Episiotomy healing

[Rainbow1234]

Hi everyone

I had an episiotomy and forceps delivery on 01/09, midwife checked stitches last Sunday and discharged me to care of health visitor. Last night and today ive had quite a bit of stinging pain and ive just had a look...tmi but the line of the cut looks well healed and isn't sore but at the perineum there's a gap as if it's not actually attached to the labia. It's stinging a lot and I don't know if this is normal or not? I hadn't looked before so don't know if it looked this way when the midwife checked it or if this has just happened.

Healing from this is totally ruining my experience of being a new parent, I couldn't change her nappies or feed her the first few days as I couldn't sit on my bum or kneel down and I can't walk her far in her pram before I get uncomfortable. Starting to feel sorry for myself now x

 

[El1en]

I'm afraid I can't really give advice. After my episiotomy I didn't look down there for a month and by the time I did it was fully healed so I think you're brave looking. If you're worried see a Dr as the sooner you get it corrected (if there is something wrong) the better

 

[Cakey]

Definitely go to your GP. I had a second degree tear that but one of the stitches came loose so I had a slight tear still. It has healed fine now though xx

 

[H16]

I had 3rd degree tears and an episiotomy with my daughter and it stung, bled etc for a good couple of months on and off even though 3 different healthcare professionals checked it for me and said it was healing well so think the pain aspect is fairly normal. However, if you have looked and can see a bit of a gap I would go and get it looked at again, even if they say all fine it is better safe than sorry. As someone else said it took me months to look at my bits in mirror too as I was terrified of how butchered it would be etc so not sure what is normal looks wise at this point but would think if there is a bit of a gap you might of lost a stitch too early but by gap do you mean hole? xx

 

[Browneyed Girl]

Hi hun, I totally sympathise as I had forceps and episiotomy and have had a really rough time recovering from it. My lo is nearly 8 weeks old and it's still not right (has improved though!). I ended up having antibiotics about 10 days after birth which did help calm things down. I was also advised to take arnica pillules and take paracetamol and ibuprofen round the clock to keep the pain under control (at one point I was on tramadol for the pain!). Also warm baths although I'm more of a shower person and couldn't contemplate bending to get in and out of a bath so I didn't do this. I had a hole where the stitches had broken down and was told this was fine as it would heal from the inside out. Not sure if this is similar to what you've got? Definitely get it checked out by a doctor xx

 

[ShowingPromise]

The advice given by the other ladies is spot on, so I don't have much to add, but I also had an episiotomy (4weeks ago) and mine is still sore from time to time. I'm pretty sure it's all healed outside but not yet fully inside. There was a point where I was convinced that it had come apart but mw assured me it hadn't.. Fingers crossed all is ok at my 6week check!

I found giving myself some time without a pad on letting the air get to it helped and since I've not needed to wear pads it has helped too - I had to stop wearing the super thick maternity ones as they were making the whole area sore. Changing to sanitary towels helped enormously.

Big hugs, it really isn't pleasant

 

[Rainbow1234]

Thanks everyone. I phoned the hospital and they're sending the community midwife out to check it for me tomorrow. She said by the sounds of it she thinks it'll heal together itself but wants to get it checked just incase. I always thought episiotomies sounded unpleasant but had only ever thought of the procedure...trying to heal afterwards hadnt even occurred to me! Hopefully it'll be ok, I hope any of you who are still healing get some relief soon too! X

 

[Mummybexee]

So glad your getting community midwifes out! All worth checking! I had one with my son and it took a good 6 weeks to settle down!

Hope all is ok xx

 

[Lolie14]

I had one 5 weeks ago and two sets of antibiotics later I'm still healing. I got myself some tena lady sheet things which I used to lie on upstairs and on the sofa so I didn't have to wear pads... They really helped as I was able to air mny bits.

 

[blueeyes34]

Glad they are coming out to check you again. I kept having mine checked as some of the stitches burst and I said I could feel a gap. Midwife and then gp (several times) told me it would be fine and would heal. Now 16 weeks on I'm still having problems and waiting for an op to fix it. So make sure you keep going back if it doesn't feel right xx

 

[Rainbow1234]

Midwife came out and said she sees the gap but they're not going to do anything cos they'd prefer to see if it heals together naturally. I feel totally abandoned, they cut me and it's as if they aren't willing to fix me now. She said give it a few days to see if it heals a bit and if not speak to my GP. It's never going to heal itself in a few days so looks like I'll be going to the GP during the week x

 

[H16]

Sorry it wasn't as positive of an appointment as you had hoped hun, definitely get down to the GP next week and explain how concerned you are. They must be able to restitch it if you ask, don't see why they want to let it try to heal naturally if you are worried about it and it was previously stitched in first place xxx

 

[Mummybexee]

Put your foot down and tell them you want it fixing! Ask them to refer you to gynae or whatever. Tell them it's making you upset, depressed and vunerable. They can't ignore you and you need to get this fixed now so you can get on with life x

 

[russellmuscle]

Ohhhh hun that sounds awful.

Id perhaps push for a gynae referall or a and e. GPS are shit now days I find my self at the out of hours or a and e just to get someone to actually look and asses me.

You could be open to infection and thats a risky area!! Deffo dont take that as an answer. In the meantime take some regular pain medication and regular baths with tcp and/or arnica oil. Itll help the pain, healing and keep the wound clean.

You are brave for looking down there. I didnt look for months.

Xxx

 

[JJ Mum]

Yeah do go straight back to gp hun, sounds painful and needs sorting so you can get on with motherhood xx

 

[Browneyed Girl]

Sorry hun, I seem to remember asking the midwife or GP what would happen if mine doesn't heal correctly and was told they'd want to wait until it was fully healed to assess it Hope things improve this week and the GP is
more helpful xx

 

[Rainbow1234]

GP was much better today. She said it is in fact infected and that will be slowing down the recovery. (Even though midwife said on Sunday it's not and to just leave it) She gave me antibiotics and a massive load of painkillers so fingers crossed this gives me some progress x

 

[H16]

Glad your gp picked up on the infection, hopefully the pills will make it a lot less painful very quickly x