I have delivered some three dozen babies or so in my younger
days...the part I hate was performing the episiotomy...did they
show you that in the video? We make a cut in the perineum (between
the vulva and the anus) to make it easier for the baby's head to
emerge and reduce the risk of tears which can cause problems with
continence in future. Some used a pair of scissors, others prefer a
scalpel blade.
I always gave anaesthesia but some doctors say that you don't need
to because with the pain of contractions, the woman cannot feel the
pain of the episiotomy at all. Of course, we have to stitch up the
wound after the delivery, which is probably more painful.
