Episiotomy in Subsequent labours

Not that this is going to affect me again (unless nature has other plans LOL) but I have given birth twice, 1st time I started to tear, so I was cut and the 2nd time they cut me as I had to birth in a hurry exact words from OB were "we need this baby out NOW"

Wwould be the chances of having to be cut again during another labour considering there would be plenty of scar tissue there etc now I know you can do pereinal massage etc to prevent it. But because of being cut twice would the chances be increased of having to have another??

Was just curious really.

Love

Im not sure of the being cut, but after 7 years my midwife said she could see that I'd torn and had stitches with my first birth and said therefore there was absolutely no avoiding that it would happen again. She said it just tore straight away, so I would think maybe it would just happen with you and they wouldn't have to interveen. I hope you don't tear though. Mind you, I didn't find it a problem and seem to recover very quickly xo

I had and episotomy with DS1, had a small tear with DS2 and only a minor graze with DS3, so I don't think that you would nessaciarly need one each time around.

Just to let you know I had a butcher first time round and need three and a half packets of stitches, so it wasn't a small cut that he made.

I had to have a eptisomy with Nicholas and I have been wondering if I will have to have another one his time around. I guess I will find out in a few weeks time.

Good question...I had an episiotomy with 1st birth then with 2nd I tore fairly substantially, so I wonder if it would happen again. I would prefer not obviously!

Bon

Hi ladies,

Having an episiotomy, as opposed to NEEDING an episiotomy, is reliant on one thing, and that 's the care provider you chose to be with you at your birth. It has very very little to do with the integrity of your perineum, or whether you've had a tear or a cut before. I know midwives who have practiced in a variety of settings for many years, and have never needed to, and to have never, cut an episiotomy. I have been practicing independently for nearly 5 years, have been at close to 100 births, and have never cut one. That's a 0% episiotomy rate. That's with women having first babies, fifth babies, having vbac's, breech births, 10lb 6oz babies, the lot!

Choose a care provider with a low or negligible episiotomy rate, that alone will nearly guarantee that you won't need another one!

Tania

Scar tissue does not streach as much as normal tissue therefore it is possable that due to the scaring there is a chance that you may tear. But there is also a chance that you will not tear. I dont think this is a reason to perform an episiotomy. And like Tania, I have never performed an episiotomy.

Kathryn,
I tore with Maddy (didmt even feel it), but Indah stopped breathing having swallowed Meconium & so I was told the same thing (this baby needs to be born NOW!) I was happy for them to cut me to get my baby out safely & once again never felt the cut!
I obviously would prefer to not have to cut or tear, but if it means my baby will be healthy & safe, CUT AWAY I say!!!