Healing process

I had suction and episiotomy and currently am 4 nearly 5 weeks post. I can relate to how awful everything looked at first I was horrified😂 i’d say by day 10 my episiotomy wound was healed with no pain anymore! It certainly looks far better now but unfortunately not the same as before but i’m coming to terms with it now😅

I had an episiotomy, I’m now 5 nearly 6 weeks pp and only half of my cut had healed, I’ve been put on oestrogen cream for another month to try and help it heal. I have no pain or bleeding with it though

I had a forceps episiotomy 6 weeks ago, biggest advice is to take it REALLY slow, stay in bed as long as you can. I didn’t and I burst all of my stitches and it’s still taking a really long time to heal because they don’t restitch you! Just don’t put any pressure on yourself and just cuddle your lovely baby, they are the best distraction. Any sign of infection go straight to the Gp and get put on antibiotics and insist on it being checked by a doctor. 🩷

I’m 3 weeks pp, almost 4 from the same thing, and the stitches have pretty much dissolved. I’ve been fairly active but have also allowed myself to rest where I can

I’m 5 wks today with same delivery as you and i’m nearly there but not quite. I also feel horrified by it (literally looks like a gaping hole now… 🕳️ anyone else..?!) my stitches dissolved about 1-2 weeks ago, and i’ve had them checked several times by midwife or GP to check they’re healing properly. I will say that i’m still bleeding a bit, and i do wonder if i still have some stitches so i’m getting checked again at my 6 wk post check

4 weeks and a day postpartum forceps and episiotomy delivery, my stitches have fully dissolved and when I feel the cut it’s like a fresh scar tissue (smooth to touch). Make sure you rest where you can, I have been fairly active since around 1 week postpartum and I have been fine but everyone is different and recovers at different speeds

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply ❤️ you’ve all definitely reassured me! I think it’s just really shocking the first time you have a look 😳 xx

Hi, I also had an episiotomy and forceps delivery. My episiotomy stitches fell out in week three, and it had healed. I am now in week four and feel back to normal. I advise taking it easy, showering twice a day, changing your maternity pad every few hours. This will help avoid infection and therefore ease recovery. Spritz for Bitz spray is great also - again, helps avoid infection xx

@Claire just seen the post and wanted to ask how you knew it was fully healed? My stitches came out and got infected the first week. I’ve been on antibiotics for two weeks and told the infection has gone and it’s starting to heal but it still looks swollen on that side slightly and it’s sore ti sit on Joe it’s healing. Has anyone else’ GP told them they won’t check stitches at 6weeks PP check? All other professionals told me they would.

@Jess I knew it had healed because it didn’t hurt anymore. I waited a couple more days then felt it with my finger. I’m sorry to hear yours got infected 😔 It may be ok that it’s swollen and a bit sore until it’s completely healed but sounds like it’s on its way, which is good news.

@Jess I’m surprised the GP won’t check your stitches. At the appointment you could say you think it’s infected again, as surely they’ll have to look then? Have you been discharged from the midwife yet? They’ll check them so you could call them either way xx

@Jess I’ve had the exact same experience too! I’m on week 7 and have just come off my third round of antibiotics! I’ve now been prescribed a cream called Fucidin to help it start to heal! 🩷 I had the same with my GP so then I started booking appointments just for them to check the it, also asked for the same doctor to look at it so they could tell me if it was actually getting better! I hope you start to feel better soon!

@Claire it was the receptionist who said they wouldn’t check but did then change it to a female. I assumed it was a given they checked it but apparently not at my GP. The indices have just discharged me unfortunately. I was seeing the same midwife each week who was great. She said they’re starting to heal from the new issue but now there is a small red bit which i assume is new skin, which is just so sore! I’m glad to hear positive stories about it healing. I keep seeing horrible things and it terrifies me. Thank you

@Annabelle oh wow, that sounds awful. I’m so sorry that’s happening. This is exactly what I’m worried about. How did you get prescribed the cream? Did you have to ask for something more to help? Has anyone spoke to you about seeing a gyno? Sorry for all the questions! My HV said if I wasn’t happy by my 6 weeks, the GP would refer me to a gyno but I’m too desperate to wait. I’m the same booking appointments with the same doctor but I worry they’ll get sick of me and tell me to go away. Is yours starting to get better now?

@Jess I was just really unlucky with the team who were at the hospital the night I went in with burst stitches, zero bowel control and retained membranes! The only advice they had was to eat protein… they took a swab but didn’t get in touch until 15 days later, luckily my community midwife came over during that time and picked up on the fact I had a uterine, bladder and wound infection 🫣 so I had 2 rounds of antibiotics on week 2-3 and then week 4-5! I’ve basically called the GP 2 times a week since then trying to get an appointment for someone to look at it but they kept saying to wait till baby’s 8 week app! I told them it was hurting the way it did on week 2 and it had plateaued healing wise, they gave me 2 appointments put me on a 3rd round of antibiotics and the antibiotic cream! That has helped soooooo much! I’m able to walk now and go to the toilet pain free!! Unfortunately you just have to advocate for yourself and be a bit persistent which is so out of my comfort zone too!

@Jess they said they had referred me to the gyno whilst I was at my appointment last week but I haven’t heard anything so will chase up today 😂😂