An episiotomy is a cut made into your perineum when your baby is close to being born. This is not a routine practice for births in Aotearoa, but may be recommended to you if your baby needs to be born quickly or if an instrumental birth (forceps or kiwicup) is being recommended, or if your baby’s shoulders are stuck and your provider cannot get their hands in to help move your baby into a better position.
If an episiotomy is recommended and accepted, the midwife or doctor will give you an injection of local anaesthetic into your perineum to stop you feeling the cut. They will then make the cut, and once the baby is born will suture it to stop it bleeding too much and so it heals neatly.
If you have an episiotomy, then good perineal care after the birth is important to help prevent infection.
- keep the area clean, showering at least once per day and patting dry carefully
- use pain relief as needed – usually paracetamol and ibuprofen every six hours is enough, but if you need stronger pain relief please let the person caring for you know
- frozen pads can help with swelling and pain
- start pelvic floor exercises as soon as you are comfortable enough to after birth
- take stool softeners or laxatives as prescribed so you don’t strain too much on the toilet, as this can be painful and can damage your stitches