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Original poster

Episiotomy

215 replies

watermelonsugar99 · 10/08/2020 20:50

Hi, just wanting a bit of advice.
I had my baby on Tuesday (6 days ago) after an hour of pushing in labour I was rushed to surgery for forceps and an episiotomy. I was discharged the day after with iron tablets as I lost quite a lot of blood.

I know it's early days but I'm still struggling so much with the pain, I take paracetamol and ibuprofen regularly and try to keep the area as clean as I can. I still can't walk properly without pain nor can I sit down, even if I try sitting on my side. I asked the midwife to check my stitches and she said they seem okay but she can't see them inside so she doesn't know how they're healing there. I'm really struggling as my partner is back at work next week & I don't think I'm going to be able to cope on my own, since getting out of hospital I've been crying constantly and feeling guilty. I can't even get up during the night to get baby as it takes me about 10 minutes to try get out of bed. Did anyone else have a similar experience? How was everyone's recovery with an episiotomy as I've heard so many horror stories which is not helping my anxiety!!

Any tips for a faster recovery? Using a peri bottle every time I go to the toilet and spritz for bits on my pad every time it gets changed

OP posts:
mrshadders · 10/08/2020 20:59

Congratulations on your new arrival!

I had forceps, an episiotomy and ended up on iron tablets with my daughters birth a year ago. It's tough recovery but I promise you will feel better soon. Painkillers are your friend. Ibuprofen will help as it's good for swelling. I would be asking your midwife/HV to check your stitches again and if she doesn't allay your concerns, go back up to the postnatal ward.

mrshadders · 10/08/2020 21:00

PS in my experience a lot of crying and feeling guilty is totally normal to start with and will also pass Smile

Squiffany · 10/08/2020 21:02

Remember, it’s not just stitches, it’ll be bruised inside too.

starsandmoons · 10/08/2020 21:02

I've had two. The first one similar circumstances to you and the first 10 days were really tough. I remember crying myself to sleep in pain on around night 5 or 6. Its one of those things were its get worse before better whether its stitches tightening or what I dont know?! Difine really helped for the pain. I found around the 2 week mark it started to get much better. I used a ring to sit on etc and just keep an eye out for infection etc. Hope u feel better soon!

Original poster
watermelonsugar99 · 10/08/2020 21:03

@mrshadders thank you so much! It's such a tough situation to be in, I feel completely useless and helpless. My partner has to do absolutely everything and I feel so awful for him!

OP posts:
bedjolly · 10/08/2020 21:05

There's a spray called Spritz for bits on amazon. It's supposed to soothe and help during labour and postnatal relief. Some people said they used it on their c section scar although I'm not sure about stitches. Maybe have a look into it xx

cultkid · 10/08/2020 21:06

Call 111 and get some better pain killers like tramadol or oramorph
You poor poor thing

Do you have a fever

icklekid · 10/08/2020 21:06

This was me after my first baby- my stitches did get infected and were very slow to heal. I remember after 6 weeks feeling so frustrated because in my head if you can fully recover from a csection I should have been. I wasn’t. Rubber ring to sit on, being gentle to myself and lots of resting helped. Don’t push yourself in the day. Your partner will need to help eve and nights- can he leave you lunches ready to eat too. My baby was also very fussy and colicky which made life hard and lots of crying and feeling emotional for me too. I spent the first week in hospital with my second because she was premature - I hardly got out of bed and honestly I think it did me the world of good. Take care and go slow

Original poster
watermelonsugar99 · 10/08/2020 21:13

@starsandmoons thank you so much for that! It gives me a bit of hope when people have started feeling a bit better after a short while :) I know everyone's different but when you read the horror stories it makes you feel 100x worse!

@bedjolly that's what I'm using at the moment:) I've been spraying it onto my pads every time I change them xxx

OP posts:
bedjolly · 10/08/2020 21:16

I'm guessing it's not helping much then. Sorry you're dealing with this OP. To think we have to go through pain even after giving birth xxx

Original poster
watermelonsugar99 · 10/08/2020 21:16

@cultkid I had no idea I could ring 111 for painkillers! I tried speaking to my GP today but she wasn't bothered in the slightest. I don't have a fever just a bit of a headache but assuming that's because he doesn't sleep during the night, constantly screaming. If I'm not awake with him crying I'm awake in pain

@icklekid my partner makes me my meals all the time and has been doing the washing/cleaning/helping me out of bed/waking up with baby/making bottles. He's literally doing everything and I'm just doing tiny little bits when I feel the slightest bit up to it! How did you know you had an infection? And when did you get it, was it early days or did it take a few weeks before you got one?

OP posts:
Original poster
watermelonsugar99 · 10/08/2020 21:18

@bedjolly no I don't think it is unfortunately, it's such a shame because there's so so many good reviews on it :( I had such an awful pregnancy as well so feel like the past 9 months have been the worst moments of my life & it just doesn't seem to be getting any better for me xxx

OP posts:
bedjolly · 10/08/2020 21:20

So many things are overhyped unfortunately. It's a shame you can't get to enjoy yourself because of your struggles. I'm a FTM 28 weeks today and scared to give birth haha. I hope you feel better soon. xxx

mrshadders · 10/08/2020 21:23

Aw @watermelonsugar99 I felt the same had a really tough pregnancy and awful birth but I promise it will get better! It's totally normal how you're feeling as rubbish as that is I hope it gives you some comfort. I think when you're waiting for baby all you can think is how happy it'll make you and how good it will be but there's actually so much bad too! It's all worth it eventually and will become a distant memory!

