From: oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: Re: Episotomy...What my doctor said...Is this true?  Anyone NOT have one?
Date: 16 Nov 92 20:59:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Nov16.180357.8925@random.ccs.northeastern.edu>, sgauch@ccs.northeastern.edu (Susan Gauch) writes...


>OOH!  I may have been flamed!  Well, singed?

Sorry.  I didn't mean to make you feel criticized.  Your 
preferences are valid for you, regardless of whether I or anyone 
else shares them.  Also, I realize you probably would have 
preferred an easier delivery and did the best you could with 
difficult circumstances.  

>In article <BxtJ9J.6nw@acsu.buffalo.edu> oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown) writes:
>>In article <1992Nov16.151620.7932@random.ccs.northeastern.edu>, sgauch@ccs.northeastern.edu (Susan Gauch) writes...

>>>Having had 2 episiotomies that tore (one a 4th degree (i.e. back to the 
>>>rectum) and the other 3rd degree (still pretty big)) I thought I'd mention
>>>that the episiotomies and tears aren't necessarilay that big a deal.  
>>
>>No big deal for you.  Not everyone shares your ideas.
>>
>I didn't mean to imply that it was not something to be avoided.
>What I hoped to do was say that, at Brigham and Women's hospital
>the episiotomy rate was very high (80%? 90%). 

I'd be looking for a way to get out of that situation, the minute 
I found out about it, but that's just me.  

I get the impression that many women are overwhelmed by the 
hospital/birth experience, and end up with an episiotomy or other 
interventions that they might have tried to avoid if they knew 
what to expect.  Of course, you can only control things to a 
certain point and then whatever is going to happen will happen.  
I try to control things in my power as much as possible up front 
(like selecting a doctor), and after I've done that I try not to 
worry about it.  Anxiety is often the worse part.

Even though this is my first childbirth experience, I've had 
perhaps more than the average amount of experience with doctors and 
surgery, having a few chronic conditions (that don't affect my 
pregnancy).  I've had 5 surgeries, 4 under general anaesthetic 
and one local.  I've always had excellent results and good 
feelings toward my doctors, but I'm also very fussy about who 
works on me and have no qualms about looking until I find the 
right one.  Believe it or not the doctors I end up with consider 
me to be an easy patient to deal with. :)

>Since so many women do still get them (and/or tear) I hoped to
>emphasize that proper, diligent care may lead to less pain and
>a quicker recovery.  If I had used the silly cold packs instead of

I didn't realize that was your main point.  I agree, once 
something unpleasant happens, you might as well make the best of 
it.  Doing as much as possible to avoid the unpleasantness in the 
first place is a good idea too.  Problem is, it seems childbirth 
is more unpredictable that most medical ordeals; the outcome (a 
healthy baby and mother) are extremely important; so much 
depends on the doctor; and OB/GYNs seem to have such varied 
approaches to the same situation.

>>>At the end of a long labour I'm willing to trade an episiotomy for 15
>>>minutes less pushing.
>>
>>Since an episiotomy is YOUR PREFERENCE, I'm glad your birth 
>>experience was handled accordingly.  
>>
>>My problem is that (barring medical emergency) episiotomy is NOT MY 
>>PREFERENCE, and I will most likely have one against my will, if I 
>>stay with this doctor.
>>
> 
>No, but as I pointed out the first epis was to get a vacuum extractor in there.
>I'd had the shakes for several hours, the epidural didn't work (except to
>slow my labour so much that pitocin was needed), and was, quite literally
>exhausted after 2 hours of pushing (and I'm a GOOD pusher - all my
>doctors & nurses tell me so :-)).

Please don't feel you have to justify why you had one.  But I 
seem to be hearing two things.  In one place you say you'd gladly 
have an epsiotomy to avoid an extra 15 minutes of pushing.  Then 
here it seems you only had one because of the complications.  I 
can't really tell where you're coming from, but either way I 
respect your preferences.  They're valid for you.

Me, I plan to do as much as possible to avoid episiotomy and 
other (IMO) unnecessary interventions, by managing the 
aspects under my control - like which doctor I get.  (Watch, 
after all this I end up with an emergency c-section.:) )

- Peggy -