Episiotomy and tear - healing

[owltrousers]

Hello.

I have birth to my son last week, it was a traumatic labour and ended in a 2nd degree tear on the inside, forceps and an episiotomy. It's all been very sore down there but I felt like it was slowly healing.

I've been really careful with hygiene, using water on my wounds after every wee and poo and changing my pads every two hours. Also finding that salt baths help with the pain along with good old ibroprofen and paracetamol. The hospital also gave me a dihydracodine to use as and when. Today it suddenly all feels sore again, but more of a dull ache type sore and almost like a sharp poking sore on the inside a bit like it's hurting where I wee.

Any experiences of similar? should I call me GP / midwife?

Thanks in advance!

i would get it checked - I did when I had similar doubts with both dc - I recall it hurts more when it’s properly healing, and the real sign of an infection is a bad smell but they are there to check these things so ask them to check.

I would call the number in your notes. I had similar, I went to the GP who was horrified and knew nothing. The midwives on the post natal ward know what to look for and can test for infection.

I had the same with my stitches about 10 days PP and that’s because it was all healing up. Maybe ask the HV to have a look or call the labour ward and ask what they would recommend?

If you’re still under midwife care, call the midwives. (I made the mistake of calling the GP about my stitches and they were angry with me when they did the phone triage - I didn’t know better and hadn’t been told to go to midwife until I was discharged from their care, which I didn’t even know was a thing that happened!)

I had a very similar labour to yours and lots of stitches. I had what you were describing about a week post partum along with some abdominal pain and it turned out to be a uterus infection.
If it doesn’t get better with paracetomol/ibuprofen within a day or so go to GP just to be on safe side as infections can get nasty post birth!

I have had that bout of feeling worse at around ten days afterwards and in my case, it was due to the disolvable stitches dissolving but the muscle then needing to do more itself to hold together. However any increase in pain is worth getting examined by the midwife/health visitor/doctor. You could also ask about healing advice - as far as I know both salt water and taking baths are no longer recommended but perhaps the wound advice has moved along. Also I found it helpful to take five minutes every hour or so to lie down flat, which takes the pressure off the muscles as both sitting and standing can cause strain. But this needs to be balanced with the need to stay active and move around to avoid the risk of blood clots in your legs (massively at risk in the weeks after birth). So it's a question of balance. Chances are it's healing fine but you need to have it checked out sooner rather than later if you have any concerns. Keep on top of the pain relief as well.

Yes I had something similar and got it checked-it was jidtbit healing. Try, tree tea oil in the bath, it really helped with the ‘tightness’ feeling

I only had an episiotomy but found the pain wothe after a week or so. I think as the swelling went down. Hopefully the same for you.

Thanks everyone. It feels a bit better today, I have spent a bit more time laying down as I have been pushing myself a bit hard since coming home.

I'm seeing midwife on Sat so will get her to check it out for me.

I had the same and set myself back a couple of times doing too much. It's so difficult not to!
I found lavender oil in a bath just for a quick dip everyday really helped with the healing. Take it easy!

Keep on having it checked while there is any problem at all. I ended up having 3 separate ops after a double episiotomy until it was eventually sorted out. However I didn't tell anyone for ages and wish I had done so sooner.