People who've had episiotomies

[NoFoodwithaFace]

Depspite EBF DS (6months) I got my periods back the minute i finished post-childbirth bleeding. Now whenever I have a period, my scar actually kills me. It is so tender and painfull!
I just wondered if anyone else had the same thing?

I had an episiotomy and ventouse delivery with my daughter in 2009 (I think I had either 12 or 14 stitches). I don't remember the scar being particularly tender when I had my period (got my first period after lochia had finished about 6 weeks post partum). But for me, sex was impossible 8 weeks later when DH and I first tried (sorry if tmi!). In fact, I think we managed to get back to very slow rumpy-pumpy about 16 weeks later; the scar still felt v.tender and tight, but my hubby was patient and very gentle, which helped a lot (as did tons of lube, again, sorry tmi).

I think I felt completely back to normal 'down there' about 6 months after the birth. So much so , in fact, that I had forgotten I'd ever been snipped until now - I'm 31 weeks pregnant with baby no.2 and when I wake in the morning and go to the loo, I get a very tender sensation on my perineum where the weight of the baby & full bladder must press on the scar. If I walk for too long - more than 1/2 an hour - I get a similar sensation.

I hope that you feel back to normal very soon, and best wishes for a speedy recovery to you.

oh, no, please don't tell me that!

I know it was very uncomfortable having the post-birth bleeding - that went on for 7 weeks, and then came back for a day at 8 weeks.
i hated wearing a pad. :(

Yes - this happens to me, though DS is nearly two now and the pain is not terrible, but I can definitely still feel it around my period.

I mentioned it to a consultant at the hospital and he said that it is probably to do with the hormones at that time. Interesting to know I'm not the only one!

Hi,

I used to be in alot of pain whne wearing a pad, to the point it would really get me down, had a second degree tear, spent ages looking at the scar to see if there were any sore bits as I couldn't work out why it only hurt when wearing a pad.
Have been back to the docs a few times, but recently she said that it looks like and sounds like I have a slight prolaspsed womb which is causing the dragging and achy sensation, and have proberly had this since ds was born. am 7 months preg and is getting worse and hurts when I wee, not stingy but just hurts, it difficult to discribe.Dreading wearing Maternity pads. Maybe pop down to your docs to get them to look.

Hi thee, I had this with DS. He just turned 5. And I have to say I have only just stopped noticing the odd twinge in recent months. Very strange!!

Yep, hardly any stomach cramps with periods post-DS, but the scar area hurts a lot and DS just turned 1! Wondered if I was imagining it, but obviously not!

I had an episiotomy 18mo ago and haven't had these issues. However, it wasn't a very big one (Obs did it to avoid Ventouse as I'd been pushing for 2 hrs - DS had a 95th centile head, despite being a 25th centile baby so was struggling a bit)

The Obs is known in this town for the quality of her stitching so maybe I just got lucky

My SPD comes back most months

I had a fairly large one and am only just starting to feel like myself again 4 months later, still a few twinges occasionally but mostly there.
Maybe you should get a doctor to check it, make sure it looks ok, no infection or anything, hope it improves soon, it is miserable when it hurts.

I had horrendous one with cut and subsequent tear 20 years ago with DS and can still feel the scar now. He was delivered by Keillands forceps eventually (posterior presentation and 40cm head) and scar runs from my cervix all the way down, across the perineum and tore up my bumhole. The scar tissue there is often very tender.
I had 2 DDs with normal sized heads and only had a slight graze with both.
He's 6'3" now and still has huge hat size.

No! I had one with ds but have never ever felt any pain or discomfort or weirdness down there since it healed.

I had the same, also found I could no longer use tampons because they hurt so much. Given that I hate pads so much, I tried a mooncup and it's great.

oh dear.

how come Mooncup works when tampons don't, Kitty?

That's interesting about mooncup. I might try that when my periods return this time. I was quite frightened of putting anything inside after DD1s birth (episiotomy). The dryness of tampons freaks me out a bit.

I had exactly the same thing OP, monthly episiotomy scar pain. I thought it must be to do with hormones.

Massaging it with sweet alone oil helped with general pain but I think I might just have to put up with monthly pain.

mine still stings sometimes, or it might be the tear. DS is 2.5 yo. I tore badly during a sexual assault when I was a teenager too (sorry for TMI!), and that still stings quite often, and is worse than the epi ever was. It definitely got better a few months post-birth though, and is now a tolerable rather than a SIOB type of sting.

never found pads worse than no-pads though. but I can't go commando all the time :o

kelly I've found I can't use non applicator tampons anymore but I can use applicator ones as the nice plastic tube slides well and isn't as dry iykwim.

Oh thanks penguin, that's a good idea.

nickelhasababy no idea! I didn't think that would be the case, but tried one as I was desperate not to use pads and it worked. Logic told me that as Mooncups are bigger it wouldn't be better but maybe it's because they're soft and flexible and not solid like tampons...

hmmm, interesting.
I'm not looking forward to having a period now.

definitely don't want to use pads, but CBA with a mooncup (sink isn't in the same room as the toilet, and don't fancy traipsing halfway across the other room to wash it out...)

nickel I'm the only one of my rl friends who has had a problem with tampons since having had a baby, so I'd say there's every chance you'll be fine.

If you are desperate and do decide to try a mooncup, all I do is empty it down the loo and take a bottle of water in to rinse it. It's a faff but I'd do it ten times over to not have to use pads.

Fingers crossed you have no need for the advice, though!

i have the odd problem, i had an episiotomy with ds1, now 12, have had 4 kids before and no tears etc. but whne i get my period my scar ACHES and some tampons are uncomfortable, i have found the tampax pearl ones to be much more fomfortable, it seems to be the ones with the cardboard applicators that hurt to use. no idea why.

Mine gets sore and stinging when I have my period, and after sex. My baby is now seven! Just had another baby two weeks ago,and had a tear, will be interesting to see if this is the same.

Hate to say this but i have problems now, even though DS2 is 14.. My scar gets really really sore, and i get a tugging sensation. I cant use pads (when occasionally required) other then really soft natural cotton ones.

I'm peri menopausal at 48, haven't put on any weight or anything and i have discussed with my GP about how skin and scars naturally thin as you get older and loses elasticity, all she can suggest is putting oil on it

My mums scar occasionally bleeds, only tiny spots.. I think for some women it can get worse as you get much older. It's a bugger!

Same problem here, only mine gets really sore during ovulation, during my period, after sex, after walking for prolonged periods. i'm off to the consultant next week. i hope he can sort it out.