Episiotomy recovery

[Bunny2021]

I gave birth in the early hours of this morning. Having been on an epidural for nearly 24 hours I wasn’t feeling any pain until recently. As our baby is going to be in NICU for a few days I’m going to be stuck in the hospital and won’t be able to have a bath etc to help recovery. Any tips for pain/discomfort from an episiotomy?

Make sure you take regular painkillers. Also, a cushion helped me, or a blanket rolled around that i sat on top of, a bit like a piles cushion. Congratulations!!

Take the pain killers religiously. I alternated mine so I had ibuprofen or paracetamol every two hours. I also found a doughnut type cushion really helped

Congratulations

A bottle of water with a sports top - saved the day for me!! It stung when I had a wee and I couldn't wipe my bottom properly after a poo (sorry TMI!!). So I used a bottle of water to squirt whilst I was having a wee to dilute the urine so it didn't sting. Also meant I had to wipe less and therefore less irritation of the area.

Good luck!!

Buy a doughnut cushion.

I had episiotomy and it was so painful. I could not lie or even sit properly. The only thing which helped was doughnut cushion.

Sorry to mention poo (scariest thing after an episiotomy 🤣) but I went for a shower and showered down there every time I had done one to make sure I was properly clean.

Defo agree with all the above re doughnut cushion and a using a jug when you go to the loo, I did my wees in the stand up shower for the first week and poured water from a jug over my bits whilst I was weeing which helped. I also use witch hazel on pads which helps. U may be able to buy this from the chemist on site to put on the pads. It really helps With the healing process. I also took ibuprofen and paracetamol through the day.

Thanks everyone. Looks like I’ll be ordering a doughnut cushion ASAP!

The midwives gave me medical gloves filled with ice to sit on. Helped a lot to numb the pain!

Also - I was advised against a doughnut ring as they increase the pressure on that area. But definitely main thing is to keep it really really clean. Def agree with the water bottle.

I’ve had two episiotomies and fortunately neither were very painful and they healed really well!
Agree about taking painkillers for the next couple of days and a jug of water for the toilet but I never struggled to sit or anything.

Definitely take your pain relief - paracetamol etc religiously and make sure someone is checking your stitches. I bought one of those bottles that you squeeze over yourself when you wee as I was expecting it to hurt but found I didn't actually have any problems like that. It was good to use to keep everything clean though.

Witch hazel on pads for sure, put in the freezer for added relief!
Make sure that everything is dry after you hose down with water bottle/shower.
Congratulations on your baby, hope everything goes well 😊

Congratulations!
Echoing doughnut cushion also!
Keep topped up on pain meds, I had alarms on my phone.
Also echoing going to the toilet for the first time! More scary than birth 😂 I got a pad and gently held it against down below so I didn't feel like I going to pop open if that makes sense.
Take your time walking around!

Congratulations on your baby, sorry to hear you had a rough time of it. Have you asked about a bath? Many wards have a separate bathroom with a bath available even though the rooms or bays tend to have showers only? So it’s worth an ask.
I think I just generally lay on my side or sat over on my side for the first few weeks after my first episiotomy. I found the longer the pushing stage the worse the swelling and it was that rather than the episiotomy that was painful. So hopefully you weren’t pushing too long and your stitches don’t give you too much pain.

Another thing to mention (this will be for much further down the line!) is to have a chiropractor or physio give you a once over to check your hips etc. I had forceps and episiotomy with my first and between having a baby pulled out and then sitting/walking squiffy from an episiotomy I was pretty sore for a while - a chiro who specialised in women was bloody brilliant.