Seewalds 33: Schroedinger’s Uterus

[Iamtheway]

13 hours ago, Carm_88 said:

In the case of the Duggars? Probably Jana. 

Edit: The cleanup part! Not the stitches!  

Well, the girl can sew ... 

[MadameOvary]

2 hours ago, just_ordinary said:

I am not sure if I remember it correct but the newest medical scientific research here seems to show, that small tears tend to heal faster and nicer than cuts. Something about „ripping lines“ in the tissue or so. Might be the same thing as why they mostly rip the uterus open in a c-section instead of only cutting it. But this is a rather new development - the tearing thing. 

I can attest to that. I had both: episiotomy on one side and tear on the other, both classed as second degree. Any sign of the natural tear just vanished practically as soon as the stitches were out, but ten years on the epi scar is still a hard lump that pulls at the side of my bits. Like one side of curtains being permanently slightly open.

They also did the cutting without consent, when my birth plan specifically said no interventions without asking/informing me first. It was an unmedicated birth so I felt the whole fucking thing. And when I queried the episiotomy afterwards, they couldn't justify it beyond "it was taking too long". This was my first and only delivery and it took 3h 45 from start to finish. The baby was not in distress and there was no dip of any kind in the heart rate (I saw the printout).

[Pukingpearl]

I’m curious to know when you ladies who had episiotomies had your babies. I have two small children and the info I was getting from my OB was that they try and avoid them for the reasons outlined here now. I would say in general the field is moving more toward lower interventions.

[VelociRapture]

11 minutes ago, Pukingpearl said:

I’m curious to know when you ladies who had episiotomies had your babies. I have two small children and the info I was getting from my OB was that they try and avoid them for the reasons outlined here now. I would say in general the field is moving more toward lower interventions.

Same. My OBGYN prefers to allow mothers to tear naturally unless it’s absolutely necessary for the health and safety of mother and/or child. It’s part of why I felt so comfortable telling them to do whatever they needed to get my daughter here safely. Well, that and I was honestly scared something would go wrong during the birth and she wouldn’t make it. The cord was wrapped around her neck, but the Doctor very calmly had me stop pushing and talked to me as she cut the cord and unwound it. Their practice is over 30 minutes from where we live, but husband and I both agreed the experience was so positive that I’m not switching practices until we’re completely done having kids. 

I ended up with three tears. One second degree and two first degree. It stung and burned for a bit during recovery, but I didn’t need pain medication or anything - I did fine with the spray and little witch hazel circles they had at the hospital. My sister, on the other hand, had two second degree tears and was in so much pain she couldn’t stop vomiting once she was home. Our Mom made padsicles for her and that soothed the pain enough for her to get the pain medicine down.

[Knight of Ni]

When my mom had my siblings and me she said an episiotomy was routine for some gynecologists. They did them for every delivery whether it was needed or not. Other gynecologists didn’t do them unless necessary. She said that was the worst part about the recovery. I don’t think it’s as popular now but is probably still dependent on the individual doctor. 

[SilverBeach]

I was not subject to a prophylactic episiotomy, way back when in the dark ages when I gave birth. I did have a couple of stitches after the fact. I liked not worrying about anything, cleanup, afterbirth, emergencies, whatever, since I was in a hospital. Also, probably an unpopular opinion, but I didn't want family in the room during the birth. To each her own, as long as the baby is not exposed to excessive risk. 

[Nargus]

I only want an episiotomy if it can prevent me from having a full on 4th degree tear.  I read a birth story once where the author described it as her 'vaganus' and I'd really like to avoid that if possible.  I was discussing birth with my sister in law (she's due with her second a couple months after I am), and she mentioned one of their friends experienced a 4th degree tear during labour and her eyes were really big and she said to me "I didn't know tears went up to a 4".

I can deal with a 3 and am expecting at least a 2, but I'd really really like to avoid a 4.

