Epi-no - has anyone used it and found that it helped during labour?

[extremelychocolateymilkroll]

I saw a physio today about pelvic floor exs. I asked her about the Epi-no and she said that she had heard good things about it but there had been no studies done on it. Her concern was that it might stretch down there but women might have problems after labour if you're overstretched. Has anyone found this to be the case? TIA

Sorry no personal experience but a friend of mine used it recently and said it was fab.

Thanks very much mumcah. Another response on the pregnancy thread from a physio was very positive so think I will give it a go.

Hi Kingsroadie Thanks for your reply. I'm 30 weeks now so think I will get the Epi-No.

Congratulations on the arrival of your daughter! How are you finding life as a mum? How was C+W? Hope you had a positive experience. My main memory of the first days after my dd was born was struggling with breastfeeding. I went to see a breastfeeding consultant - also a trained midwife - called Claire Byam Cook who enabled me continue with mixed feeding until I was able to return to soley breastfeeding. She is fab and based in Putney but also does home visits but if you are having any probs and would like to see her and would like her number please let me know.

That was "due to breastfeeding probs" not "Diego"?!

Please explain, what is an Epi-No?

kingsroadie - glad to hear you're loving motherhood and had a relatively good experience at C+W. Sorry to hear that you have probs with bf and that you've got thrush. I've had thrush 3 times during this pregnancy - no itching only discharge. On my antenatal thread others are suffering much more than I am and some have suggested applying yoghurt to the area - don't know if you've tried that? My milk supply from one breast was much less than the other for the first couple of weeks or so but I drank loads of fennel tea and ate porridge religiously and after about 3 weeks I was able to return to just bf. I found it great to be able to express and see how much milk my dd was having - hadn't occurred to me that this wouldn't be the case with bf. From what I've heard the breast milk the baby gets in the first few days after birth is the most important anyway and sounds like you're doing a great job with the expressing. Hope the thrush clears up soon.

annamam - you can find out more about Epi-No here.

Thank you! Still have the thrush sadly and it's beginning to wear a little thin...am using vinegar wash and loads of cream but it seems not to do much. Plus milk supply is now getting a lot less - I am probably only managing about 50-60% of feeds breastmilk now. Oh well, I have/am doing my best and she will have got lots of antibodies for the first three weeks. And as I can't get the thrush to go it's sort of out of my control.and there are definite benefits to bottle feeding and formula feeding. I will just have to make the best of what I have got and my daughter is thriving so it can't be bad! . Thanks for your support!

hi kingsroadie, did your baby get treated for thrush with something like nyestatin (I think). otherwise you keep passing it back and forth ...

No she hasn't been treated as they checked her and she didn't have it (or didn't appear to) and I haven't breastfed her since I started treatment so I assume (and the dr seems to agree) that we can' have reinfected each other? Pharmacist did mention nyestatin though when I went for the third time on friday to get yet more pills! she sad it was the best and if my pills didn't work again to go back to dr and ask for nyestatin. Thank you!

it's a tricky business isn't it? i find just when bfeeding seems to be going ok for a few weeks it's time for another round of blebs, blocked ducts, mastitis ... hope you get it sorted xx

kingsroadie - I was doing a search for something else - how to use up cooked veg would you believe! - and I saw this thread. Hope it helps.

Thanks extremely - and everyone else for your help - sorry for what has turned out to be a thread hijack! It doesn't seem as bad as on that thread (also, why did that come up when searching re vegetables?! ha) thank god, but have given up going back to breastfeeding. Milk is certainly almost gone now - only managing 2-3 feeds a day expressed...oh well!

Kingsrodie - Hi! glad all went well (not sure if you remeber me answering you about epino on another thread) Congratulations on your DD arrival, hope you are really enjoying the early weeks!

for others - I used epi-no and had no perineal damage at all, only little tear on the inside that did not require any stitching. Would definitely recommend!