Bladder/bowel issues after epidural, forceps and episiotomy

[BlueRaincoat89]

I gave birth to my first baby on Saturday and towards the end of labour I had to be rushed for an epidural so they could deliver her with forceps. I had an episiotomy following delivery and a catheter for 1 day.

Following this I am not very in control of my bladder, have small hemereoids and severe bruising by my stitches. When I go to pee my anus and bruising hurt and I can't pass urine without trying to poo - then wea just comes out. Any advice? I'm really struggling with this.

That’s normal for this stage I’m afraid.

Tena ladies are your friends.

Once you feel up to it start doing your pelvic floor exercises.

The bruising will heal.

If it’s still an issue at your 6 week check you can ask your Gp for referral to women’s health physiotherapy for advice on the pelvic floor exercises.

Talk to your community midwife; she’ll be able to advise you on when to start doing pelvic floor exercises and check you’re recruiting the right muscles.

And because that sounds like my delivery and recovery was so tough. It really does get better! The first week or so, wee would just kind of slop out whenever I stood up - but even though I’ve got nerve damage and couldn’t really feel what I was doing, pelvic floor exercises were able to sort it within weeks.

It's normal just now. I had exactly the same as you and felt back to normal down there after about 3 weeks. Well as normal as can be expected really!

Congratulations on your baby!

I had a massive tear, episiotomy, forceps with dc1. It's all tender for a bit unfortunately. Luckily I healed perfectly. Because of the tear I was automatically referred for a special clinic where they do a check at about 6 weeks.
Ask the midwife at your next appt to check your stitches are not infected, and if no improvement soon head to the GP and push for referral.

Just checked your post was about 10 days ago, any improvement since?

Thanks everyone. Since I posted this some of my stitches came undone which has been painful. My bladder is pretty much back to normal though and I've been having lactulose to help with bowel movements. Now just for gaping hole to heal as they don't restitch!

Ok, I popped a couple of stitches as well. Was really fed up at the time as I already felt such a mess, however, it really did heal fine in the end and my scar and vaginal opening feel pretty much normal - not tight and knotty. I’ve got a friend who had a similar delivery (forceps, episiotomy, tearing) and didn’t burst any stitches and says her scar still feels too tight. May be coincidence but I do wonder whether allowing the wound to kind of find its own way to heal might make for a comfier repair longer term.

I’d also say that if the pain isn’t improving a little bit each day, and definitely if it gets worse, get checked for infection. I assumed the agony was normal (because I looked at the wound and thought “makes sense that that’ll hurt!”) and ended up needing 2 kinds of antibiotics.

Anyway, really glad the bladder/bowel stuff is getting easier, and sorry to waffle - just my heart goes out to you because I remember how utterly crap I felt.

@Verbena87 it's been just over a week since the stitches went and the pain has definitely got loads better. Felt like I was sitting on a golf ball at first. The midwives have been checking for infection when they come to weigh the baby and it's ok so far - poor DH also has the job of checking it daily with his I phone torch! When the stitches went it did stop the tightness pain which I had when the stitches were in so I think/hope you're right about it healing better if open! How long did it take for yours to heal?

Good old iPhone fanny observation torch! I made my husband do that too - bit awkward but really sensible for someone to keep an eye on any changes (and contrary to my fears, does not seem to have stopped DH from fancying me).

I can’t remember exactly when everything healed but we went to my best friend’s wedding 3 weeks post partum and I definitely still couldn’t sit on both bum cheeks at the same time and had bits of open wound. At 6 weeks the remaining stitches had all gone, and by then I was able to walk a couple of miles with the baby in the sling, so was in a much better state.

In terms of the scar feeling properly normal, not itching or ‘catching’, it was about 6 months, but it was definitely bearable and functional before that.

@Verbena87 Ha, glad I'm not the only one that's subjected their DH to that - they should make an app for it!

That's reassuring that you could go for walks at 6 weeks. We've just started to manage going out for lunch in the past few days - I definitely get a few odd looks when I do the slow sit down on one bum cheek!

You’ll only get odd looks from non-parents (or those pests like my sister whose babies slip out like greased eels leaving only minor grazing ), there will be plenty of parents sending you kind thoughts too!

I was shocked it was only 6 weeks til I was out for walks when I checked my diary earlier, as I remember the stuck-in-the-house bit taking approximately a million years at the time!

@Verbena87 I'd have loved to have a greased eel I just get my MIL proclaiming about how easy birth is because her entire labour lasted 30 minutes.

Can I ask if you had any pain at the front bit. I've noticed when I go to sit up it hurts there, possibly in the bladder? I've been squatting to wea because it stops urine going in the wound so not sure if this is causing it. Seems like one problem after another at the moment!

I just remember the whole area being really really painful to be honest! If it’s a new pain maybe check for redness/swelling/posing with the trusty iPhone, or mention to health visitor/midwife.

Pouring a jug of tepid water over your bits while weeing helps the sting. So does drinking plenty, and weeing on all 4s in the bath (gross. Don’t tell anyone. I did dettol it after!!) xx

Not posing, oozing!

My sister had 2 really short labours but had a long stretch of agony in the early days of breastfeeding, whereas I had a long scissors-salad-tongs-and-sewing labour but feeding just worked - I think there’ll be something to balance it out somewhere along the road.

Also yes, next time I am having a small, soft, right-way-round baby who slips out in half a day! (Positive thinking can do that, right? )

My gp referred to forceps as ‘brutal’ when I said I was struggling compared to the ventouse Of my first child. I carried a cushion around for quite a while rather than sit on anything hard.
I probably had no control for a week, dodgy control for a month and then some lingering issues for about a year. It gets better, it just takes time
Congratulations