Anyone have an episiotomy and NOT have an epidural?

Question

I really think I want to try and give birth without an epidural. Call me crazy, but I just really like the idea of doing something my body was made for, without medicine.

I also like the freedom of being able to get up and walk around during labor.

I'm thinking I'd rather tear than have an episiotomy, but I know there's always a risk I might absolutely need one. I read that they numb the area, but, I can't imagine having some put scissors to my v****a, without an epidural! OUCH.

Someone clue me in. Can you feel it? Do they numb it enough?

Answer 1

I'm a Doula, and attended a natural birth recently where the mother did recieve an episiotomy. the head is putting so much pressure on the perinium that it is basically numb, and they do the cut during a contraction, so you don't really notice.

talk to your doctor or midwife about it, if you birth the head slowly it decreases your chances of tearing, also the care provider can apply pressure to the perinium to help prevent the tearing.

good luck

"labor is easy, epidural's are for tolerating the hospital." don't think I got that quote right, but I like it :)

Answer 2

I had an epidural, so I cannot tell you if they numb the area.  I got an episiotomy, they don't stick the scissors all the way in, and besides the scissors are small.  If your in labor, believe me, you won't feel them cut if you have to have an episiotomy, (my epidural wore off by the time they cut, and I couldn't feel it).  I'm not sure why some women say you tear more, that doesn't make sense to me, I mean, you already cut, how could you tear more?  Just my opinion.  

If your able to give birth without an epidural, then try and go through with it, you might be open to change, once/if you experience the insane pain of contractions.  Best of luck to you during your labor.

Answer 3

Honestly, I have had an epidural with all of my babies...everyone has there own preference on meds or not during labor and delivery...I give u props if u dont get an epidural and u do it naturally, thats a brave thing to do..But..I can tell u that "tearing" is easier on the v****a and actually heals much more quickly then an episiotomy told from my doctor and from personal experience. with my 1st and 2nd baby i was cut and it took me 6 weeks and 8 weeks to fully recover, I still had stitches at 5 weeks postpartum and some bleeding...With my 3rd i tore on my own and at 2 weeks postpartum I was completely healed and felt great, i was even able to resume s*x at 2 weeks and was not painful or anything, everything was fine..I recommend tearing instead of getting cut, u can avoid the episiotomy by letting your doc know u would like to tear naturally instead of him cutting you...Good Luck!

Answer 4

I had an episiotomy w/o an epidural and honestly, i did not feel them cut me @ all. (i know its sounds crazy). i think its that there is so going on during the labor that that is least of your worries. However, what really hurt is afterwards when they stitched me up. To put it as blunt as possible, i felt like they were sewing me up with dental floss! The thread (or whatever they use) felt so thick and my legs wouldnt stop shaking. My doctor gave me a shot of demerol just so i would stop moving enough to stitch me. However, in hindsight, I feel kind of proud of myself that i was able to do it without an epidural. If giving birth without epidural is what you want to do, go for it. It'll hurt (don't get me wrong), but you'll get through it and be tougher in the long run.

Answer 5

My sister (she's a doctor) told me time ago that episiotomy is absolutely necessary, otherwise, the risk is a woman tears, it might go to her a**s and it would be worse, you don't want that. As I understood, episiotomy gives room to your baby to pass through and the doctor controls the direction so it wont go wrong.

I think you are making the right choice not to have an epidural, be prepared, I hope it doesn't take long.  

For me, I arrived walking to the hospital at midnight and my son was born 5:26 am, totally natural, no epidural, no induction, I'm very blessed. I was 26.  When the episiotomy time came, I was so tired, I had been pushing so hard and eager to finish that I felt it but it didn't hurt at all, as if it were numbed but I know it wasn't because then, the doctor applied anesthesia but it didn't kick in I guess 'cause I felt every stitch, and that hurt.

Wish you the best!!

Answer 6

Im with you on not really wanting an epidural......our bodies were made to do this some im hoping to go as long as i can without any pain medication. I don't like that i'd be confined to a bed if i had an epidural. You can always refuse an episiotomy if you want. From what i've read your actually more likely to tear worse if you have an episiotomy. I would rather tear on my own if its going to happen. I cant really help you on if they numb the area enough but i would sure hope so!

Answer 7

Episiotomy was once pretty common, not doctors rarely cut the perineum. Massage your perineum daily with olive oil or coca butter (pure) and it will stretch just nicely for delivery. You wont get an episiotomy unless you have an instrument assisted delivery

your odds of laboring in the manor that you desire are best if you stay home as long as possible or opt for a homebirth

Answer 8

What they normally do is cut you when you are having a contraction. Trust me you won't feel it. It gets numb. I tore with  my daughter, I didn't even feel it happen, but my husband watched it happen. He said it was during a contraction, while pushing. I got nothing with my son and he was a pound bigger.

I was also a doula for my friend twice soon to be three times. For the first home birth she needed an episiotomy, heart rate dropped a bit and it was a VBAC. It turned out perfectly. Next push he was out! She was shocked after to tell us that she didn't feel the cut at all. For the sewing up after wards though the midwife did freeze her well. She healed in no time, she went on to get pregnant 7 months later..lol. The next birth was great, no tears no cuts.  

