An episiotomy is a standard procedure that's performed on over a third of all women having a natural birth. But as with so many surgical procedures, it's not properly tested, and so it cannot be proved to be the safest, or most beneficial, practice...
Since the middle of the 18th century, when episiotomy was first introduced, the practice of artificially widening the vaginal opening by cutting into the perineum (the skin and tissue lying between the vulva and the anus) has become more and more...
* Prenatal perineal massage. There is significant evidence to show that you can increase the flexibility of your perineum by regularly massaging the tissue before giving birth. In a randomised controlled trial carried out across five hospitals in...
* Dilute 10 drops of Calendula tincture in 250 mL of warm water, and spray it onto the area to reduce discomfort
* Apply Arnica cream around the stitches, as this plant can help wounds to heal, and/or take homoeopathic Arnica 6C three to four times a
Women giving birth while being helped by midwives instead of consultants are more likely to have a natural delivery. ...
Routine episiotomy where the vagina is cut to supposedly allow for an easier birth should be abandoned immediately, concludes an Argentinian study group report. It also states that rates of episi ...