Is it better to have an episiotomy or tear naturally?

Tearing naturally tears your muscles with the fibers, so when sewn up your muscle fibers will heal back together which makes it an easier recovery. An episiotomy will cut through the fibers and will make for a harder recovery. I tore for my first and didn’t feel a thing. I promise pushing the baby out hurts way more and also pulls your attention. Both can have complications. Naturally tearing doesn’t guarantee where you’ll tear, you could tear up, all the way down, etc. an episiotomy is a controlled cut but is much harder to heal from. During the ring of fire stage, short little pants as you allow your vagina to stretch and adjust to the head should help from tearing. It’s usually when people prematurely push or push too hard before their body adjusts.

I had an episiotomy and a third degree tear. The third degree tear seemed to heal a lot easier and I didn't have any issues with it, the episiotomy I was still having problems with months down the line. Though I am fully recovered from both now so the only long term complication was that I opted to have a C-section instead for my second birth. Also my experience does show that having an episiotomy won't stop you from tearing, the episiotomy was needed as I was pushing for a long time with no progress and had a ventouse delivery.

Ive heard getting an episiotomy is better as the tear can be “controlled” then. I know someone who opted out and she tore upwards instead of downwards 😭 Still, I dont know if I would want an episiotomy if I had to choose. Obv wouldnt want either x

I had both with my first but the tear did take longer to heal. I think I’d rather have had only the episiotomy.

I’m bias they cut me I’m scared what it feels like it tear naturally just imagining it ripping yeeeesh but they did f me up sewing me up smh

@Heidi I think they f’ed me up too bc every time I went to pee, my God it felt like my stitches were gonna pop open, and for MONTHS

My friend tore when she had her baby & they sewed her up wrong which meant that she had to keep going back. I had an episotomy with my firstborn & the recovery was long but, I was healing well. I think that it just depends on how severe the tear is & how experienced they are at doing the episiotomy. As well as how experienced they are doing the sewing up & how much information you're provided with for the aftercare.

Research has shown it’s better to tear naturally and episiotomies cause more harm than good. It’s also best to SWITCH POSITIONS and bring your knees IN together to give baby more room and breathing will pushing will give your perineum muscles more time to stretch. Coached pushing doesn’t give the perineum time to stretch. Evidencebasedbirth.com has the research on this. Episiotomies should be only for emergencies AFTER you tried everything else like switching different pushing positions, used different breathing techniques and you properly labored down before pushing. Doctors who say episiotomies are better are using OUTDATED methods or are simply lying tbh.

Tears heal better where a cut doesn't. But there is a risk of tearing worse then the episiotomy cut, it's just something to bare in mind