Episiotomy Question

[LaDeeDa]

I hadn't even considered this really as I am having an BC birth - but one of the girls in my birthing class went early and popped in with her bubs and told us she had to have an epi as her little one just wasn't coming out so they cut her in the birthing centre and she kind of went and on and on about how much it hurt.....

Do they give you an anasetic (sp) before they cut???
Surely they don't slice into you without numbing first *gulp*

[Me+him+bub]

i know what u mean im terrified of getting one, my mum did with me and forceps as i was face down and was stuck she said it was an emergency and she had no pain relief but was in pain everywhere else she said it was just like a burning sensation on top of everything else! I guess they wouldnt do it unless its needed i wish u all the best with your labour!

[Oorki Galoorki]

they just cut away...aparently there is no time for it.

the best way to avoid tearing is letting gravity work for you(standing type position) and avoid controlled pushing so being told when to push rather then going with your body...

[LaDeeDa]

Hey Doudou - thanks for that ....

I was hoping to squat in the bath or otherwise be active.... have to wait and see what happens

[mrsmac]

I had one when I had DD1, they gave me local anaesthetic first in this huge needle!! It didn't hurt at all at the time but afterwards wasn't so nice!

[feeb]

it depends why they are cutting episiotomy.

If being cut to apply forcepts or a vacum they do infiltrate with local anaethetic.

If babys heart is low and not recvering quick enough and is emergency to get baby out they often wont, as they will cut at hight of contraction when perineum most thin.

[mrsmac]

it depends why they are cutting episiotomy.

If being cut to apply forcepts or a vacum they do infiltrate with local anaethetic.

If babys heart is low and not recvering quick enough and is emergency to get baby out they often wont, as they will cut at hight of contraction when perineum most thin.

That makes sense, I had forceps with Jess.

[Santosha]

I'm pretty nervous about this too Dee. My friend said that they did hers in the middle of a huge contraction (no warning that she recalls but she said she was pretty delerious) and she didn't even know that they'd done it 'till later. This gives me some hope, but also makes me think **gulp** 'how much pain have you gotta be in to not notice something that drastic?!'. EEEeeekk I say.

[MantaRay]

I had an episiotomy with DS1 as forceps were used (I believe all this intervention stemmed from the epidural). Believe me, you just don't feel the pain at the time. On top of the contractions on so forth, I didn't even notice it. Same with the stitches afterwards tbh. But it did hurt a few hours afterwards.

With DS2 I had a small tear and again, didn't feel that or the stitches at the time, and tbh I really didn't have any pain from that at all, even later.

[Lana]

I had one with DS and yes I was given a local anesthetic before she cut me. All I felt was the pinch of the needle and then a bit of tugging as she sewed me up. I was freaked out about the idea of having one too before my labour but being at the end of labour it really wasn't such a big deal as it meant my baby was soon going to be out and the labour over.

[*Beema*]

I was given an episiotomy as bubs was in a huge hurry, I already had two tears and bub still wasn't coming out. TBH I didn't feel the cut at all and I didn't have an aneasthetic (only for the stitching up afterwards), it was all burning anyway and Nakita was out very quickly after the cut. They had also trouble finding her HB as I think she was too low, but I could still feel her kicking me

For me it wasn't the best recovery, but I can't tell whether it was the episiotomy or the tears that caused me more or less pain IFYWIM.

I didn't have any pain relief in labour, but take what they give you afterwards, if you need it take it, no need to be "hero" if you don't need to be

Wishing you a smooth and speedy delivery.

[Tobily]

Often if the baby's head is right down on the perineum and it is already quite stretched they won't use an anaesthetic - because the skin is so stretched, that makes it naturally numb and you often won't feel the episiotomy as it's done. It is usually very painful afterwards though, most women find it is more painful than a tear and takes longer to heal.

It's really not a pleasant procedure and sadly in the vast majority of cases completely avoidable with a good dose of patience

You'd hope that in a BC they will have a bit more of that than in the labour ward.