Postpartum care - vaginal tearing

[Anonymous]

I got stitches for second degree tearing after DS was born a week ago. I was told to use epifoam, witch hazel pads, and sitz baths. But for how long do I need to do this? TIA.

[Anonymous]

Until you're healed up. I had a two-week post-partum visit with my midwives, and at that point they either said, feel free to stop, or yikes, do more of that! (second child and first child, respectively).

I think sitz baths are the best thing for it, honestly, better than anything else. When I slacked off on them, I had noticeable setbacks. So hand the baby off to someone else and try to enjoy a few minutes in a (shallow) bath with epsom salts in there.

[Anonymous]

i had the same -- second degree tear. i think it was about 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

I had only a first degree tear, but I used the bath for about 3 weeks, I think. Make sure to make the water pretty hot. That's what worked for me.

[Anonymous]

You'll know when you can stop. I had a fourth degree tear and I used the witch hazel and squirt bottle at least through my six week check up, maybe longer. There's a post birth supplies thread here somewhere where folks also recommended some other spray too, but I don't remember what it's called. I wouldn't worry about using any of it too long and I'd expect that some things get phased out sooner than others.

Congrats on baby!!!

[Anonymous]

You will do it until you don't have to anymore. I had extreme tearing, and it was over two months until I could wipe properly. I blotted with moistened towlettes while away from home. But, I will assure you that everything does go back to normal.

[Anonymous]

I had second degree tearing, but never got the hang of doing the sitz bath - too much effort. I used dermaplast for a while and then the squirt bottle for at least a couple of week.

[Anonymous]

The sitz bath was my daily solitude break, when I could sit on the tush-tub and read the news on my iPhone in peace while DH wrangled the baby (who was of the always-happy-unless-of-course-you-try-to-put-him-down variety). Didn't do any thing else for my 2nd degree tear other than using the spray bottle. I was pretty much done after 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, if you have bad hemorrhoids, the sitz bath will make them worse. I am almost 3 weeks pp, and i had to stop the sitz bath after 2 days because every time i would use it, the hemorrhoids would get much worse.

i have also stopped using the peri bottle most of the time, and mostly just blot with toilet paper. I also had a second degree tear. My stitches haven't fallen out yet, but the tear doesn't hurt and most of the swelling has gone down.

I had a pretty rough delivery - 3 hrs of pushing that resulted in a forceps delivery - and I feel 1000x better than i did a week ago, OP.

[Anonymous]

I had 2nd degree tears too. I used the sitz bath for a couple of days. But the peri bottle... some days I still wish I had it.

[Anonymous]

I used the sitz bath for about six or seven weeks - by the end, once every few days. Guess my tearing was worse than other people's?

[Anonymous]

i had a 2nd degree tear last time around and for some reason i don't remember using the sitz bath at all. i used the peri bottle for about 3-4 weeks.

[Anonymous]

How about postpartum bleeding/lochia?

I am 5 weeks postpartum...occasional light spotting (every 3 days) and what I think must be lochia (related to breastfeeding?)

I had this with DC 1 but someone please remind me when the lochia stops. I hate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about postpartum bleeding/lochia?

I am 5 weeks postpartum...occasional light spotting (every 3 days) and what I think must be lochia (related to breastfeeding?)

I had this with DC 1 but someone please remind me when the lochia stops. I hate it.

OP here. Interesting you should mention this. My bleeding stopped a couple days ago and I even stopped wearing pads. Then yesterday I starteD bleeding again and soaked thru my jeans (and stained my couch!). The bleeding is nit continuous but I had a similar "gush" today. I don't think this is normal but it also does not quite sound like hemorrhaging, should I call the doc? To PP, here's a link about postpartum bleeding.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_postpartum-normal-bleeding-and-discharge-lochia_11722.bc