Forceps delivery & episiotomy

by **Dee78** » Thu May 10, 2022 9:41 pm

Hi all

Just moving over from Pregnancy & Babies. Had my little girl almost 2 wks ago and had to have forceps delivery so had an episiotomy. Have stitches and some little lesions which weren't stitched. I know it's early days but just wondering if anyone else who's had this could tell me how long it took to heal up? I don't have an infection or anything but can be quite sore and it's getting me down a bit especially after I took a look at it with the mirror :weep

Feel like it'll never be back to normal!

Thanks :thnk

by **digsy** » Thu May 10, 2022 9:48 pm

Hiya

I had forceps delivery and episiotomy on DD1. I had a very quick recovery, never used a mirror to look and recovered really quickly. Maybe i was the lucky one. I have since gone on to have a natural birth on DD2. Try not to think about it and enjoy your new baby, congrats

by **Dee78** » Thu May 10, 2022 10:35 pm

Thanks Digsy :wv

Princess09 · by **Princess09** » Thu May 10, 2022 11:25 pm

Congrats!

I had same last Dec for son, it really didn't feel as bad as I expected afterwards, I was terrified of what it was going to be like weeks afterwards!

Mine took 6-8 weeks to heal, scar was monitiored very closely by public health nurse, prob monitored a bit too much!
She felt I was stiched badly, kept asking me how I wasnt in agony, as I had a 'pothole in stitching' :eek

Anyway, thankfully I had Nelsons Labour Kit, homeopathic remedies purchased beforehand

Arnica
Hypercal
Bellis Per - were 3 excellent ones for healing, as if PHN had her way she had me in A&E twice to be restitched! Thankfully my consultant wouldn't till all healed, and it did, to amazment of PHN the pothole dissappeared within matter or 1-2 weeks (of the latter 6 weeks after giving birth)

She feels healing was all down to taking these homeopathic remedies.

Def get your hands on strong Arnica 200c even if you are not able to get other two.

by **babyblabber** » Fri May 11, 2022 7:52 am

congrats on your new baby! i had forceps and episiotomy on DS and i was taking painkillers every day for 8 weeks. not what you want to hear but you will feel normal again, i promise. i found if i did too much it made it really painful, i ran around the shops for an hour when he was 5 weeks and i was in bits that evening, bawling crying. you haven't had a section but you have had a surgical cut and stitches so be kind to yourself, let your DH do loads and take any other help offered and you do nothing except sleep when you can and take care of yourself and baby.

i took arnica 200c too but not sure it made a difference. change your pads religiously. some people put witch hazel on them but my midwife told me not to, to keep them dry as any moisture can increase the chance of infection. try to have a shallow bath once or twice a day with no more than 5 drops of tea tree oil (too much can dissolve the stitches) and if you're having trouble sitting down, get a rubber ring to sit on! oh and drink loads of fresh orange juice to keep your poo soft so you're not worried about going to the loo!

i mentioned it to my consultant at my 6 week check up (which was at 7 weeks) and it turned out i had some scar tissue which he cauterized (sounds worse than it is, didn't feel a thing) and it significantly improved after that.

ps brave woman looking already, took me 2 years to have a look!!!!

by **Mrs Poppyseed** » Fri May 11, 2022 9:12 am

I had a forceps delivery and episiotomy on dd1 and it took about 4 weeks before I felt normal again. The first couple of weeks I was very sore and really bruised, couldn't bring myself to have a look with a mirror. I used to put witchhazel on the pads and found it a great relief for the stitches and took arnica for the bruising. Just take ur time and don't rush take apin killers when ya need them. As long as there is no infection u'll be grad.

by **Dee78** » Fri May 11, 2022 10:22 am

Thanks girls for your replies, PHN had a look yest and thinks its healing well and that they didn't stitch the lesions - or "potholes" as you refer to them princess09, is a much better description!! I was worrying as I thought maybe stitches had come out.

Will definitely take it a bit easier as I probably have been doing too much. Thanks again for the advice

lcarrick · by **lcarrick** » Fri May 11, 2022 11:55 am

i had vaccum and epi, took about 5 weeks to feel normal, defo that the arnica tablets, and i did use the witch hazel i fould it helped, and i changed pads often, also took a bath every night in tea tree oil, just a few drops, but this helps keep the stitches clean.

congrats on your new baba!!!

Dot Cotton · by **Dot Cotton** » Sat May 12, 2022 1:44 pm

i also had a foreceps & epis & 5 weeks on i'm still in pain. So much so i went back to the doc last week & she put me back on the difene twice a day & also on anti-biotics cos one part of my stitches got inflammed despite showering daily, douching every time i went to the bathroom AND squeezing my fat a$$ into a spare bath i have for DD twice a day as we've no bath at home :eek

Since going back on the difene i'm grand but when they wear off i still feel sore but def not as bad as last week :o(

i CANNOT wait to feel normal again & i'm afraid to have a look :o0

Sorry don't want to frighten you, i think i've had a rough time of it & this is my war story :o0

by **Dee78** » Sat May 12, 2022 5:58 pm

Dot you poor thing! Hope it starts to improve for you. I was on difene twice a day in hospital but was all over the place and came home without asking for a prescription!!! Actually came home without any pain relief only we had some difene at home which I've now finished and now taking just neurofen :weep

I'm such an eejit. Going to ring my doc and ask her to fax prescription for difene to the chemist!!
My stitches seem ok although itchy as fcuk now >:o(

My problem are the cuts I have which weren't stitched as they keep reopening, esp at night getting up and down to feed baba. I'm only 2 wks on though so I may get on with it and stop feeling sorry for myself!!
I'd say you're well fed up now after 5 wks. Hopefully now you're back on the difene you'll get a bit of a break from the pain and it'll heal up very soon for you.

Dot Cotton · by **Dot Cotton** » Mon May 14, 2022 8:12 pm

i did the very same as you & came home without a prescription but we had to take DD up again a couple of days later for the heel prick test so i got one then. DEFINATELY get one from your doc, no point in suffering when you don't have to. I'm pure SICK of it now alright :o(

Have our 6 week check up now this week so i hope when doc checks it will be much improved.

Mind yourself though & don't do too much or it will be worse. Take good care :wv

Secondtime · by **Secondtime** » Mon May 14, 2022 8:30 pm

Dee 78,

I have some arnica 200 if you want? I can post to you. Luckily I didn't really need them. I know it can be hard to get out to get these things with small baby. Only place I know of which sell that strength is Nelsons in Dublin. Pm your address if you would like them.

Hope you feel better soon

funkyfish · by **funkyfish** » Mon May 14, 2022 8:31 pm

do you have piles? my pain was from those lil feckers and not my whooping epi... :hic

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