causes swelling. If he wouldn't have cut me, I would have had terrible tearing. He apologized numerous times and really hated the fact he had too. I was fine, but I guess I'm one of the lucky few who has a high tolerance for pain or something because a 4th degree is pretty serious.

I will also add that it's not always about the weight of the baby that factors in to the crowning. It's the size of the head that has to be pushed through. Even though my daughter was only 7lb 3oz, she still have a 14 inch head.