recovery from episiotomy

[hostelgirl74]

2.5 weeks after an episitomy and still in lots of discomfort. Coupled with piles, its a bit of a war zone down there. The (lying) midwives told me the stitches should dissolve after 10 days but they haven't done. The pain I had at first has subsided but it all feels very tight and uncomfortable. Also it feels quite lumpy like they have sewed bits together that perhaps previously didn't go together. I am bathing aea with water/antiseptic twice daily (have no bath). The midwife said she thinks things are healing ok but she seemed a bit blase. My care hasn't been the best so i don't trust her. Does anyone have any experience of this? Should I try and unpick the stitches myself with nail scissors? Has anyone gone back and had them removed if they didn't dissolve and if so did they give you anaesthetic? The stiches felt so horrendous going in that I cannot contemplate someone getting them out without pain relief. I would rather do it myself. How long did it take before it felt normal. I am worried my sex life will be affected further down the line.

Ok late but ....

I have had 3 dcs and by dc 3 these are the things I learned

Start taking Lactulose - by dc3 I took it as a matter Of course makes poking easier - did it for a few weeks.

If weeing is still hurting - pre soak mat pads with a few drops of tea tree oil each pad - close to centre - very very soothing.

Also when weeing - every time - keep a sports water bottle near sink, just before wee fill with a few drops of tea tree oil and then fill up with warm water. When you are weeing, aim at right area, then when finish, give yourself a good rinse. Then pat dry.

These things make such a difference - believe me - dc3 was first time I didn't need anti biotics.

Re piles get to doctor - sex life 6 weeks with loads of oil - we went for non penatrive first.

Please go and see your gp. Sounds like you might have an infection but you need to be examined properly.good luck and congratulations on the baby.

Its not pain, more discomfort - like i said, tightness really and lumpiness. I don't think that there is an infection, just that perhaps the stitches have been done wrongly or too many/too tightly/they wont dissolve. These are the kind of doubts i have. I did have pain at first when sitting down, weeing etc but now it has gone.

Hi hostel I found episiotomy stitches take a bit longer to dissolve - there are a couple of layers I think. It sounds to me like everything is knitting back together so it will feel tight.

Second the advice from mj and suggest you spend as little time as possible sitting on it while it is tight - not easy with an LO to feed I know.

2.5 weeks isn't long for post natal recovery. I know you just want to feel better and while my epi got less painful everyday it took 4 weeks to stop aching and to get to the point where it was just a pink line.

I don't think taking your own stitches out is a good idea. If you are worried please see a dr otherwise just leave it be to continue healing.

Please don't do anything with scissors or any such like. U can seriously do more damage. An epi takes a while to get better. And it will not feel the same in that area, even if you didn't have an epi, child birh changes the whole area's shape. But I do think you should get a gp to examine the stitches to check the healng, if your practise has several gps then see the one who does the antenatal stuff and the six week postnatal checks, they will probably have seen more epis so know a bit more.

Also the lactulose is a v good tip- constipation will increase the epi pain. As will tiredness so get as much rest as is possible with a newborn...

Mine felt uncomfortable and 'baggy' for at least a month, but had pretty much healed at the 6 week check. It took ages to get completely back to normal though - I couldn't use tampons for a whole year.

I had an epi with ds, it all felt wrong there for much longer than I expected it to - still seemed puffy and swollen and when we resumed intercourse it felt like (TMI) they had stitched me up too tightly! All in all, it probably took 6 months to get to feeling back to normal there, wasn't painful or uncomfortable for much more than a month I just mean for it to be back to like it was pre baby!

Some of my stitches hadn't dissolved after 6 weeks, so 2.5 is quite short in comparison. I would also go to your GP rather than rely on a MW - I found them to be incredibly blase about my recovery and my GPs were fantastic and referred me back to hospital when I needed it (which the MW didn't think was necessary, but resulted in a series of emergency appointments).

Great advice so far, just one thing to add... If you dont have a bath, is there any way you can fill a big bowl with water and sit in it? :)

Hiya I'm 7wks post epi and my inbetweenies still don't feel like they did! The MW said it takes 6wks for all the swelling to subside and it felt like my insides were about to fall out for the 1st few wks! Really uncomfortable to walk and drive, due to the sitting position. Husband looked at my bits last wk and said things look different, currently I feel as if there's something occluding the vagina, like when you have a tampon in but it's too far down, iykwim!!! Will make app with practice nurse if it doesn't rectify itself soon.

I've got continence issues as in, when I clench the pelvic floor muscles it doesn't stop the wee altogether so I have accidents if I'm not careful! Btw, I do my exercises religiously. So I have an app with the Physio re this in the New Year. Not tried to have sex yet but my husband's itching to!!!lol.

I would make app with Practice Nurse re your stitches as they're used to taking them out post op. I've got piles and started using Anusol HC, it has steroid in it and you have to ask at pharmacy. My arse feels like a baboons'!! Like, totally swollen and strangely protruding.

Best of luck to you and let us know how you get on girl xxxxxxxxx

I have something for the piles that i got from the doctor. I think i must be a bit incontinent as well. I do not notice anything but when i change the maternity pads (bleeding subsiding but still there), they always smell of wee. Keeping trying the pelvic floor exercises but i find it hard to remember to do them with everything else a new baby entails.

I got gp to refer me to perineal clinic at th hosp. Best thing I did!

5 drops lavender oil, 5 drops tea tree oil in bath (could you sit in baby bath!) helped a lot.

WRT remembering the pelvic floor exercises, I made myself do them at a particular thing happening, eg every time I changed a nappy, I'd do 5, when watching tv I do 10 in the advert break, helped me get into the habit. If I tried to just do them when I remembered, I wouldn't ever get round to it!!