How many days does episiotomy heals

Steen M, Cummins B. How to repair an episiotomy. Nurs Stand. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFamily. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents.

Background Information. Caring for Your Stitches. Follow-Up Care. Professional Help. An Overview of Episiotomies. Postpartum Care Supplies for New Moms.

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Read more about our editorial review process. Episiotomy care and recovery. Read time 5 minutes. Email Post Tweet Post. What is an episiotomy? Rest when you can to promote healing Rest is really important and will help your body recover and heal from an episiotomy. Take off your underwear and lay on a towel on your bed for 10 minutes or so a couple of times a day.

Sleep when your baby does, to help your body rest and recover. Talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP about which activities you should avoid while you are healing. NHS Choices, Some of the following episiotomy self-care suggestions might help to relieve pain: Put an ice pack wrapped in a towel or cloth onto the affected area. Some people say having a warm bath helps you relax and eases pain.

Use a special doughnut-shaped inflatable cushion to help make sitting down more comfortable. Painkillers may also help bring relief: Paracetamol — is safe to use, even if you are breastfeeding. Aspirin is NOT recommended if you are breastfeeding because it can pass to your baby via your breastmilk. Place an icepack or ice wrapped in a towel on the wound. Do this for 20 to 30 minutes at a time a few times a day. In the first 3 days, especially, using icepacks can really reduce the swelling and inflammation around the wound.

Another tip when sitting is to squeeze your bum cheeks together. This takes some of the pressure off the wound. Some women take 'Arnica'.

This herbal remedy is thought to encourage wound healing and reduce bruising. There is no conclusive scientific evidence to prove that it works. It is normal to bleed for up to 6 weeks after the birth. Never use tampons. Tampons can introduce infection into the area. Use plain warm water to clean your perineum. Clean it gently and avoid rubbing it. There is no scientific evidence that using witch hazel or salt speeds up wound healing. But if you find them soothing to use, there is no harm in using them.

Wear underwear that is made from a breathable material like cotton. Wear loose comfy clothes. Tight clothes can be uncomfortable while you are healing. This is especially important if there are young children in your home. They might have an infection, such as Group A strep, that you can pass to your wound. This can be very serious if it gets into the blood stream.

Wash your perineum after every time you go to the toilet. Pour warm water over your vaginal area after you have been to the toilet. Pouring warm water over your outer vagina as you pee can also help stop the urine stinging. When you are on the toilet for a pee, lean forward towards your knees. This helps direct your urine away from your wound. It is normal to feel worried about your stitches when you poo. There are things you can do to make pooing more comfortable.

Put a clean pad at the side of your wound and press gently as you poo. This can take some of the pressure off the wound. Try not to get constipated. Drink lots of water.