Episiotomy

[CurryandSnuggle]

I am feeling really sad to the point of tears because I just want to be able to enjoy breastfeeding my baby but I can hardly sit because of my episiotomy. Everytime I sit or move to a seated position it feels like my stitches are pulling and it makes me yelp out loud. DD is clusterfeeding and I’m having to get DH to get her out of the Moses for me every feed as I’m so immobile. It hurts to walk as I feel so much discomfort but also there’s a swollen lump right near the entrance of my vagina so it feels like there’s something there like a tampon not inserted properly. I don’t know if this swollen bit is normal but it looks horrid and I’m so worried my vulva is going to look horrible forever and I won’t enjoy sex anymore in the future.

Ladies! You need an eggcup filled with milk. Add 10 drops of lavender oil and add to a shallow bath. I promise you, it’s bliss!

I had an episiotomy. It was horribly painful the first week, I could barely walk. Then I pulled the bloody stitches getting out of bed! It’s been 4 weeks now and I feel much better and it looks better too. It’s still sore deep down if I poke it so I won’t be trying PIV for a good few weeks yet but I can still orgasm fine.

Could your episiotomy be a bit infected? Your midwife/GP will be able to tell you. Please don't worry about your vagina looking weird or sex being painful! Everyone is different of course but I had an episiotomy just under 4 months ago and it's healed very well, I don't think you would be able to tell I'd had one unless you looked closely and I remember thinking it was a giant gaping wound at the time. The area is very vascular so heals nicely. The first sex was a bit painful but fine, just have lots of lube ready X

@Kabuki so sorry, I have only just seen this! How are you doing? I’m doing much better now (baby is just over a month old), I started feeling more normal from 3 weeks. However I have one niggly bit of scar tissue that is a bit lumpy/sticks out and rubs on my underwear when I walk, hoping it’s still healing but if not I shall be getting doctors advice as can’t have a niggly bit forever.

@CurryandSnuggle
so glad to hear you are mostly back to normal. I had no idea that recovery from an episiotomy was so awful. Threads, like this one, on Mumsnet helped me believe that I would be ok.

I’m almost ok - baby is 17 days old. I’d say I was over the worst of it all by 10 days. Like you, I still have a small lump which is tender to touch and feels like scar tissue to me. I am hoping that this goes in time.

my new worry is that I feel like I have a vaginal prolapse as well to add to the delights of this birth…..but that’s another thread.

just hoping that by the time of my 6 week GP check, everything is back to normal. I’m doing pelvic floor exercises like I’ve never done them before.

enjoy the new baby. Not getting much sleep here! xxx