Infected episiotomy- any experiences?

[cloudymelonade]

Hi wise world of MN.

Has anyone got any experience of an episiotomy becoming infected? I know I've got a few weeks of recovery ahead of me but I'm just wondering if anyone has any top tips to manage the pain and keep on top of the healing process...

I had this. Was very painful and it was antibiotics that cleared it up in the end. I used to bath with salt in (and lavinder too) and changed pads often etc.

Unfortunately, it's quite common and I'm sure sometimes it's just one of those things.

Just keep on top of pain relief and take it easy xx

Thanks @Yakadee just started on antibiotics so hopefully will do the trick. I've never known pain like it

I had this and it was horrendous, so painful. I ended up back in hospital overnight to have the stitches removed and put on tramadol and antibiotics. The midwife who did the home visit on day 5 said it looked like a whole new orifice

Had to have stitches put back after a week under general anaesthetic (so you can imagine what that was like, a week with no stitches holding it all together!)

It was the midwife who referred me back to hospital but I insisted on staying until I had the pain under control.

It was worse than the birth. Worse than my c-section recovery. Worse than anything I've ever felt. I honestly thought I'd never be comfortable again. By about 6 or 7 weeks I was almost normal again... 3 loads of antibiotics. I had to do my best to find a position where nothing put pressure on that area and lie there as long as possible. Pain killers as often as you possibly can. All the pain killers.

And get help! I could barely stand up. Having help with meals and the toddler etc was essential.

I kept telling the hospital something was wrong - they kept telling me "childbirth leaves you a bit sore" Until the doctor who finally agreed to actually, y'know, look at my stitches and was appalled by the infection. Ugh - I hate medics who don't listen. I hope your recovery is fast and as easy as possible. Bless you it's horrific.

@cloudymelonade - it's awful isn't it, I feel for you. If it makes you feel better though, I recovered and went on to have another baby (although through section) x

I had this too. Absolute agony, you have my sympathies. Keeping on top of painkillers is a must. Also I spent as much time as i could on my back with my legs open and nothing on the bottom half so that nothing irritated it and nothing touched it. I found antibiotics worked fairly quickly though so fingers crossed for you!

@Changingweather it is horrendous!

I'm sorry you had such a crap experience with the 'professionals'. I've been lucky in a way that little one has got very jaundice so we've been readmitted to hospital for some phototherapy treatment and I asked someone to check my stitches while we happened to be in there. Pulled my pants down and the stitches physically fell out in front of her!

I had this 40 years ago, things were very different then, although maybe not, as in care for post natal women doesn't seem to have improved. I sat in salt water in the bath every day. for every woman who is not believed or/and treated badly by hospital staff. Many of them don't have the time but it's infuriating to be treated as a woman who is uneducated about her own body.