I am 3 weeks PP and recovering pretty well from a third degree tear. Some days feel better than others. I take daily sitz baths and have a script for 800 mg of ibuprofen, but some days seems worse than others. In addition to the sitz baths I have some Earth Mama Angel Baby bottom spray. What else can I do to find relief/speed healing?
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I had a third degree lateral episiotomy and my body rejected the stitches...it suuuuucked! I feel for you! I took naproxen for the first 2 weeks and then Advil after. I showered/siltz bathed twice a day to get some relief but I was tender down there for months...and sex was terrible until 6 months! I wish I had a trick to give you - but I can tell you it does go back to normal! I was so depressed abou it - I thought it was ruined...I seriously cried about it.
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Sit on ice. Any kind of ice pack, or have DH make one in the appropriate size. I used a numbing spray too (dermablast?).
Drink tons of water and eat some fiber so going to the bathroom doesn't cause additional pain.
Also, gentle exercise. Like take a slow walk daily. I think the increased blood flow encourages healing. Just be very very careful and don't over do it!
I tore very badly too, it does get better. I think I was sore to some extent until 6 weeks postpartum. I quit the Advil because it upset my stomach. -
@Mrsjets: oh no, painful until 6 months? I'm 10 weeks postpartum and scared to DTD! Poor DH!
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I had 30+ stitches and a 3rd degree--ending with an episiotomy. I only wiped with pampers sensitive wipes, used the heck out of a peri bottle, wore a pad and put hydrocortison on it, sprayed it with dermaplast and layered tucks pads on it. It helped a ton.
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I had a 3rd degree tear as well and sitting on a boppy, using the numbing spray the hospital gave me, not missing meds and ice helped but it really sucked. I was still sore 11 weeks PP. I hope you feel better soon.
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@matador84: yes, dermaplast! That's what it was called. I forgot about the tucks pads and peri bottle too.
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@cmomma17: yeah, not sure if that's normal for the L&D I had or if it has to do with the stitch rejection. FX for you!
@matador84: I used that bottle (i had one for each bathroom) a ton!
I also heard good things about witch hazel.
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@Mrsjets: tucks pads have witch hazel in them--didn't know that until i used them postpartum.
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After I had complications and a repair to my 2nd degree, Dr. prescribed 3 sitz baths a day with blowdrying afterwards.... awkward but it seemed to heal up really fast. In addition to everything previous posters mentioned!
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I wore a pad, tucks pads layered on top, numbing foam on top of that. Before I pulled my underwear up, I rinsed with a peri bottle full of warm water, and patted dry. Then I sprayed the whole area with a ton of extra strength dermaplast spray. Then I pulled on the underwear/pad/toppings.
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I did same as @highwire in addition to baths when everything started to ache after too much activity/walking. At two weeks I also had my midwife check my stitches and one of the knots want dissolving, and once she dug it out (ouch) I felt a million times better.
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I haven't had a baby yet, but I was reading on another site that someone suggested to get maxi pads, pour witch hazel on them and then put a few drops of lavender oil on them and freeze them. I wrote it down to remember as a lot of people commented that it helped..
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On the intimacy front, I've had girlfriends share that they got very skilled in non-intercourse kinds of sex. One also bought her husband a 6 month subscription to a woman run porn website. I say, do whatever you need to do to keep everyone happy in a way that works for you. And remember that it WILL get better, and you are NOT broken forever.
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Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm! And make some frozen pads with witch hazel and lavender. I tried to avoid sitting especially on harder surfaces. I spent a lot of time lounging on the couch to not put too much pressure down there. This may sound weird, but get some sun on that area and make sure to let everything get some fresh air and dry out now and then. I was slow to heal but everything is great down there now, including the sex.
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I forgot about the peri bottle! I loved that thing and used it way longer than necessary!
I made "padsicles" but never used them! -
Tucks pads or soak cotton/maternity pads in witch hazel and freeze them. I did mostly sitz baths and nurofen.
I had a nice big episiotomy. I want to say mine actually healed fairly quickly. It was healed up and the stitches had dissolved by my 6 week checkup. Sex didnt hurt. Hope that gives you hope!
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I had a 4th degree tear and most days I'm all better, but if I sit upright a long time, like when driving or something, I do get tender. I just found that doing the one cheek sit was the best...and the ibuprofen. I used tucks when it was healing, but at 4 months, there's a scar and no open wound. I was having sex with DH at 5 weeks...I was so scared but it didn't really hurt.
Dermaplast was a wonderful thing, too. I bought some with antibacterial stuff in it, which was good.
However, I didn't have a newborn to contend with, so I was able to focus all my energy on healing. The lack of sleep with a baby can definitely make healing take longer. Just rest as much as you can.
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Thanks for all the advice, everyone!! Every day feels better.
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