episiotomy

[bowgumdrop2018]

So I had an episiotomy yesterday night when delivering my baby and I am in absolute agony! I am still in hospital but I can't even get in and out of the hospital bed and it takes me around 15 mins of pure pain and struggle to do so. Walking is basically impossible..is this normal to be feeling this sore? The midwifes are bitchy and keep. Saying they will speak to me but haven't

I've had one with each birth and haven't been in as much pain as that (although it was sore). Have you had painkillers? Please buzz the midwives again and ask them to check you over. I hope you are ok.

I didn't have an episiotomy but did have some external and internal stitches... I couldn't sit down. At all for about 3 or 4 days. Freezer packs wrapped in a flannel was my only relief.

Keep pestering the midwives. You'll not need to face them once you go home so don't worry about annoying them. If your in agony don't just bare it x

Witch hazel on a maternity pad and Arnica tablets to help with the bruising was advised to me by the midwives when I had an Episiotomy, It was an amazing relief!

Episiotomy made me sore and delicate but never crippling like you describe. Agree with PP - ask to be checked over!

Oh and congrats on the birth!

I kept getting told I looked like I'd been kicked by a horse but could feel nothing, turns out I had nerve damage. But it is possible to be really swollen and bruised down there. Was it 'just' an episiotomy or did you have other interventions/baby sit in the birth canal a while. If you have a mirror, take a look.

It was sore but nothing close to that pain.

Note - don't don't don't slide your bum forward on the sofa to get up. That was very painful.

I would ask a midwife to check the wound. Could be badly stitched or infected.

I heard a good tip recently which was to take a bottle of water with a sports cap to loo with you... squirt water while you wee so urine doesn’t sting the healing area.
Hope you feel much better soon

could it be infected or have the stitches fallen out? Those both happened with mine and it was like you described. Had this great gaping wound and they would not restitch. Had to sit on one of those donut cushions if I wanted to sit down... couldnt even walk to the end of the street. Had to wee under the shower and poo in a full bath due to the pain... it was yuck...
It did completely heal in time though... I did have to take antibiotics...

They should check if its infected.

It was uncomfortable but not in the way your describing. More so just when trying to sit down and get comfortable. My pregnancy pillow doubled up as a good cushion to sit up on! Definitely get it checked out. Are you getting regular pain relief?

I'm so sorry that you're going through this. I had exactly the same thing.

It turned that a couple of my stitches had 'popped'. I cannot describe the amount of pain that I was in. One midwife even said that it looked like 'a donkey had kicked it'.

Please pester the midwives to have a look.

It WILL get better. It took me 3 weeks to no longer be in agony and I'm 7 weeks along with nothing more but the occasional twinge.

I had an episiotomy due to a forceps birth but I don't remember it being as bad as you describe. I was sore definitely and didn't enjoy going to the toilet but I could move around, albeit gingerly, without too many issues.

I would keep on at them until they check you in case something has gone wrong with the stitches. Use water in a sports cap bottle when you need to use the toilet and run it over yourself as you go, it definitely helps with the stinging. Witch Hazel was good too but only when I'd healed a bit.

I couldn't do anything for about 3-4 days but subsided slowly after then. Get them to check the stitches in case it's infected

Bless you, I had an episiotomy for DS nearly 9 months ago now but still vividly remember not being able to move and just being in agony for weeks. (I had complications as I wasn't given any aftercare advice at the hospital so had a bath on day 4 which dissolved some of the stitches- cue more agony and 4 weeks of laser therapy down there to get it to heal!)

Only real advice I can give is 1) Take it easy, get others to do things for you and don't push yourself to walk too far (like I did!). 2) Stay on top of your pain meds and ask for something stronger if need be. 3) Don't use rubber rings for sitting on- they reduce the pain but increase the risk of stitches rupturing and finally 4) - It does get better!! (I remember thinking at one stage it never would, but slowly and surely it does. Take care x

I had an episiotony with my second. The piles were FAR more painful. The most pain I had from the episiotony was a few days later when the swelling had gone down. I think the swelling acted as padding . Please get someone to check, you shouldn't be in that much pain. Congratulations on your baby!

I had an episiotomy with my first. I had her 2 weeks before Christmas and I remember not being able to sit properly for Christmas dinner. It was horrible, I feel very sorry for you. With my second I had some tearing and opted for not being stitched as couldn't bear the thought of it.
Good luck and congratulations x

Hope you are feeling better? And congrats on baby! I was the same with stitches, unareablw pain, couldn’t walk without crying and I felt as if people thought I was being dramatic. I found that two baths (morning and evening) with either lavender or tea tree oil worked wonders for relief and healing. Don’t put salt in the bath as apparently it can dissolve the stitches! And just keep topped up with painkillers. I was prescribed some stringer ones too from GP. Also when midwife visits etc always just ask them to check so they are healing correctly. I started feelin better after about 3 weeks. Slowly but surely you’ll get there and irl be a distant memory xxx

I know I posted upthread but I'd still say don't have a bath!! I didn't use bath salts at all and my stitches still dissolved. The physiotherapist I saw to do the laser treatment at the hospital afterwards was astounded that I hadn't been told not to have a bath for the first 2 weeks after the episiotomy! 🙈 Hope you're feeling a little bit better OP and even if you aren't it will get better soon! X

Mine was very painful afterwards (no additional intervention, just 1.5 hrs of pushing first), but not as much as you describe - i.e. getting in and out of bed had to be done very slowly and gingerly, but it took a minute or so, not fifteen.
Please keep buzzing until the midwives help you, I'm sorry they aren't being helpful, but it is their job so keep asking. I was worried my stitches were infected on day five (readmitted for other reasons so still in hospital) and they were very helpful and checked me over. Then I was checked again on day 10 to be doubly sure all was OK. It isn't on if they ignore your concerns!!

Definitely ask the midwives to check you over. I had an episiotomy with my first & was in absolute agony - couldn't sit/barely walk etc. Managed to hobble to the Dr & had an infection & needed antibiotics. Don't be afraid to ask for strong painkillers either - the nurses tried to fob me off with ibuprofen which barely touched the pain.

Ask for an ice pack and wrap it in a thin cloth and put on your perineum for 15 minutes at a time. If you are still in hospital they should be able to give you one...even if it's fashioned from ice in a glove! Do this a few times a day. It is also important that someone checks it before you go home.