Episiotomy

[edgylemons]

Hello 👋- I'm just wondering, those that have had an episiotomy in the past, how long did it take to feel somewhat normal?

4 weeks postpartum, and it feels fine for a few days but then suddenly (like today) it absolutely kills and I can't sit down!

Thanks x

I had episiotomy with both mine.

Hi there,

I had a significant episiotomy - 24 stitches to repair - and it started to feel reliably comfortable to sit at about 6 weeks.

If it’s not feeling right at 8-12 weeks you can ask to be referred to women’s health physio for treatment to desensitise the scar. I saw a physio for 6 months from 18 weeks PP and it was a game-changer (but I did have other scarring from big lacerations which complicated matters).

Congratulations on your baby by the way!

I had an episiotomy which was stitched. It took a few weeks to completely heal, that's the same for most I think, but it wasn't dreadful. The stitches 'tug' a bit; mine were supposed to dissolve fairly quickly but didn't so the district midwife removed them.

They don’t seem to do checks on them routinely any more or on any vaginal stitches. Mine got hideously infected and had to have it restitched and antibiotics . I thought it was normal to be that sore but it isn’t. I would ring your GP and ask for someone to check it’s all ok down there.

Hello, have had two, which each of my babies. If I'm being honest a few days, maybe 10 and it was feeling fine again. Didn't hurt day to say at all, Although a good 6 weeks before sex felt anywhere near comfortable. I would maybe ring your gp and ask them as it could be that it's a bit infected if still sore?

Whoops sorry, pressed the post button by mistake ! I had an episiotomy both times, it took about 8 weeks before I was comfortable.. I used salt water baths to help heal them , and I bought an air ring cushion to sit on which was very comfortable. I also used laxatives so I avoided any straining. Good luck !

Thank you all for the replies! I'll call the GP on Monday, it was a very traumatic & complicated birth 😳 I've had a look and it seems red but it's hard to tell as I'm quite bruised down there too!
Thinking about it I haven't rested at all since giving birth, I got home on the Friday and from the Saturday I was just carrying on as normal, cleaning, walking, cooking etc - so I'm wondering if I've irritated it as this last week I've 'upped' my activities if that makes sense? Like I've been going on longer walks, moving lots of stuff in the house on my own 😬 hopefully I've just irritated it and it's not infected 🤞 thank you all again xx

@edgylemons

Please sit down and rest. You've really got to look after yourself! You shouldn't just be carrying on as normal. Do you have a partner or family that can pick up the housework Cooking etc and you just sit and recover

I felt ok after my episiotomy on the surface eg the wound itself virtually immediately but my pelvic floor still isn't right a year on.... and it feels really different when I clench/tense... hard to explain

I had one almost 2yrs ago and at one point I genuinely didn't think I'd ever heal.
It was a very traumatic birth and I was heavily bruised which was probably the majority of the pain. My stitches burst within 2 days and they said they wouldn't re-stitch. I ended up with several infections both to the episiotomy and internally.
I was checked regularly by the midwife at home and she suggested I would probably need cosmetic surgery to correct it.

Then one day it just didn't hurt anymore. I know it was weeks and weeks after the birth but I can't remember a timescale. Everything healed perfectly fine and I didn't need anything else done such as the corrective surgery. I was supposed to have physio but that was cancelled due to Covid. I couldn't feel my pelvic floor at all for months but feeling came back and all is well.
My second baby is due in a couple of weeks and I'm terrified of what will happen at the birth based on the first experience.

@PissedOffNeighbour22 I just wanted to send a bucketload of sympathy and good luck! I think all of us first-time car-crash birthers feel the same about the second birth to be honest. The good news is that you know you can endure a hell of a lot, and that the exact circumstances of birth #1 are statistically unlikely to recur.

I asked about the impact of the episiotomy scar and other scars from birth #1 and was told that I am more likely to tear down the old epis because that tissue is less stretchy, but that perineal massage would help. Maybe you’re already doing that, but thought I would mention anyway since you’re close to term. You can do it!!

I has one which actually tore during a ventouse delivery. I think mine was about 8 weeks for actual pain to stop. It was months before I felt anywhere near normal again though.

@PissedOffNeighbour22 my second was so much better. No need for an episiotomy, no tearing just a very slight graze which didn't need stitches. A bad first experience doesn't always repeat itself.

@LabradorFiasco thank you :)
It's looking like I'll actually end up with a CS this time as baby has spent the last week flipping daily between transverse and footling breech. I have to have a scan tomorrow to see if it's still in unstable lie - if so I'll be admitted straight away until they can fit me in for a CS in 2wks time :(

I think if all goes normally I'd be happy to risk another episiotomy and the tear I also got from the forceps, but really don't want the 4 day long induced birth again haha.

It always surprises me how many horrendous births there seem to be. When I had my DD, everyone I spoke to in the hospital had been induced, had a forceps birth and then got an infection. Surely that's not normal?

I'm 3 weeks pp and no episiotomy pain any more! I think it shows we're all very different :)