Episiotomy

[watermelonsugar99]

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

@Ree91 the doctor finally rang me, she said she isn't putting me on anymore antibiotics because even though I do have a slight infection the lab results came back for my urine test saying there's no actual bacteria growing. Not sure how I feel about this as I can clearly tell something isn't right. I mean I'd rather not have antibiotics but if they would help then I'd prefer to take them x

@watermelonsugar99 they only tested your wee though, a skin infection won't show in your wee!! Can you request a different doc? I know how hard it is, and once my infection went almost straightaway I noticed a huge improvement! X

@Ree91 that's what I tried to say, I told her I'm having yellow discharge and it doesn't exactly smell pleasant and she said well you've just gave birth it'll be your body's way of going back to normal?? Like I'm not a doctor but even I know that's bullshit there's clearly something not right. She's the only doctor who will see me as when I wanted them to check my stitches another doctor said no one at the GP surgery was qualified to check postpartum stitches and she's the only doctor who deals with women's health! I have no idea what to do now, I wish they'd just take me seriously 😩xx

@watermelonsugar99 they sound awful, can you go back to your maternity hospital? My hospital were useless like, but yours might be more accommodating! Or if you've got a good midwife or health visitor, ask them to speak to doc? X

@Ree91 mines exactly the same haha! They told me about 2 weeks ago that I wasn't under their care anymore from about 5-6 weeks so I'm assuming they won't see me. I have my health visitor coming out next week so I might explain everything to her as she's the nicest person ever and hopefully she can get in touch with someone for me so I can see what's happening xx

@watermelonsugar99 fingers crossed, and if not, insist on seeing another GP. Tell them you don't mind that they're not qualified to inspect the stitches, all you want is for them to take a swab of it and send it to be tested for infection x

How can a Dr not be qualified to check stitches for an infection or healing? That’s bollocks! X

@Ree91 I definitely will! My midwife did take one when I first started getting symptoms she came out the same day to do so but I'm not under her care anymore so hopefully the health visitor can do the same!

@Johnson10 I have no idea hahaha that was what I said as well to DP, I thought they would have been qualified to do so x

@watermelonsugar99 really feel your pain, i would have had a meltdown if my docs had refused to help cause my midwife wasn't much use! She looked on day 5, 2 days after it had opened and said it was healing well are you managing to keep it as clean as possible? Easier said than done with a newborn I know haha x

@Ree91 my midwife was useless as well she actually sent another midwife out to swab me but I think she only did as the hospital told me to tell her she needed to come out the same day, she was awful all throughout my pregnancy haha! It makes you worry doesn't it when someone who isn't qualified can see something that someone who is qualified can't!! Half the time they can't be bothered.
Yeah I'm doing a tea tree oil bath every night when DP is home from work, if i have 10-15 mins spare during the day I'll do a sitz bath after going to the toilet but if not I'll just use a peri bottle to quickly spray clean. Trying to keep the area clean as much as I possibly can xx

How are you feeling today OP? Hope you're on the mend now :)

@Falcone Hi! I'm definitely getting there, can sit down a lot better now and walk around a bit more currently having my first PP period and I don't know if anyone else has had the same thing happen but the area around the site is sooo sore!! I've been reading up on it and a lot of people who've had episiotomies have said the same thing

@watermelonsugar99 so glad you're feeling a little better! One day at a time I've not had my first period yet, coming up to 10 weeks now! X

@Ree91 definitely! How are you feeling? Oh you're so lucky haha, I'm only on day 2 and it's real bad😩 in fairness I've always had bad periods. I'm hoping after a few more they get easier. It's the least my body could do for me hahah

@watermelonsugar99 I'm quite glad it's waited actually, cause the episiotomy needs to be as dry as possible and if you're bleeding it will likely slow it down, well according to my GP anyway! But good to hear you're slowly on the mend, make sure you rest up and eat lots of snacks!!

I'm feeling Okay, I've stopped walking like John Wayne now I still ache when I've been active for a few hours though so not out the woods yet! X

@Ree91 oh really? I had no idea about that! I have my 6-8 week check up next Tuesday and I'm praying they tell me everything is looking good! Yeah that's all I've been trying to do, I've been doing the odd bit of cleaning to get myself moving around & going for some walks with the buggy which I feel has been helping huge amounts!

Ahh that's great news:) so glad you're walking normally again, it's awful hobbling around haha! I can imagine it'll take a bit longer to stop aching completely but at least you're practically there already!! X

@watermelonsugar99 I kid you not, just went for a wee and low and behold, hello period! Hahaha how bizarre. I usually get pains a few days before as a tell tale sign but nada!

I'm sure it's healing fine, it just doesn't feel like it does while you're going through it! At my 8 week check they said the skin had granulated and it just needed to form a layer of scar tissue and it should be back to normal. Yeah slow walks with the pram definitely helped me feel normal aswell! How is little one getting on? X

@Ree91 oh my haha how crazy is that!! I didn't get pains before either it was not long after I went to the toilet I started getting cramps!

That's good, it's so hard but I think we put too much pressure on ourselves to heal straight away, especially when you see these celebs looking amazing after 2 days!! He's still the same unfortunately, still crying a lot and vomiting bless him. Tried so many different things! I've rang the HV so waiting for her to ring me back to see what the next step would be as GP Is useless X

@watermelonsugar99 aw poor little love. Did you manage to speak to hv? This period is unbelievably heavy, I'm not used to these! X

@Ree91 I spoke to her the other week and she told me it was probably colic but I've tried everything and nothing is working! Another terrible night sleep with him, he's only slept an hour and a half max the whole night😩😭 I've tried ringing her again yesterday but no answer & she's not rang me back today either.

Oh mine is exactly the same!! It's dreadful, I have really bad cramp and a super heavy period! Xx

@watermelonsugar99 feel your pain, my little girl had it and we found infacol along with cow and gate comfort colic milk worked a treat, although be warned, the poos are a funky shade of green how old is he now? The saving grace of colic is that most babies do grow out of it, which I know is hard right now, but it will eventually settle. Xx

@Ree91 I can imagine hahaa, the yellow ones are bad enough he's 6 weeks today, it just seems to be after every bottle he cries & gets really unsettled, even after he's brought his wind up. His rash on his body keeps flaring up too every time he has a bottle, I feel like I'm at my wits end! It's so awful seeing him cry constantly Xx

@watermelonsugar99 it sounds like you're doing s wonderful job, unfortunately some babies just have a rough start! Do you think it could be a milk intolerance? Xx

@Ree91 thank you :) both me and dp think it's a milk intolerance but the GPs won't do anything, just a roll of the eyes and "he'll be fine" is all I keep getting xx

@watermelonsugar99 your doctors sound awful, would it be worth trying to speak to the practice manager? They can't keep fobbing you off xx