to not necessarily: well I'd consider you very lucky! I had my first baby naturally without any drugs & it ripped me internally to shreds (they stopped counting after 60 stitches!) & stitched me without any anaesthitic. I would have killed for an epi! I then had to have an operation to repair the bad stitching 6 months later. I couldn't walk for the first 3 weeks either but struggled through & exclusively breastfed for 6 months.
Second baby was then (under new doctor's orders) an elective C-section. Total bliss! Loved the drugs! Was up walking the next morning & driving within a week! Also managed to breastfeed & no trouble bonding so I've done it both ways & I say thank the lord for modern medicine!
An epidural would not have made any difference to your tearing - that's just bad management. It would have helped afterwards, but you would have had to have a second visit from the anaesthetist to top up as in good management an epidural should be discontinued for second stage.
This is negligent care and is not really anything to do with a confinement nanny - a lawyer would have been more useful.