[Screamapillar]

When my daughter was born 20 months ago she had the cord tightly around her neck 3 times and one hand was by her face. I ended up with 4 2nd degree tears, which my doctor apologized for as she said it wouldn't have happened if she hadn't needed to quickly maneuver my daughter in a certain way to get the cord unwrapped, which was further complicated by her arm coming out the same time as her head. In the pamphlet that my OB/GYN's practice hands out with each new pregnancy they actually state in bold that they will only perform an episiotomy with consent if they deem it necessary.

I didn't really have any pain from all of my stitches after my daughter was born, but now that I'm almost 6 months along with my second the baby is putting a lot of pressure on the scar tissue and holy hell is it uncomfortable!

[Chewing Gum]

8 hours ago, just_ordinary said:

I am not sure if I remember it correct but the newest medical scientific research here seems to show, that small tears tend to heal faster and nicer than cuts. Something about „ripping lines“ in the tissue or so. Might be the same thing as why they mostly rip the uterus open in a c-section instead of only cutting it. But this is a rather new development - the tearing thing. 

It is, there is less scar tissue because the edges of the tear fit back together better when it tore naturally versus scissors (straight line). 

[Chewing Gum]

5 hours ago, Pukingpearl said:

I’m curious to know when you ladies who had episiotomies had your babies. I have two small children and the info I was getting from my OB was that they try and avoid them for the reasons outlined here now. I would say in general the field is moving more toward lower interventions.

I had one with my first, 2010. The midwife waited as long as she could. If only someone had thought about me not peeing for 8 hours straight I wouldn’t have needed one. Sigh. Not one with my second (2015).

Other than that: depends on the country and mostly on the OB/GYN or midwife in question. I’m friends with midwives that only do a few in a decade and some that are more “scissor-friendly” that do a lot more. I teach prenatal classes. 

Statistically in The Netherlands, episiotomy: 

midwife-led: 10,1% (20,6% on first births)

hospital (GYN-led): 35,2 (52,3% on first births). 

Ofcourse you have to think about hospitals having more high-risk pregnancies than midwife led care (always low-risk) but even then the numbers are verrrrrry different. 

Denmark has like a 5% rate, Wow. 

An interesting article on epi’s (DO NOT READ WHILE PREGNANT, GRAPHIC CONTENT) https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/07/04/483945168/episiotomies-still-common-during-childbirth-despite-advice-to-do-fewer

 

[Baxter]

I ended up with an episiotomy with my son's birth. I was very much hoping not to have one. In the prenatal class at the hospital, the nurse said they only do them when it is necessary. The OB asked for my consent and said he was concerned that the tear that I had was going to be much worse because of the direction it was going so I agreed. Who knows if that was the right decision but I would have hated to have a fourth degree tear. It did take a long time for it all to heal including the tear but I mostly feel normal now. I would be angry though if the doctor hadn't asked me first unless it was an emergency situation.

I am a bit concerned what will happen when I have a second child. I would like to avoid a second one.

[HermioneSparrow]

Two weeks ago I saw the first live birth in my life... Now, y'all birth stories are kinda giving me the feels about having kids. My vagina is perfect as it is

[JesSky03]

6 hours ago, Pukingpearl said:

I’m curious to know when you ladies who had episiotomies had your babies. I have two small children and the info I was getting from my OB was that they try and avoid them for the reasons outlined here now. I would say in general the field is moving more toward lower interventions.

Mine was just 3 months ago. My episiotomy was 3rd degree. I still have pain when I do a lot of standing/walking and sex is a no go. I never got a satisfactory answer for why I was given one other than I was going to tear...my kid does have a big head so I just hope it was really necessary. 

[Rachel333]

I've seen women be criticized for having elective C-sections, but I totally get it. It's scary to see how common it is for women to have massive pelvic floor damage from giving birth vaginally.

[fluffernutter]

I had one when I had my now 24 year old. I told the doc. I didn't want one unless necessary and he did it anyway, while laughing and chatting it up with a nurse. He was awful. My experiences with him are partly why I got into birth. The births of my 16 and 20 year olds, no episiotomy, just some mild tearing. Sooooo much less traumatic and easier recovery.

