“Both my mom and I had episiotomies with no ill effects — sure beats an uncontrolled tear.”
I used to do a very visual argument about an uncontrolled tear with new nurses. I’m glad you weren’t one of the many women who could never enjoy sex again. My nursing instructors were old broads who lived through WW11. I think they worked hard to teach common sense. Epesiotomy- take a piece of cloth and try to tear it. Good luck. Cut it and then try to tear it. Nuff said.
I'll go with my doc's opinion - a smoothly contoured episiotomy is better than a ragged tear, and if the tear decides to go midline on its own and extends all the way through the perineum, you are in so much trouble. And certainly a snip is indicated in a very rapid labor, as I had.
My doc was a feisty old character (may he rest in peace), a red-headed Irishman with a temper to match. But he knew his business, and he was chief of OB/GYN surgery at the best hospital in Atlanta.