Category Archives: Episiotomies

What to Reject When You’re Expecting

By The Midwife | Published: December 18, 2012

Check this out: A fantastic new guide written by Consumer Reports (who would have guessed?) about what to reject when you’re expecting, including unnecessary cesareans, elective inductions, routine amniotomy and episiotomy, and babies routinely going to the nursery.  Coupled with advice on what to look for instead, including midwifery care!  Well researched and very refreshing. […]

Also posted in Birth Education, Cesarean Birth, Epidurals, Inductions, Labor and Birth, Midwifery, VBAC | 1 Comment

My first episitomy

By The Midwife | Published: February 23, 2008

I cut my very first episiotomy last week. It was my 70th delivery. Somehow, somewhere in the back of my mind I was thinking that my first episiotomy would come after a hundred births, at least….probably more. After all, there are absolutely no advantages to cutting routine episiotomies, and it seems like the reasons you’d […]

Also posted in Labor and Birth | 10 Comments

Closer to the dream

By The Midwife | Published: November 30, 2006

Last week I had an exam in Neonatology, and my teaching project and a presentation in Neonatology all due at the same time, so it was a bit hectic. This week, the only thing on my plate is a few modules and some studying for the upcoming final exams, and a write-up of my teaching […]

Also posted in Clinicals, Education, Hospitals, Labor and Birth, Labor Support, Vaginal Birth, VBAC | 6 Comments

No advantages to episiotomies

By The Midwife | Published: May 5, 2005

Here’s a newsflash: In a sytematic review of the literature in this month’s JAMA, researchers have recently found that routine episiotomy offers no benefit to women, and may in fact do more harm than good. Reuters picked up the article here. I have never understood routine episiotomy, and in my work as a nurse, every […]

Also posted in Labor and Birth, Research | Leave a comment