Tips on dealing with episiotomy pain please!

[CaipirinhasAllRound]

I had my second baby last week, both births resulting in forceps and episiotomies.
I can't remember how long I was sore for last time but I'm really sore now.
Any tips to make it less uncomfortable?

Congratulations on your latest addition.

I found a few drops of tea tree oil in a warm (not hot) bath helped speed up the healing process. For the first week or so I had painkillers every two hours, alternated paracetamol with ibuprofen - e.g. Two paracetamol at 8am, Two ibuprofen at 10am. This seemed to keep the pain and discomfort at bay so I could get up and about - essential for you with two to look after now!

Hope you heal quickly and are able to enjoy this time with your firstborn and newborn.

Soak your maternity pads in witch hazel, most chemists sell it. It's wonderfully cooling.

I came on to say exactly what Baking said, mine was worse than my CS! A. Hooks of drops of tea tree and a couple of drops of lavender, and very frequent pain mess, if it's really sore then a rubber ring to sit on for a few days too!

Mine hurt for about a fortnight, but my stitches got infected which didn't help.

What did help was washing frequently with plain water, then lying down in the most undignified position I could muster to let everything air dry.

Only weeing in the shower was helpful. And sitting on a rubber ring.

Someone suggested holding a bottle of frozen water between my legs, which I tried, but that made it hurt more. I don't recommend it.

My midwife recommended soaking sanitary towels in camomile tea then popping them in the freezer. Soothing af

Congratulations on the birth..I second soaking maternity pads in distilled witch hazel(keep the bottle in the fridge too),helped me massively after my first child.Sending,hope it is better soon x

I've had 2 episiotomies and my second one was painful/uncomfortable for about 10 days after birth. Put your pads in the freezer then put witch hazel on them before using. See if you can hire a valley cushion. When you sit on it it takes the pressure off of your stiches.

If you are really struggling, the prescription painkiller diclofenac is in the same class of drugs as ibuprofen so OK after childbirth - I found it much more effective. Ice packs helped, pouring warm water over yourself while peeing, and I hired a valley pillow from the NCT that stopped me sitting on it quite so well.

If you are still really sore after a week I'd get it checked in case it is infected. With my first it was infected and hurt awfully for ages, with my 2nd I tore badly but no infection and the pain decreased really quickly, within a few days I was no longer clock watching until I could take the next dose of painkillers.

Wee in the bath, hold a wad of loo roll over your sitches when you poo, wash twice a day in a bath with a couple of drops lavender oil in, change pad as often as possible

Wet maternity pads in freezer. Use twice a day for 15min with a flannel on top.

Later on when everything has healed (4/6 weeks maybe), if you still feel discomfort you can use lidocaine to help and eventually massage trigger points with your thumb and lubricant.