DH & I were going over my birth plan the other day and he questioned if I'm going to tear, why would I want to tear naturally over the doctor taking a scalpel to my perineum. His theory is that an episiotomy would heal faster and better than a natural tear because it would be a clean cut.
When I tried to explain it to him, I found that I couldn't. I just know I would prefer to tear naturally (if that's the case).
So, tell me why is tearing naturally better than having an episiotomy? Which one heals better?
tears i believe heal better as they knit back together better as opposed to a smooth edged cut ITMS.
also epi's tend to go deeper into the muscle then just tearing.
having had both id go for the tear over the epi any day!!
you can also do lots to try and avoid a tear!
Tears heal better than an episiotomy as a tear is going down the weakest park of the skin and or muscle where as epis is forced to go where scissors are.
Perineal massage and optimum positioning for pushing (on all 4rs, sitting on toilet, standing etc) also can assist in reducing tearing or severity of tearing.
A tear will tear alongthe natural grain lines of the skin if that makes sense and so the knitting back together is more natural and therefore quicker and stronger. Also a tear will only tear as much as is needed for bubs to get through, no more......with a cut they tend go further than is really needed so making a larger than necessary wound to heal up afterwards.....the only time a cut is prfereable over a tear is if it is threatening to tear directly towards the anus...then you should go for the cut on an angle to reduce potential damage and anal fissures etc etc.......
Noooooo! Your DH has it the wrong way round! Tearing is much much better for you as you will only tear as much as you need to tear, and often the tear doesn't even include the underlying muscle and can be small and superficial, but with an epi, you are cut through muscle and all and it aint a small cut by any means. I had an epi with my first and was cut in the 4 o'clock position - if you were looking at a vagina like it was a clock face, it would have been about where 4 o'clock would be. I couldnt' sit properly for weeks and it felt like I was sitting on rose thorns because I could feel evey single one of the stitches. But when I tore with my next two, I never felt a thing, it healed really well and really quickly and the scarring is minimal.
Everybody has said it already so I'm just backing up what they've already said.
A tear is a thousand times better than being cut! I was cut first time round and needed over a hundred stitches. I was restitched twice because it wouldn't stay together. Although I wasn't cut and didn't tear second time around (thankfully!) every client that I've had who has just torn, has needed less stitches and have had no problems with healing.
So, all in all, I've seen the proof that a tear is better. Saying that though, in it an emergency, sometimes a episi could be needed.
Eta- as far as consent goes, legally they have to have it. I was not even aware they had done mine until after I'd given birth. Nothing was said to me and it's a story I've heard all too often. I guess all you can do is have it on your birth plan,have dh aware of your choices and also let hospital know. That way, they are given no option but to tell you. It's dodgy, but it does happen.
Last edited by loulabelle; April 13th, 2011 at 05:53 AM.
Tearing naturally vs episiotomy
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