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Episio: get over it quickly and well
Good hygiene
All mothers who have just given birth bleed for a few days. It’s normal. Problem, this humid environment does not promote healing. This is why you have to be very attentive to the episio at the beginning. In the maternity ward, it is the work of the midwife, who comes twice a day to check the area of the episiotomy and to perform personal hygiene. On our side, you have to adopt the right actions to limit the risk of infection. Nothing very complicated …
- When we go to the bathroom, we always wipe from front to back. This precaution prevents microbes from the intestine from reaching the scar.
- After each visit to the toilet, wash with a mild soap and dry by patting with a Kleenex.
- We avoid the towel, which always contains some germs and tends to lint and cling to the threads.
- We give up the hair dryer which dries out the skin and dilates the vessels.
- We change our sanitary napkins as often as possible, and of course, after each urination or bowel movement.
- We wear cotton underwear, or we invest in “special childbirth” panties that we throw away at the same time as the filling. Synthetics increase perspiration and humidity, so it is better to avoid it.
The pain of the episiotomy is relieved
A baby has been there! So… in all mothers, the perineal region is sensitive for hours after childbirth. Those who have had an episiotomy feel more discomfort or pain. Small tips allow you to deal with it:
- To reduce the burns felt while urinating, midwives advise spraying the scar at the same time with water (with a pitcher or a sprayer). Some even recommend peeing in the shower!
- The first 24 hours, the cold relieves well and reduces the edema. We ask the maternity staff to put our mineral water mist in the refrigerator, or we insert an ice pack in a towel and apply it to the scar.
- From the second day, we try the heat. You use the shower, letting a trickle of lukewarm water flow gently over the incision, three or four times a day.
- If the pain persists despite everything, the doctor will prescribe an analgesic (paracetamol) or an anti-inflammatory. Sometimes it may take a while for the area to deflate. Some creams that are applied directly to the episiotomy can be very effective.
After an episiotomy, we boost its transit
The first bowel movements are often dreaded by young mothers. No fear, the suture is strong and the threads will not let go! However, constipation is common right after childbirth, and in order not to increase the pressure on the tissues, the intestinal transit should not be too lazy. For that, we opt for a diet rich in fiber, and especially, we drink enough (water, fruit juice, broths….). We also avoid prolonged sitting on the toilet, and we activate the transit by walking most often. If that doesn’t work out, we talk to the doctor who can prescribe a mild laxative.
Essential oils, to speed up healing
Want more natural? Enjoy the benefits of essential oils. Very concentrated in active principle of plants, one or two drops are enough. They are always used mixed with a vegetable oil (sweet almond, argan, olive…). They speed up the healing process and reduce discomfort. We prepare our mixture and apply it three or four times a day on a sterile pad, directly on the episiotomy. Among the most effective, rosehip, helichrysum, lavandin or rosewood. After healing, sitz baths in lukewarm water with a few drops of calendula or lavender oil also soothe the sensitive area. Cypress extract acts as an antiseptic, decreases the risk of infection and also relieves hemorrhoids. These oils can also be used for gently massage our perineum. We mix wheat germ oil (2 tablespoons) with essential oil of lavender (3 or 4 drops approximately) and apply delicately to the sensitive area.
The correct position after the episiotomy
In the very first few days, it may be difficult to sit down normally. The solution to limit the pressure on the perineum? Set up as a tailor or semi-tailor, that is to say, one leg folded forward, the other folded back. If we breastfeed our baby, we lie on our side rather than on the back.
Episiotomy: hugs will wait a bit …
First intercourse after an episiotomy can be painful, and some mothers sometimes experience hypersensitivity for two or three months. No real rule as to when to resume, except that it is best to wait until the bleeding is finished and that the skin is well healed. To make this moment of intimacy more pleasant, here are some tips.
- We don’t force ourselves if we are not ready or tired. Stress or apprehension may make penetration more difficult.
- To start, we put more on the caresses and we proceed step by step.
- A lubricating gel is used to ward off vaginal dryness, which is common after childbirth, especially if you are breastfeeding.
- Finally, we adopted a comfortable position so that the penis does not press directly on the episiotomy. And if it hurts, stop!
Episiotomy: consult a doctor if …
The vast majority of episiotomies heal without complications. But every now and then the process can get messed up and take longer. You should therefore be worried about certain abnormal signs such as throbbing pain. Same thing if the area of the episiotomy is red, swollen, or oozing, because it may be a sign of a point infection. We also see our gynecologist if you have a fever (> 38 ° C) and smelly discharge. Thread allergy or scar breakdown in the skin occurs from time to time. They result in an abnormal appearance (swelling, redness, opening over several millimeters, etc.) of the scar and in delayed healing. It is also not normal to feel very localized pain. The diagnosis is not always obvious and requires careful examination by the gynecologist. This can be from a nerve that has been trapped in a suture. Passive electrostimulation sessions, performed in the midwife’s office, are prescribed from time to time to relieve a scar that remains sensitive.
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