What the Bounty Book doesn’t tell you … Just how painful an episiotomy is and how to deal with it
An episiotomy is carried out during childbirth when it becomes necessary to cut the perineum – the skin and muscle between the vagina and anus.
During the final moments of childbirth, the baby’s head will stretch the opening of the vagina.
Occasionally a women will tear naturally, others will not tear at all, but some women will need a deliberate cut.
This may happen if the baby needs to be delivered quickly, is particularly large or the woman is having a surgically assisted birth.
Women who are having a forceps delivery – think the world’s biggest salad tongs – will most likely need an episiotomy to allow room for both the baby’s head and forceps.
An episiotomy should be carried out under anaesthetic and stitched after birth with dissolving stitches.
These stitches should get better in around three to four weeks after giving birth.
During this time, it is important to keep them clean to avoid infection.
Whilst many birth guides do breeze over episiotomies in some scant detail, what many fail to tell you is how to deal with the mind blowing agony they may cause in the weeks afterwards.
Before going into hospital to give birth, make sure you include in your many preparations a method of coping with an episiotomy back at home should you need to have one.
We spoke to Bristol mothers who have had an episiotomy, to put together a list of home-made methods that have worked for them.
Pain relief
Simple painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can be used together and can be effective. Always read the label. If you are in this much pain, do consult your midwife and make sure they are not becoming infected.
Some women have sworn to us that salt in the bath, or camomile tea bags with lavender oil help stitches to heal faster. Do check with your midwife first before testing out home-made remedies.
Sitting down
Sitting down can be incredibly difficult after an episiotomy. Not only are the nether regions bruised and tender from childbirth, but cuts and stitches hurt even before having the weight of a postnatal body forced down on top of them.
Breastfeeding pillow – Placed in a chair, this will support the weight of the body but leave a necessary hole in the middle which stops pressure being applied to the painful area.
Rubber ring – Works in the same way
Birthing ball – Don’t let a pump enthusia
st at this one. A slightly under-pressured exercise ball will allow the body’s weight to sink downwards towards gravity.
Pile of cushions or pillows – Arrange according to comfort.
Cold
Ice pack – An ice pack will be your friend during this time. Place in the middle of your method of seating. The ice will help ease pain and swelling. Simple picnic ice packs from the pound shop will be perfect. Two to three in rotation will mean you will never be without ice.
Buying your ice packs before birth will mean that your partner will not come home to find you with your bum in the fridge or in front of a fan, as some lesser prepared postnatal women admitted to doing.
Wee
There is no easy way around wee. Books will tell you to take a jug of water to the toilet with you to pour over stitches as you wee. This is not very effective as the water will not hit the parts it needs to. The thought of trying to wee other than in the socially conventional way may sound horrific. But, this will not be as bad as the blood curdling screams your neighbour will have to put up with if you try to wee like a normal person.
Methods of weeing include:
After you have had a bath in the bath water – not before
In the shower
Using a funnel on the toilet
Weeing into a bowl of water
Being prepared for a possible episiotomy during childbirth is important. This is because the severe pain some women experience may affect their ability to bond with their new baby.
Having some simple pain relieving methods on standby at home may sound silly, but anything that helps you to sit, stand and wee in comfort is not to be sniffed at.