Episiotomy scar 5 months postpartum

[GMtoBe]

I had an episiotomy/forceps 5 months ago. Quite a long cut but 'j' shaped so didn't go onto my perineum, just vagina and out to the side. It healed fairly well and I obviously have a scar but I find that it still hurts sometimes if I've been sitting on the floor or a hard chair, also sometimes when I need to poo and during sex to begin with and after a few minutes. Can any one who has already experienced this tell me when/if it will get to a point where it just never hurts? It feels a lot like pressing a bruise when it does hurt.

[GMtoBe]

Bump

[Vanannabananna]

I had this. Took 6 months to heal totally and another 6 months to feel totally normal. DD due in 3 weeks so just hoping I heal quicker this time.

[TurquoiseTarn]

It took upto 12 months for mine to be completely pain free, I remember at around 6m pp it would still ache when walking & the scar tissue would occasionally bleed. My DD is nearly 2 now and it causes me no issues. It's probably worth going to the GP so they can just check it's healing correctly :)

[GMtoBe]

Thank you! Yes I will definitely get it checked. I suppose I just underestimated how long it would take to stop feeling uncomfortable.

[KatyN]

Another yep. Took mine to the gp at 6 months. Their words were that forceps are ‘brutal’ and take a long time to heal
I would say mine went in 12 months. The little lady is now 2 and i’m totally Normal.

FWIW. The forceps was my second child. First was ventouse. I had a prolapse with that that stayed for several years.

[mayhew]

Scars take a long time to settle down, wherever they are on the body. Think about others you've had. About 1-2 weeks for the skin to close.
Tenderness and sensitivity can last for months.
It can take 1-2 years to really settle down.

Massage can help the process, so sex with sufficient lubrication can be helpful. Muscle tone is important too as it supports the pelvic organs pressing down on the scar, so effective pelvic floor exercises too.

[Lndnmummy]

I still had occasional pain when I went back to work a year on. 18 months on I didn’t feel a thing. You have my sympathies it is very unpleasant.

[GMtoBe]

@mayhew you're absolutely right. I don't know why I expect this scar to completely heal any faster than any other scar I might have.

Thanks ladies, you've made me feel a bit more normal!

[mayhew]

Happy to help!

[Ndeshi]

I am a bit late, but I’m going through exactly what you went through. I’m also five months postpartum and the area where I had the episiotomy still hurts a bit. Especially when I sit for long or stand for long.
I feel relieved that I’m not the only one going through this.

[MeadowHay]

Yes mine was similar. I don't know why HCPs always make out like you'll be fully healed in 6 weeks or whatever and the NHS web pages give you that impression too. I was worried there was something wrong with me/my episiotomy site when there wasn't, it just takes ages to heal. I went to the GP at 3 months PP because of the poor advice on the NHS website which advises recovery would be a matter of weeks. He didn't even examine me, just sent me away and said come back at 6 months PP if I still had issues. I went back at 7m PP and was examined and the GP said it looked fine and wasn't sure why I was still experiencing so much pain at the site. Referred to gynae who I saw at 9m PP by which time the pain at the site had finally gone anyway but I did have some pelvic floor pain more generally due to weak pelvic floor muscles so I had a short course of pelvic floor physio over the next couple of months which totally resolved my issues. Keep an eye on it and definitely get it checked any time you have concerns but like most the PP here I was more like 'normal' at 12m PP.