Internal episiotomy experience

[Trulyamnearanear]

Hello. I'm 9 days pp. I had an internal cut with 10 stitches. Nothing to see from the outside. I went to the dr the other day as it was really sore. She could see some inflammation so I'm on antibiotics.
Has anyone got experiences they could share about how it feels and heals. Tia

[Trulyamnearanear]

Hopeful bump

[LivinOnAChair]

Yes I had an episiotomy and needed antibiotics on day 7 after I sneezed and burst my stitches I remember a tight pulling sensation and pain at the site. I didn't have individual stitches though but rather one continuous thread, are you okay? What are you feeling now? I couldn't see anything (apart from obvious bruising) but dr said the same to me about inflammation, take ibuprofen if you can.

[LivinOnAChair]

Also felt stabby but that was when I was walking around with an open wound, they couldn't restitch at that point but I found moving as little as possible and sitting leaning on the opposite site to where I was cut helped a lot pain wise and probably to encourage it to knit back together

[Trulyamnearanear]

Thank you. good idea about the ibruprofen- I keep forgetting I can take that as well as paracetamol.
At the moment it's sore and feels swollen. I keep panicking about bleeding - I've been bleeding red at night and then it eases in the day - but the midwife suggested it was uterus contractions from night feeds.

Our poor bits

[LivinOnAChair]

How many days postpartum are you? I think I was still bleeding red for a fortnight after, like a really heavy period then it tailed off and stopped about 4-5 weeks. I always found abled a bit more during or just after feeds too.
I know I vividly remember the doctor telling me she had to make a 'little' cut and grabbing DP by the shoulders and saying 'don't bloody let her cut my foof!' don't worry the pain does ease off just take it easy. I found baths were really soothing and I used a few drops witch hazel in them and on my pad after a recommendation on here about healing properties or something, dunno how much it really did but it seemed to help.

[PerpetualStudent]

I had an episiotomy. What seemed to work for me was carefully drying after a shower, doing salt water 'washes' a couple of times a day, pouring water over myself when weeing to help with any stinging, and going pant-free when poss to let air circulate (had a set of old red towels I used to wear like a sarong and have under me in bed at night. Glam) Jesus, remind me why we go through all this again?
Hope the antibiotics help and you feel better soon

[PerpetualStudent]

Oh, and I had strong painkillers from the hospial (co-codamol?) Which I'm sure helped

[LivinOnAChair]

Can't take co-codamol when bfing unfortunately, trace amounts of codeine can enter the milk (god knows they'd have been amazing though)

[PerpetualStudent]

Oh, I did - no one told me otherwise?!

[Mummyme87]

It is correct that codeine is not advisable when breastfeeding.
Take 400mg ibuprofen three times a day (4 times a day if no history of stomach ulcers) and 1g paracetamol 4 times a day. Bath once a day with some lavender oil or tea tree oil and a shower once a day. Lie on the bed with you legs open after a bath or shower to allow the area to air dry.
Change pads regularly, wash hands before and after passing urine. Avoid sitting directly on the episiotomy site, put two cushions together with a gap and sit in the gap. Put a sanitary towel in the freezer and put it on your perineum to smooth if still very swollen.

It will get better. Episiotomies are pretty nasty although you said it's an internal one which is impossible as you need to cut the skin on the outside... was it not an internal tear?

[CantGetNoSleeeeeeep]

Hi, I had infection and not intending to scare but my stitches also burst) but much earlier than yours around day 5 so less healing had taken place iyswim. My advice would be do not Bath just shower a couple of times a day, I read online about salt lavender baths etc, obstetrician said that this combo was likely the culprit of infection and dissolving of my stitches! So shower (quick rinse) after number 2s. Tesco (if you are in the U.K.) sell a maternity pad that is there own brand and so so soft of the delicate area!
Also keep an eye out for thrush as I found this followed antibiotics and made me feel pretty raw.
Rest rest and feel better soon x

[CantGetNoSleeeeeeep]

Brilliant advice above my post about the airing dry! I forgot that!

[PossumInAPearTree]

If you have any lavender oil and/or tea tree oil you can make a lavage and pour it over yourself either above the bath or loo. Or add some of the oils to some milk and put in the bath water.

[Mummyme87]

It is a common misconception that 10min baths dissolve stitches in perineums and cause infection. There is no evidence that oils prevent infection but that they are soothing. it is particularly a common comment made by doctors who don't look at postnatal perineums everyday. Baths are absolutely advisable

[mimiholls]

You can take codeine while breastfeeding, everybody has it after a c section. There is very little and limited evidence that it will have any effect on baby.

[Mummyme87]

Majority of hospitals do not prescribe codeine for women post c section. Advice came out around 4years ago advising against prescribing codeine for breastfeeding mums.

www.drugs.com/breastfeeding/codeine.html

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/wp-content/dibm/codeine-oct-14.pdf

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/breastfeeding-and-medicines.aspx

www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm118113.htm

Codeine also causes significant constipation, not a side affect you want with a swollen episiotomy/tear

[PossumInAPearTree]

Where I work we've moved away from prescribing regular codine but the doctors still put it on the as required page so it can be used as a top up.

Iirc there was a baby that died in Canada and was found with very high levels of codine due to breastfeeding but this baby had a very rare condition which meant he didn't metabolise codine so even the small amounts just built up in his system. Never heard of it happening before or since.


www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20070817/codeine-warning-for-breastfeeding-moms#1

Found an article, it was the mum who processed the codeine too quickly.

[starsinyourpies]

I was told codeine fine if you need it (v.recent birth).

[Trulyamnearanear]

This is all making me glad I'm allergic to codeine so didn't have to think about it. The episiotomy was all inside my vagina - hence describing as internal. Nothing to see from the outside. Day 13 and it's sore and a bit swollen feeling and perhaps itchy but no big pain like a week ago before the antibiotics.
Thanks for all the tips.

[Robin7]

Codeine phosphate is not advised in breastfeeding following MHRA guidance a few years ago. Used to be widely used prior to this but dihydrocodeine preferred by most units now if paracetamol/ibuprofen not sufficient.
www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/codeine-and-breastfeeding-is-it-safe-and-what-are-the-alternatives/