Calling all opinions on episiotomies

[Inanna]

Claire I personally had a 3rd degree tear with my first child. I healed really well using lots of herbal treatments. I haven't torn with any of my subsequent births.

Inform yourself fully, come to your decision and state that to your care provider. It' s really difficult to state your case unless you can quote stats and facts. I will find a link to some articles for you.

It is my personal experience both with my own body and being at births that tearing with a non instrumental birth is better for your body and easier to heal. Also the question of if I tear do I want sutures needs to be adressed.

I will find some links...

[becmc]

There is a really good book called 'the thinking womens guide to a better birth' and it has alot of interesting info about episiotomies. Basically the theory in the book is that perineums are like fabric, you can stretch it really really far until it tears, but put a cut in it with some scissors and it will just continue to tear along that line very easily. I had a c/s with my last birth so don't have personal experience, but the women I know that ended up with the worst tears always had episiotomies first. So personally I am avoiding it.