Recovery after episiotomy

[Willo40]

Hi all, it has been 4 weeks since my emergency forceps birth and I feel like my episiotomy is never going to heal! Just wondered how long it took others to heal?
My cut is open a little bit close to where pee comes out (I often leak a little bit of urine so am still wearing pads) & when I open my bowels I feel like it tears as there is a sharp sting & there's a bit of blood when I wipe......too much info I know.....is this normal......my dr isn't interested in seeing me as it's not infected (I had swabs taken 2 weeks ago) and he's said to wait another 2 weeks until my 6 week check to have it looked at again! I'm worried I'm going to end up back in hospital seeing the gynae team for it stitching or something at this rate. Please put my mind at rest that it will heal on its own eventually!!!

Following. I'm a week behind you and fear it will never end. I just want to be comfortable so I can enjoy my baby. I recovered so well from my first birth (emcs) so I'm resenting the forceps I had this time, massively, as the recovery is so far so much harder.

This is my first birth & it's put me off going for a second baby!

I had an episiotomy (failed ventouse and forceps) with my BIG first baby. I had to have it redone after about 5/6 months as it overhealed (too tight) and it was very uncomfortable/throbby if my pelvis tilted etc.

It was the best thing I could've done. Day job under general, quick recovery due to not following birth trauma as was last time.

Next baby was 1.5lb heavier than #1 (and they said #1 was too big for me). 2nd degree tear, as with my 3rd. Healed nicely both times.

4 lots of stitches and it's all good

Hey! Congratulations on becoming a mum.
Have a look at my post from a few weeks back...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_health/2800831-Episiotomy-Pain

Now I'm almost 15 weeks pp and my episiotomy has pretty much scarred over nicely. But Jesus Christ mine took its time.
Unfortunately 'time will heal'...and I know you'll hate to read that as I did whenever I thought it would never heal. They won't stitch you again...they just allow it to heal naturally
It WILL heal but be patient...they say 6 weeks to heal but I really think that's grossly underestimated. From what I've read online and speaking to others who've had the cut it's more like 10 weeks to feel 'normal'.

I understand your want and need to recover asap. Funny how pp recovery is something that prenatal classes never discuss. It would put us off having babies at all.

Send you my patience and hugs

Thanks for your replies ladies. You've had it tough. You're right if they told people stuff like this in antenatal classes no one would ever have babies
It's driving me mad but from what everybody has said I need to give it more time. They should give us a follow up with gynae shouldn't they following birth to check healing and to avoid having to go back and have it redone. I'm not convinced the midwives or GP's really know what to look for. Hopefully over the next few weeks I'll see/feel an improvement!
My little one was worth it but dreading having another although my midwife says second labours are the easiest.....yeah right
Take care, best wishes to you

Mine took a few months to heal (first baby emergency forceps) but mine got infected during the first few days so that really prolonged my recovery. But even 6 month later it would occasionally "ache" especially after sex or a poop. It put me off another baby too but I got pregnant again and had a very normal straight forward delivery even though he was over 1 and a half pounds heavier than she was

Try salt baths ? Twice daily ? If it is getting better (even if slowley) then i would leave it. But if its really no better i would see your gp

Sounds very similar to be op
I had forceps delivery too.
Episiotomy and 3rd degree tear.
Took about 6 weeks to all heal properly. Didn't get any infections or anything.

Try tea tee oil in a shallow bath. Really soothed it all for me.

I have terrible pain when I poop sometimes still. Feels like it's ripping open and usually with blood too. . Have been told it's an internal pile and it will sort itself out.
It's getting better but it's been 5 months since I have birth

I'm not gonna lie the whole labour and recovery has put me off having any more.
This was my first.

xx

Ps congrats on your LO!

Similar to PP here. 17 weeks post- birth here and it all still feels quite tight, esp if I do too much walking or get constipated.

Of all the things I thought would be difficult after having a baby, this really wasn't one of them. I vastly underestimated the time it would take to recover and so was to be found crying in John Lewis lift because my stitches were giving me grief.
Things that helped we're having 'knickers off time' where I'd lay on my back and apply a compress with the herbal mix they sell in boots. It was really soothing. Also the big maternity pads seemed to irritate everything a lot more. And I was told I couldn't have a bath for several weeks which I know now to be utter crap. As soon as I started taking (short, mild) baths again my recovery sped up.

It also was the sole thing to make me say 'no more' though now it's all healed fairly well I find the odd thought of 'maybe one more' creeping in.

The things us women have to go through!
6 weeks on of lavender baths & drying with a hairdryer (yes really ) it feels less sore but I have a gap & redness which gp reckons will eventually sort itself out as it's in the place where it will get more friction....I also have discharge still...2 swabs that came back clear, waiting for the results of the 3rd one!
I'm glad you mentioned the poop side of things himumma....that's the same for me too I feel it tear every time I go with fresh blood that drips out......my stools are massive (as in width.....sorry tmi) can anyone tell me if this is normal? My gp seems to think it's ok!!! I'm totally fed up it's really getting me down, maybe I need to give it more time but am thinking the next step is asking for a referral to a specialist at the hospital to check it.

I'm many years down the forceps recovery road and I would say it took me months for the pelvic pain to stop and for everythign to feel more 'normal'.

I then had what I thought was a prolapsed womb after about 12 months but that was never resolved as I developed cervical cancer and had it all removed. I then had a 'vault prolapse' which is essentially the top of my vagina prolapsing and I still have a rectocele. I'm sure this weakness in my pelvic floor is in part due to forceps. Not the cancer though, that was just bad luck!

My point is, do your pelvic floor exercises religiously. Forceps can be brutal

I had something called granulation (I think!), it was where the scar had sort of over-healed. I was very sore but thought it was normal; just mentioned it in the six week check. She treated it a couple of times with silver nitrate, which smarted a lot, but helped.

I'm trying to do my pelvic floor exercises but I forget when I'm busy. Will try harder after reading your messsge, you've had it tough (doyouthinkhesaurus) hope you're ok now.
I'll just have to see how I go from what you've all said it takes a long time to get back to normal. I really wanted to try either end of this year or beg of the next for another baby as well as I'm getting on a bit & don't want my boy to be an only child at the moment I can't see that happening

Im 4 weeks in and feel pretty good compared to the first 2 weeks. Just left with a haemorrhoid of doom now. I was using sanitary towels with the bloody blue gel on which stopped me from healing as fast, took me a while to twig on as to why I felt so sore!