Episiotomy

[lockdownmammy2020]

How long did it take for your episiotomy to heal & how did the healing process feel?

Also, did anyone suffer any complications with it?

I felt a bit better after a week, and pretty much completely better by week 3. I didn't have any complications but was very careful to wash it every day in the shower with water only to avoid infection. Also make sure you change your maternity pads frequently. I used spritz for bits which helped soothe it a bit.

I felt 'normal' by about week 4/5, not to say I still was careful but I didn't have any pain or discomfort anymore if that makes sense

I was super strict on making sure that I changed my pad each time I went to the toilet (if still bleeding), washing the area with warm water each time I went to the toilet and patting dry. Then once or twice a day I would wash the area in the shower and air dry (legs spread on the bed haha!). I also used witch Hazel on my pads to help soothe it, especially when the healing itching came about.

I know sometimes you feel like you won't feel normal again, but you will! I would really recommend doing the above as that'll help you heal and avoid infection etc x

Mine was longer. My stitches broke open & I took ages to heal. The pain was horrific! The pain ease after about 8 weeks. Got better gradually over time. Was healed by about 12 weeks, but I honestly think it wasn’t till 5 months pp that I felt entirely normal again.

@Johnson10
I had the same, stitches came open and infection, did your wound where the stitches came open heal completely? I'm 12 weeks pp and there's still such a gap I can't imagine it'll ever be back to "normal". I still get pain daily but have just been told to take paracetamol. Just looking for any glimmer of hope that this will get better!!

I had an absolute stinker of a time with my episiotomy. @MrsN2121 all my stitches fell out within 5 days, I had 3 infections and hypergranulation was found at 4 months PP. I am now 6 months PP (tomorrow) and I'm healed, the gaping did come together eventually. I didn't believe it would ever heal, but it has finally healed.

11 weeks to stop feeling pain/niggles but I didnt really feel like myself down there for about a year. It always felt slightly bruised.

4-5 weeks for me. Ice packs really helped in the early days. Slight infection and a bit of discomfort as the swelling went down and the stitches were really pulling because of that. I didn't think it would ever feel normal again but fine now! X

I had pain and bleeding for months. It took a long time to get a doctor to check me due to covid and I was eventually referred to a gynaecologist at 5 months PP. I had granulation which was cauterised by a community GP at a gynae clinic.
That was a month ago and it's pretty much healed now.
If you're still in pain push for a referral.

Initially I didn't have much pain. Then my stitches came open slightly (about half the wound) and I was in a lot of pain for a few weeks. I had a timetable for taking ibuprofen and paracetamol. By 3 weeks I could walk normally and stopped taking painkillers. Car journeys were still a bit tricky. It took about 5-6 weeks for the wound to completely close. Luckily no infection.

The pain seemed to be related to the stitches opening and the inner parts of the wound being exposed. The wound leaked a fair bit and the fluid didn't smell very nice, but didn't ever smell fishy or really foul.

I showed my gp the stitches at about 4 weeks because they still hadn't closed up completely. She explained it heals from the inside out, so the part we can see is the last bit to heal.

Mine was quite painful about 2 weeks after and felt like lots of needles were stabbing me every time I sat down. It also went through a stage of being very swollen and the midwife said to took ibuprofen. It was healed by 6 weeks.
It’s been 4 months now and it’s a bit numb and gives me the odd twinge a few times a day. Which is exactly the same as my CS scar did. I’m expecting the feeling to return in all but the actually scar during next year.

Thank you everyone for your replies, I've got a referral for next year but really thought it would feel better by now. Sounds like I just need to wait longer and hopefully it'll heal and stop hurting in time.

I've had five. They took a few days to heal, and the process was problem free.

I was given chemical ice packs on the hospitals I delivered in, and peri bottles.

Mind you, I had mine in the US, where episiotomies are commonplace, and it's possible my doctor had a lot more practice the UK HCPs whose stitching came undone.

@MrsN2121 it did! Eventually. I’m almost 6 months pp & everything is ok now. It doesn’t quite look the same as pre baby but I guess most won’t. I remember sobbing in the beginning thinking how will this ever heal but it did, it’s hard to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you @Johnson10 there have been and still are lots of tears, but feeling more positive after your replies so thank you xx

I've had 2. Both took around 5 weeks to heal. Keep yourself topped up with painkillers and don't run around too much, wash several times a day and keep an eye for any changes. My first one got infected and led to sepsis, the signs were there (temp, chills, agony) but I just thought it was normal postnatal stuff.

I had a horrific time like some.of the other posters, stitched opened, 12 weeks to close lots of thick scar tissue and over granulation which needed 2 goes to burn off (this sorted most of the pain when walking etc) months of physio to help with scaring (felt ok enough to do the deed about 8 months pp)

I was going to have "refashioning" (Fenton's procedure) but by the time the date of my op came around - about 1 year pp I didn't feel I needed it

Everything is still wonky as fuck and some "positions can catch one the scar a bit, but it doesn't cause me any day to day difficulty and I'm not to bothered by the asthetics

Btw don't be fobbed off! I

I was "lucky" in that I was never discharged back to just GP care, my midwives where so horrified by the wound they kept sending me back to the hospital post-nataly so I was kept under gynae and had appointments every few months (who then arranged physio)

@bobojangles my midwife discharged me from her care when I was only 3 weeks pp! I thought it was a bit early but with ds being my first born I didnt really know what to expect so didn't query it! I'm 6 weeks pp on Sunday and no ones even had a look at the ep. site to see how its healing! I've looked myself and it looks ok to me and also have no pain, bleeding etc but then again I'm no doctor so don't know how things are/should be. Fingers crossed everythings okay when I have pp checkup.