Is this normal? Episiotomy and 2nd degree tear

[36Ames]

I had my first baby on Monday and forceps were required for delivery.
I ended up with an episiotomy and a second degree tear.
I’m taking paracetamol (can’t take ibuprofen due to health reasons) and have regular warm water shallow baths to stay clean. Also use a jug of warm water to pour on me after I’ve been to the loo.
But a couple of questions as I don’t know what is ‘normal’ or not.

• I’m advised to work on exercises to strengthen pelvic floor - at the moment I’m unable to feel if I’m doing this or not - I assume I’ll get the feeling back to do these effectively once healing is a little more on the way?

• on three occasions now I’ve popped to the loo to find I’m actually already weeing. I don’t always have a sensation of needing to go at the moment so just try to go regularly.

Is all this normal and part and parcel of recovery?
And what sort of time frame can I expect for discomfort to ease and a bit of feeling to return?

Any advice or personal experiences shared are greatly appreciated x

I had an episiotomy and vontouse so slightly different but I couldn't feel my pelvic floor when doing the exercises for about a week but kept trying to do them as best I could. As for not being aware you are weeing I would raise it with a midwife. Better to get checked early to make sure all is healing ok

I had a second degree tear and episiotomy after forceps too and I was the same as you for a while. It got better after a few weeks, I ended up with a referral to a physio but in retrospect I didn't need it, just needed time. I'm 9 months pp and it's all pretty much back to normal. Do have some 'weakening of the walls' apparently and scar tissue but no prolapse and no incontinence. Solidarity though, I remember how sore it was, I was constantly sat on an ice pack!

Thank you for replying - knowing you’ve gone through similar to me is reassuring.
I’ve been given some lavender bath salts so will perhaps give them a whirl and see if they help with creating more comfort.

Did you have an epidural? I had the same as you and definitely not much feeling the first few days.

Third degree tear here 🙋🏼‍♀️

Definitely keep doing your pelvis floor exercises, although it is strange that you can't feel anything I know! I was told it helped the blood flow to the affected area to aid healing.

I suffered a little bit of incontinence straight after delivery but a couple of weeks down the line and I was ok I do believe the exercises helped with that, strengthening everything back up.

Probably took me 2-3 months to feel back to 'normal' but just remember it may be a new normal as your body has been through a trauma.

One of the best things I did to help was lay on a towel after a bath and just let the air get to my stitches. The itch when they started healing was uncomfortable! But you'll get there.

No epidural. Thank you for replying. Hopefully another couple of days and I’ll have enough feeling there to be able to do my exercises x

Hey,

Second degree and forceps here too. Took a while to have full bladder control, maybe six weeks.

Witch hazel in the bath helped with pain and avoiding infection.

To be totally realistic my youngest is three and I’ve only just been able to star jump. It can be a loooinnngggg process, but don’t give up or despair if it takes a while. I think it took ages to feel what I was doing. It felt like forever, I honestly worried I was changed for life- but I can trampoline and run now.

Hi op, I had a 3rd degree tear and experienced total bladder numbness for a while afterwards - I just made sure to go and sit on the loo every couple of hours so I didn't wet myself. It did pass within a couple of weeks as I recall. I couldn't feel my pelvic floor for ages too but just tried to gently squeeze ever yday and, again, slowly I started to feel it (although DS is now 2yo and still seeing physio to help with pelvic floor issues). Discomfort - for me, lasted a good while. Took a few months to feel properly better. Take painkillers, lavender oil baths help and I took a soft cushion everywhere in the basket of the buggy as a hard plastic or wooden chair could have me in a lot of pain for the rest of the day if I had to sit on one! Hope you feel better soon and congratulations on your baby.

If you have bleeding or open wounds don’t put anything in your bath yet.

Be careful over bathing too. The clots and scabs need to be there for healing- if you’re regularly softening the skin or soaking the scabs you can slow healing down.

Try doing the stop /start when weeing.I also found I could do them lying down but not standing or sitting.
As for seeing,I did know when it was happening but got too little warning to be able to stop it.It all sorts it's self out to a new normal.
Congratulations.

I had forceps, an episiotomy and 2nd degree cut in May. My son’s head was on the 91st percentile for circumference...! I was lucky and never had any leaking but was taking paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly for 5 weeks before I felt able to deal with the pain. Sitting was painful, in fact I didn’t drive for 5 weeks as didn’t feel like I could bear the pressure. I’d say I ached after long walks for a good 2 months. In the early days, I found lavender oil baths helped and I used to dry with a hairdryer afterwards so that I didn’t need to pay or rub dry. My midwife advised against sitting on rubber rings as it forces the pressure onto the area.

Nearly 5 months on and I feel back to normal. You will get there, I promise. I cried at 8 weeks post birth to my husband, saying that I didn’t think I’d ever feel normal again but gradually, I’ve got there.

I'm going through my second 3rd degree tear. First time I struggled sitting for about 3 weeks so was on a rubber ring and would just rinse in the shower every other day.
This time, I am already much more comfortable at 2 weeks pp with external stitches almost fully dissolved and nicely healed already.
Swelling has completely gone, but still lack bladder control.
I remember from last time that it took a good few weeks to regain some control so I'm expecting the same this time.
I leak at the moment and sometimes find I go to the loo and I'm already "dribbling" however I must have some control as when I then sit on the toilet a stronger flow comes out.
My trust refers you to physio at 6 weeks pp with a significant tear so I'd honestly just keep trying your pelvic floor exercises and if you get to 6 weeks and still have issues, request to be referred.
Mention to your midwife though as you should still have that sense that you need the toilet even if you can't control it.

I gave birth 2 weeks ago and needed an episiotomy. I had exactly the same issues as you for just over a week. It's improved massively since then, so don't worry. May be mention it to your midwife

Hello second degree tear here, no episiotomy or forceps/vacuum.
Natural birth so I did not have the numbness. Lots of pain. The numbness is protecting you right now from feeling it. Don’t worry about exercises for at least a week after the birth. Focus on basic healing.

The sits baths are good just make sure they are not too hot. The bottle water to rinse down there is also great. You are doing all the right things. I also got a doughnut cushion to sit on in the car...they sell them for people with hemorroids/piles but they work great not putting pressure on the area post birth with a tear too.

Did you have any internal stitches? The kind I had were not dissolving so be mindful that they will need to get them out at some point.

When you’re a bit healed the stopping and starting your pee is a great exercise that has been suggested to you. If you have scarring, you can use certain oils and do perineal massage to soften the scar...ask the midwife as I cannot remember what they were but it helped me massively.

Since you tore, make sure DH/DP knows sex is off the table for as long as 3months. It won’t be the usual 6wk span they advertise.