Infected stitches.....

[Hopehope20]

Hi,

I have birth on Monday..I had an episiotomy which was sore as I expected after. Yesterday I dared to have a look and it was awful. Went to doctors and they are infected. I am in agony but now have antibiotics. I am nervous though that they might not work or that further damage had been done. Has anyone had infected stitches and did it heal ok still once anti biotics are taken? What other things coule I do myself? Glad I caught it early. I also have a large heamatoma next to the stitches but that should heal by itself.

I got an infection. Antibiotics started working fairly quickly, I had a week long course.

Oh goodness - i was you. It wasnt fun.
My stitches also burst. But i was fully healed by 6 weeks. I had a shallow, tepid bath with 6 drops of lavender oil and 4 of tea tree in a little milk every night. Only 5 mins though.
Pat dry after going to the loo. Drink loads. If wee stings run water over yourself as u wee.
Get yourself some lactulose (NOT laxatives) and dried fruit - last thing u want is constipation.
It will heal. I promise.

I had infected stitches, took the antibiotics and bathed with salted water after toileting instead of dry toilet paper.

All fine afterwards, even after another birth too!

I had horrible infection and haematoma as well. Had to get prescribed diclofenac for the pain (suitable for breastfeeding) so maybe this would help you too. I'm 6 weeks pp now and stitches have healed and scar intact - antibiotics did really help clear it up

Oh bless you. I think this is so common.

My little boy is 3 weeks old and the same thing happened to me. Actually, I got infected, and lost all of my stitches after a week. Had antibiotics to clear up infection and have been left to heal without restitching.

It's sore but it's getting there. Keep the area as clean and dry as possible. I shower with warm water twice a day and air as much as possible. I now have thrush from the antibiotics (typical) but my cut has started to heal.

I was an emotional wreck at first from worrying, but your body WILL heal - it'll be sore for a while though so take it easy xx

Tip: gently pat yourself dry with kitchen roll rather than loo roll - it won’t stick to the wound.