[EyesOpen]

I had an opposite experience, but I’ll share briefly. My first birth I was ‘allowed’  to tear. It was a 3. The doctor had an intern or resident practice stitching me and my recovery was long and very painful. Sex was painful for a year. When I had my second baby, my doctor said ‘I’d like to do a small episiotomy to prevent you from tearing worse and of course I was like whatevs! Having a baby here. Had baby. Doctor said ‘I don’t know who did this to you last time but if you give me 15 minutes I will repair this scar damage. He doused my privates with a ton of anesthetic and did some cutting and sewing. I was up and moving pain free after 36 hours with my second, able to use the bathroom no issues and after the 6 weeks sex was not painful at all. Have no idea if it had to do with the severity of the year or how I was stitched but #2 episiotomy was by far a better experience for me.

[AnnEggBlandHer?]

When I had my son almost 2 years ago I asked my dr about episiotomies. He said he’d been delivering babies for 10 years and had performed fewer than 5. According to his best guess, some old school doctors or maybe those in smaller towns (we were at a teaching hospital in a large US east coast city) might do so more frequently, but he basically told me my chances of needing one were next to nil.

[Rachel333]

From what I understand it's not that episiotomies are always bad, they're just not something that should be done routinely like they used to be.

[fundiesfordays]

Reading these stories always takes away my infertility blues. The thought of someone botching stitches is terrifying. The female body is amazing!

[neurogirl]

FJ is the best birth control. I think my vagina has migrated up to my stomach reading these posts! 

[Karma]

When I had my big headed daughter 21 years ago, the ob spent ages stretching me to avoid an episiotomy.  He needed forceps to get her out, and I did tear, but it healed fine. I asked him how many stitches, and he said “just one, but it goes on and out a few times”, so I have no idea how many stitches I had.  The midwife commented to me later that any other ob would have just cut me.   I was glad he took the time to avoid that. 

[Jellybean]

I’m just going to leave this clip from SNL here:

Spoiler

 

 

[mollysmom]

My vagina hurts just reading these stories!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha I literally caught myself BITING DOWN ON MY PHONE while I was reading these!!!! Ahhh!! I'm such a wimp! I would have NEVER survived childbirth!!!!

[justmy2cents]

My OB and I agreed that she would let me tear rather than get an episiotomy. I had read that cutting can end up in a longer tear. My daughter had the cord wrapped twice around her neck. My doctor had to cut the cord before I pushed her the rest of the way out which ruined my plan to donate the cord blood and to keep her attached for an extra 5 minutes. Not everything turned out as planned but the baby was born healthy. I did tear (2 degrees) despite my baby's head being smaller than 13 inches. Recovery was very painful and long. I felt cheated of the "easy" labors my sister, mother, and grandmother experienced. In the end I'd go through it all over again to have my girl (but was secretly relieved to not have any more babies.) 

[momofsquid]

I'm impressed by how detailed all your birth memories are! I only remember little flashes of my kids' births in the mid/late '90s. They were hospital births and I was definitely in the "do whatever you think is necessary" camp. For me, not having much of a birth plan was a blessing because I was open to dealing with situations as they arose. I had a friend who was devastated that she had to have C-sections because "I wanted the experience of giving birth vaginally and now I'll never have it." I wanted to tell her "It's not about YOUR experience!" but of course that was only my perspective, not being that concerned with how the baby gets here as long as he/she gets here safely, so I kept my mouth shut. She had two healthy boys. I couldn't understand how she could see failure in that.

I'm only aware of one acquaintance who had a home birth. Her oldest daughter was on the same gymnastics team as my youngest and Mom was pregnant with #3. One Sunday morning she showed up at the gym with #3 asleep in a carrier. Of course everyone squealed and asked when the baby was born. She looked at her watch and answered, "About seven hours ago." Mom looked fresh as a daisy. She's a pro, that one.