More Pregnancy Myths Debunked

This time the research is actually in the newspaper...imagine that!

Myth: "You've got to get the episiotomy! My friend didn't and she had to have plastic surgery afterwards!"

Huh? Well maybe if my baby is 10 lbs and stuck, or has one arm and a head out and can't get the rest out, but..."The evidence is clear: Routine use of episiotomy is not supported by research and should stop," said Katherine E. Hartmann, director of the Center for Women's Health Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 70-80% of first time mothers have episiotomies in the U.S. - a frightening figure, because either it says that 80% of our children wouldn't have made it without modern medicine, or most doctors have some golf game to attend to rather than wait for a woman to do her work. Read the article in the Washington Post.

And also from the Washington Post: "Katherine E. Hartmann: Studies we did not review show that gentle support of the perineum and controlled delivery of the head are keys to good outcomes....even very large infants can often be born with very little injury. Being in an appropriate position and not being required to push strenuously in the final moments before birth are clearly helpful."