TokyoSushi · 10/08/2020 21:27

I had mine 9 years ago and I still remember it vividly, it's utterly awful!

A couple of drops of tea tree and a couple of drops of lavender oil in a warm, not hot, bath and try to keep it dry either by letting the air get to it or the cool setting on a hairdryer really helped me.

Mine was dreadful, but much better by about day 10, this too will pass, hope you're ok Flowers

Fieldings15 · 10/08/2020 21:28

I had a reasonably straightforward birth but an episiotomy with a lot of stitches after - I found the pain quite bad for 3 weeks and then went overnight, it was quite strange! I just alternated paracetamol/ibuprofen every 4 hours which helped. Hope you feel better soon x

EnglishRain · 10/08/2020 21:30

I had a caesarean recently, not an episiotomy, but I took arnica tablets and am convinced they helped with swelling/bruising. They are herbal and my midwife said fine to take when breastfeeding, could be worth a go too? So sorry you're suffering. It sounds brutal.

WheresMyMilk · 10/08/2020 21:33

You poor thing, episiotomies are brutal. I went to GP and got some suppositories which really helped. I can see your GP wasn’t sympathetic, is there a different one at the practice you can see?

It does get better I promise Flowers

Heyha · 10/08/2020 21:34

I sympathise, OP, I had episiotomy, forceps and iron tablets too. I'm sure when I was discharged I was given the postnatal ward number to ring of need be (as well as normal midwife visits, this was pre covid), they sent me off with dicofenac painkiller which is 'like ibuprofen, but better' so I was alternating that with paracetamol. Could be worth asking for that? I also had a few days probably 7-10 days after birth where I was putting pads soaked in witch hazel and tea tree in the freezer before using them, felt very odd but did help the swelling and numbed things a bit!

I think mine was a lot better after 14 days or so so fingers crossed you're well on the way to it becoming annoying rather than agonising but do speak to midwife again especially if the pain is impacting on your ability to care for baby.

Sweetmotherofallthatisholyabov · 10/08/2020 21:34

I had an episiotomy first time and then a tiny tear second time and I was grand the first time and crippled after the tear. I kept asking them to check the stitches and went back to the hospital on day 6 to say I couldn't walk and there was something wrong, turns out I had a UTI and that was killing me- the stitches were grand. So I'm glad I kicked up a fuss. The minute the antibiotics kicked in I felt better. Didn't feel like a regular UTI. So I'd definitely be advocating for myself. I didn't have forceps though, so I'm not sure how much pain you should be in on day 6 or what's normal.

dottydally · 10/08/2020 21:40

I didn't have an episiotomy but I did have stitches for a second degree tear. I found days 7-10 the most painful as things were starting to heal but by day 14 I felt much better. Still sore but manageable.

As others have said, push to be checked if you're really worried but don't forget you've taken a bit of a beating (especially if you had forceps) so things will be very sore.

I suffered with awful headaches (and night sweats!) for a few weeks while my hormones settled too. It gets better!

BakewellGin1 · 10/08/2020 21:45

I had episiotomy and a third degree tear so literally stitched everywhere. In hospital I had regular codeine, paracetamol and ibuprofen but they won't discharge me till I was off the codeine... So I made an appointment as soon as I was home and got some prescribed.

In all honestly weeks 1 and 2 were horrific I was also incontinent which didn't help matters. I spent those weeks shuffling around and struggling to get up or down from sitting - DH had to take baby from me as I couldn't get up or sit down without my hands as I needed to weight bare to get comfortable (ish)

By week 3 I could sit down in a fashion but still shuffled when walking and to be honest I was like this a few weeks.

I depended heavily on pain relief to get through the first few weeks along with many badidas baths to try and help the bruising internal and external.

I hope you feel better soon. Mine was only last year so I remember it all too well.

Maxamill · 10/08/2020 21:49

I had an episiotomy in January and can recommend what a PP said about lavender oil and tea tree oil in the bath (you need to add a cup of milk as well otherwise the oils just sit on top of the water) it's amazing for the stitches with the pain and helps reduce the chance of infection as well. I also used to lay on a towel with a pad underneath me on the bed afterwards and let it air dry, this really helped as you feel less tugging on the stitches once they've been able to dry properly.

I really sympathise OP but I promise it doesn't last long, after day 10 I felt loads better.

Also, the tears and guilt are completely normal I think I cried for about 2 weeks but if you are struggling please do mention it to your midwife or health visitor Thanks

vickyq1983 · 10/08/2020 21:50

Episiotomies hurt. I've had two and both times it took me two weeks before it started feeling better and probably up to 3/4 months to feel normal again. You are only 6 days pp so don't worry it's early days.

iguanabanana · 10/08/2020 22:14

I can remember very clearly how much this hurt 3 years on.
My midwife gave me advice and it worked a treat (I adapted it slightly) but:
After going to the loo (or Any time it's sore) or a few drops of lavender and a few drops of tea tree essential oil in some warm water and soak a sponge in it and bathe your bits. Really soothing and highly recommended. It seemed to really help the healing process for me.
The midwife's advice was to take baths with the lavender and tea tree oil in but I can't stand baths!!