Answer 9

I'm glad you asked this question because I was wondering the same thing. I had an epidural with my first child and no pain medication with the second. I am expecting my third child any day now and want to go without drugs again, but for some reason I am so afraid of tearing (though thank God it has never happened.) My friend just had a baby and she tore so bad she had to have a catheter because she could not use the restroom. I think I would rather have an episiotomy than tear, the healing is probably worse.

Answer 10

Yes I had an episiotomy. Pretty much here's how it goes: the baby's head is stretching out your vaginal canal that it puts alot of pressure on your perineum. I didnt feel it at all and it relieved the pressure a tiny bit. When they tried sewing me up I had to get 3-4 shots of local anesthesia when you normally only get 1 and it still didnt work. I felt the needle and thread sewing it back together and to this day it still creeps me out. Plus thats even if they give you an episiotomy. Not all women get one.  

Answer 11

I've had two children and no drugs.

I tore with my son, and nothing with my daughter.

I'd rather tear then have them cut me. The healing is a lot quicker.

Answer 12

Hi there

I had an epidural and episiotomy with my first child and it took ages to heal and i swore i would never let them near me with those scissors again ,. Now with my second i had gas and air and ended up tearing but to be honest there is so much pressure down there at the time ( and pain ) that you dont notice that you have ripped until they tell you , i would recommend a natural labour over one with an epidural ( i never thought i would say this ) but i think that i recovered so much quicker without the epidural , hope this helps , just go with whatever fells right for you at the time  

Answer 13

I had a complete episiotomy and no epidural and didn't even know that they had cut me I also didn't feel them sew me up.  You are soooo excited about the baby you don't even realize whats going on!  Good for you to want to try it all natural I didn't think that it was bad at all and they do numb you enough!  Good luck to you and your bundle of joy!  

Also the doctors wont let you tear because it's a harder recovery if you are going to rip they will automatically do an episiotomy, believe me you don't want to tear.

Answer 14

It is always better to "go natural" when giving birth if possible.I delivered a ten pound boy, no epidural, no meds, and did have an episiotomy.I didn't feel it at all when they cut me.

"The episiotomy is one of the last things the doctor will do just before the head is delivered.By that time you will have been in labor for several hours, dealing with the most painful part; the contractions.I strongly advise you to take natural childbirth classes and learn how to concentrate and breathe through  them.

The reason they cut versus letting you tear is that a tear is usually jagged and harder to stitch, whereas the cut gives clean lines to stitch together.Not everyone tears or needs an episiotomy, it depends on the size of the baby, mostly the head.

I heard that walking around during labor helps alot.I didn't get to walk because my water broke at the beginning and I was already dilated.

Answer 15

Hun, believe me by the time you would need an episiotomy you are having so many pains and so uncomfortable that you don't really feel them giving you the shots in your vaginal area, and yes they numb you very well with a few shots and even if you got an epidural most of it is worn off by the time you need an episiotomy.  Good Luck with the natural child birth, But don't rule out getting pain meds yet, seriously everybodys body reacts differently to pain and childbirth, and I know I would NEVER do natural again, I have done both, and I LOVE WHOEVER INVENTED THE EPIDURAL!!

Answer 16

They will only give you an episiotomy if you need it. I don't know what makes you think you want to tear. I know someone that has had both, and she said the tear hurt way worse then the episiotomy. I had an episiotomy and they didn't numb the area, they numbed the entire lower part of my body. That was an interesting experience, couldn't move my legs.

Answer 17

first of all congratulations on wanting to do things naturally!!! have you taken any classes to prepare? the fact is that many women "say" they want to do it naturally but without prior preparation most don't end up being able to do it.  it's sortof like a marathon. you can't just say "i want to run one of those" and then get up the morning of and do it. you can try but you will almost surely fail.   HOWEVER if you prepare with a series of classes and a lot of research you can absolutely do it!!!

i am pregnant with my first child and will be doing drug free childbirth with the bradley method.

as for episiotomy, most people who do natural childbirth do not "need" an episiotomy because they are not laying on their backs to give birth which is the position in which most women will tear.  because you will be without restrictions as far as pushing positions your body will be able to take on the position most comfortable for your body.

however IF an episiotomy is needed the doctor can do it without any anesthesia. it's called a pressure episiotomy and is supposed to be done as the baby is crowning and the vaginal opening is WHITE because of the pressure of the baby's head. to repair it there would need to be a local.

you need to check with your doctor because some doctors give an episiotomy to every patient whether they need it or not and many don't know how to do a pressure episiotomy because... they just don't have experience doing them.

Answer 18

I had an episiotomy and ventouse delivery, where they use the vacuum suction to help get the baby out. She was going into distress and I needed a bit of help. My contractions started 5 minutes apart so I didn't have time for an epidural, but I didn't want one anyway. I don't like the idea of not being in control and not being able to feel anything. I had a natural birth with no pain relief at all. They do numb the area first with a needle before they cut and to be honest I hardly felt a thing. Probably because my stomach was in that much pain I couldn't think about anything else. I'd rather a cut than a tear. Tears can be messy. You can't even tell it's been cut, the scar healed real well. I just left it up to the doctor to do whatever he thought was necessary to get my baby out safely. I'm due again in march and have every intention of another natural birth. Good luck with whatever you decide.